Boone Triplett Knihy

A fascinating history of the Ohio and Erie Canal, from a national leader in agricultural output to a recreational resource. George Washington first proposed the idea of a canal connecting the Great Lakes to the Ohio-Mississippi River System in 1784. Inspired by the Erie Canal in New York, the State of Ohio began surveying routes in 1822 for its own grand internal improvement project. Completed a decade later, the 309-mile-long Ohio and Erie Canal connected Cleveland, Akron, Massillon, Dover, Roscoe, Newark, Columbus, Circleville, Chillicothe, Waverly, and Portsmouth. Success was immediate, as this vital transportation link provided access to Eastern markets. Within a span of 35 years, canals transformed Ohio from a rural frontier wilderness into the nation's leader in agricultural output and third most populous state by 1860. Railroads marked the end of the canal as an economic engine, but traffic continued to operate until the Great Flood of 1913 destroyed the system as a commercial enterprise. Today, the Ohio and Erie Canal is enjoying a rebirth as a recreational resource.

Lincoln County was named for Pres. Abraham Lincoln, and the county seat, Hamlin, was likely named for his vice president, Hannibal Hamlin. Created out of Boone, Cabell, Kanawha, and Putnam Counties in 1867, Lincoln County is characterized by the geographic oddity of three north-flowing Guyandotte, Mud, and Coal. The county developed around its rivers and their tributaries, strategically using them to operate mills and transport goods. Timbering was its first major industry, and readers will see images of the log rafts and push boats that operated along these streams. Arrival of the railroad in the early 20th century opened another transportation artery. There was also a major oil boom around this time. Fossil fuels have remained important to the county s economy, particularly natural gas and coal. Lincoln County highlights what life was like in area communities such as West Hamlin, Branchland, Harts, Hamlin, Griffithsville, and Alum Creek."