Whitewater Canal

The Whitewater Canal is a historic waterway stretching from Lawrenceburg to Hagerstown through Indiana, designed to move goods by water rather than overland routes. The structure includes 56 locks and seven dams that controlled water levels for safe boat passage.

Construction started in 1836 as part of Indiana's ambitious internal improvement program to help farmers move their goods more easily. The project emerged from pressure to connect agricultural regions with the commercial centers downstream.

The canal system brought prosperity to farming communities by creating direct market access that hadn't existed before. Towns along the route grew as trading hubs where local products moved toward bigger cities.

You can walk along preserved sections of the canal at various points along its path, with easy access from nearby parking areas. Several visitor centers offer exhibits and information about how the canal worked and what life was like during its operation.

The Duck Creek Aqueduct earned national recognition as a historic engineering landmark, standing out for how it solved the problem of crossing the creek while maintaining water flow for boats. This structure showcases the problem-solving skills that went into building the entire system.

Location: Franklin County

GPS coordinates: 39.45190,-85.11280

Latest update: December 8, 2025 20:02