Location: The Canal Visitor's Center is located on Hillside Road in Valley View. It is accessible to travelers on the CanalWay Ohio National Scenic Byway (Canal Road) by turning west on Hillside Road and crossing the canal. The trailhead is located between Mile Markers 12 and 13 on the Towpath Trail.

History: There is quite a lot of history associated with this area of the canal. A village called Pilgerruh, or "Pilgrim's Rest" was built near here in 1786 by Moravian missionaries and Native Americans, marking one of the earliest contacts between European settlers and the Native Americans in Ohio. The exact location of the settlement is not known, but it was somewhere near Tinker's Creek.

The Ohio & Erie Canal was built through this area between 1825 and 1827. Shortly after, in the late 1820's, the building that now sits at the trailhead was built. But only half of it was built then - the other half as it's seen today was built in 1853. Lock 38 sits right in front of the building which is sometimes called the Locktender's House. There are no records of a locktender ever living here, but the building does have a colorful past. At various times, the building served as a residence, tavern, hotel, dance hall, blacksmithy, and general store. It was also known as "Hell's Half Acre" because of "unspecified entertainment offered upstairs" according to Jack Gieck in A Photo Album of Ohio's Canal Era, 1825-1913.

When the National Park Service bought the house, it was rehabilitated into a visitor's center highlighting the many eras of human civilization around the Cuyahoga Valley. The three building's three stories all contain displays that are shown year round. The basement has a small theater where visitors can view Jack Gieck's video series "Ohio's Canal Era" upon request.

More interesting to canal enthusiasts though is what lies outside the building - Lock 38. The National Park service restored the lock to its 1905 appearance and made it functional once again. Demonstrations are put on during the summer on weekends to show how locks functioned. The only thing missing is a canal boat!

(Update:  Currently, the lock is non-operational. The gates were damaged from flooding and have not been repaired yet)
 

Lock 38 looking south from Hillside Road bridge

About the Lock: Lock 38 is the only functioning lock on the northern section of the Ohio & Erie Canal. It was restored to its 1905 appearance by the National Park Service and operates on weekends during the summer months. The lock's spillway is located on the eastern side of the canal while the Towpath Trail passes on the western side. The lock was named 12 Mile Lock due to its distance from Lake Erie. A bridge sits at its northern end.

About the Structure: Tinker's Creek Aqueduct is the second and last functioning aqueduct on the Ohio & Erie Canal. It is larger than the Mill Creek Aqueduct to the north and is currently under reconstruction by the National Park Service. The recently torn down structure was over one hundred years old. Unfortunately, it was in too bad of condition to save, so a new structure will be built in its place. A Towpath bridge has been built and is in its original location.

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Historical photo of the Canal Visitor Center is courtesy of the Cascade Locks Park Association.