Welland Canal has a long and colourful history
The Welland Canal certainly has a long and colourful history and is considered by many people to be one of the amazing human-made wonders of the world.
As locals, we tend to forget about its history and only dwell on the inconvenience of waiting for a bridge to come down during our daily commute to work. Instead, we should remember to acknowledge the significant role the Welland Canal plays in the economy of the entire Niagara region.
Many years ago, the banks of Chippawa Creek (now the Welland River) were home to early settlers and military installations, as well as government docks and wharves.
Goods and people were transported from Lake Ontario, over land via Portage Road to Chippawa Creek. From here, they could sail up the upper Niagara River, then on to Buffalo and other destinations on Lake Erie.
Of course, this trip would need to bypass the unnavigable waters surrounding the mighty falls of Niagara. A water route between the two Great Lakes was desired, and in 1824, local businessperson William Hamilton Merritt had raised enough private funds to start construction of the first Welland Canal.
Opening in 1829, the Welland Canal ran from Port Dalhousie, on a winding route up the escarpment, to Port Robinson, where it connected with Chippawa Creek. The little canal had 40 wooden locks, with a “deep cut” through the escarpment.
Ships could exit the river at Chippawa and head up the Niagara River to Lake Erie. It was a perilous turn, taking vessels from the placid creek to the swift current of the Niagara River. Sailboats and other smaller craft usually needed to be towed by “yokes of oxen” on a towpath against the strong Niagara current.
A few years later in 1833, an extension to the canal was added through Welland to Port Colborne. Much of the commercial shipping was diverted, although passage from Lake Ontario to Buffalo continued through Chippawa.
The wood used in the locks of this first Welland Canal deteriorated rapidly, and when the deeper second canal was constructed, the new locks were made of stone. It was extended through the St. Lawrence Seaway, connecting the lakes to the Atlantic Ocean.
Alignments near Port Dalhousie were changed for the third Welland Canal, and although its locks were larger than its predecessors, they were still too small for some ships. In 1876, the Merritton tunnel was completed on the Grand Trunk Railway line, running under the canal.
The present-day fourth canal opened in 1932, moving the north entrance from Port Dalhousie to Port Weller. This Welland Ship Canal has eight locks, seven up the escarpment and an eighth at Port Colborne to compensate for Lake Erie water levels.
Niagara Falls Public Library has many books about the Welland Canal in its local history collection.
Recently, we added a new book to our collection titled “Spirit of the Big Ditch: The Story of the Welland Canals in Pictures, Poems and Songs.” It was compiled, edited and annotated by Robert Ratcliffe Taylor and published by the Historical Society of St. Catharines.
What is unique about this title is the addition of QR codes that link the reader to both audio and video performances of the songs and poems included in the book. We have a circulating copy of this book, so be sure to add your name to the list of people waiting to borrow this popular new title.