Canal Cruise

Since we have been in Richmond this is something we have wanted to do, and since we were just across the street after touring the Edgar Allan Poe House, we decided to see if we could fit it into our day. Most of the information we learned while on the Cruise we had already learned while doing the Canal Walk, it was still pretty cool though!

"Cotton" Our Caption. . . Hmmm wonder why he's called Cotton?

This picture shows an interesting representation of our Transportation History: A 18th Century Canal System under a 19th Century Railway System under a 2oth Century Freeway, and up above 21st Century Aviation and Space Travel.

Passing through the Canal Lock for the Flood Wall.

Longest suspended Railway possibly in the World. This Railway is suspended above ground for seven miles!

We can't remember what this bridge is called, only that it was modeled after a Leonardo DaVinci design of a bridge system.

Statue of the Man who named Richmond.

A Blue Heron.

A Turtle.

These rings are replicas used of rings used before the Canal System. They would throw a rope to someone standing on land, then the person on land would put the rope through the ring, and then pull the rope and propel the Boat upstream.

Our boat the Martha Washington and our Captains hiney.

This box is a replica that once held a man by the name of Henry Brown who was known as Box Brown. Brown decided to escape Slavery after his wife and three children were sold in 1848. With the help of a white Shoemaker, Brown was boxed up in this 2 feet square by 3 feet high box, and taken to the Depot, where he was loaded onto a freight car. The crate was turned upside down several time and Brown almost suffocated, but he finally arrived safely at the abolitionist address in Philadelphia. Brown went on to become a well known anti-slave activist. His helper Samuel Smith was later arrested after attempting to box up two more fugitives from slavery.