An Inquisitive Visitor's
Guide to the
Ohio & Erie Canal and Towpath Trail
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An Inquisitive Visitor's
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Lock 25 North (Portage Summit Level) - Yellow Creek Lock - Mudcatcher Lock
West wall of Lock 25 looking south
About the Lock: Only half of this lock remains but offers a nice view of the inside of one of the Ohio & Erie Canal's 42 locks from Cleveland to Akron. The original towpath passed on the eastern side of the lock while the spillway sat on the western side and was shared by both Lock 25 and 24. According to the plat maps from 1916, both of these locks were called Yellow Creek Lock. The eastern wall of the lock was removed when Riverview Road was widened in the years after the demise of the canal. A bridge once existed at the upper gate that allowed access to the Botzum Farm.
Lock 24 North (Portage Summit Level) - Yellow Creek Lock - Niles Lock
Lock 24 looking south from Riverview Road
About the lock: Like Lock 25 before it, only the western wall of this lock still exists. The original towpath passed along the eastern bank of the canal with the spillway to the west. This lock was named Yellow Creek Lock in some publications (as was Lock 24) and named Niles Lock in others. The spillway tumble is intact and very visible from both the Towpath Trail and Riverview Road. Both Lock 24 and Lock 25 shared the same spillway. The drive to the Botzum Farm is between the two locks and the remains of what might have been a bridge over the spillway can be seen in the woods near the driveway.
Yellow Creek Culvert
East opening of Yellow Creek Culvert looking west
About the Structure: When too much dirt washed into the canal as a result of the original dam and weir at Yellow Creek, a culvert was created to allow the creek to run underneath the canal. The Yellow Creek Culvert is the finest example of a culvert on the northern section of the canal. It is still intact as Riverview Road now runs over it in what was once the canal bed. Before the culvert was built, however, the west side of the canal had no berm bank and the creek was allowed to enter the canal. This area was known as Yellow Creek Basin and there was a lot of activity around it. There was a tavern, a store, warehouses, and a hotel in the area around the basin.
Botzum / Indian Mound Trailhead
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