C & O Route

Off-white background with stylized red text and a black and white photograph of George Washington

Prior to the advent of railways in America, canals were used to transport goods and passengers. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, chartered by president James Monroe in 1825, spanned from Georgetown, Washington D.C., to Cumberland, Maryland. Teams of mules worked the towpath along the banks of the river, pulling boats behind them. The canal ceased operations in 1924 and has since been turned into a recreational walking path.