Inclined Plane

At this location, in the 1870's an inclined plane was built to lower Canal barges down to a tidewater lock below. The thought was to relieve the traffic congestion in Georgetown. Unfortunately, about as soon as it was built it was not needed, as traffic declined and would never return to the C&O Canal. In 1908-1910 when the Georgetown Branch was completed through, they built the r-o-w right over the old inclined plane. Elements of it are still visible today, most notably one wall, the lock, and all the ruins of the tidewater lock below. Barges were lowered onto huge caissons on rails, which were lowered down the plane using counterweights. More info can be found here on the NPS website. This view looks Eastward, with the C&O Canal to the left. The plane began just about where those steps are.