An Archaeological Study: Construction and Use Pattern of the Hocking Canal Rock Cut Towpath and Bridge in Hocking County, Ohio

by Christopher Nelson

The Hocking Canal Rock Cut Towpath and Bridge (33HO702) is a very unusual site on the Hocking Canal. It is located in Falls Township, just north of Logan in Hocking County, Ohio. It is a little understood site that comes from the nineteenth century canal era in the United States. The layout of the site is far from traditional as the towpath has been blasted into a sandstone cliff that overlooks the Hocking River and at one point is over 150 feet away from the river’s edge. There are several elements to this site such as the blasted rock towpath, earthen ramps, a large ravine that had to be bridged, post holes cut into the stone, and names carved into the wall so that future generations would remember some of those who had once utilized this part of the canal. Several archaeological methods were employed to provide answers to the use pattern of the site. These methods included excavation of units and profile trenches, visual inspection of large features, surveying and mapping techniques, and many hours of literature review. The canal was abandoned in 1894, so there is no one alive today that would remember how it was used. Archaeological methods created an opportunity to provide these answers that have otherwise been lost to history.

209 pages, Paperback

Published March 27, 2021