An Inquisitive Visitor's
Guide to the
Ohio & Erie Canal and Towpath Trail
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An Inquisitive Visitor's
Guide to the |
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Lock 39 Trailhead
Location: The Lock 39 Trailhead is located south of Rockside Road in Valley View. It is accessible to motorists on the CanalWay Ohio National Scenic Byway (Canal Road) by turning west on Rockside Road. It is north of Mile Marker 11 on the Towpath Trail.
History: Thornburg was a stop on the Valley Railway in the 1800's. The community grew up around Lock 39 on the Ohio & Erie Canal. It had a general store as well as Zimmerman's Tavern and the Keider-Nelson Tavern. McMillan's Dry Dock was located south of Lock 39. A large amount of stone was quarried in the area as well. The trailhead is the northern gateway into the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad now operates Rockside Station in the historic Thornburg area.
Lock 39 North (Portage Summit Level) - Stone's Lock - 11 Mile Lock
Lock 39 and its spillway looking south from the Towpath Trail
About the Lock: Lock 39 looks much like it did during the canal era except that it is non functioning as it has no gates. But the spillway is intact east of the lock and the entire structure is watered. A bridge crosses the lock at its northern end. Its "11 Mile Lock" name comes from the fact that it is located very near Mile Marker 11 on the canal, meaning that it was 11 miles from the original terminus of the canal in Cleveland. The origin of the "Stone's Lock" name is somewhat of a mystery, but it could be so named because of the stone quarrying industry that took place nearby. A grocery store was located near the lock as was the business of John B. McMillan who built and repaired canal boats.
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The Cuyahoga National Recreation Area
was created in 1974. The designation saved the area from developmental
take over and preserved the area's history and natural beauty. Much of the
canal bed and original towpath remain today, even in areas where the canal
is not watered. In 2000, the area was officially made a National Park and
is one of the four most visited in the nation, thanks in part to the
Towpath Trail. Sites in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park are listed by
the small towns that made up the Cuyahoga Valley in the canal era.