National Historic Landmark

Potomac Canal Historic District

Great Falls, Fairfax County, Virginia
Listed
October 17, 1979
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
79003038

About this property

The Patowmack Canal, sometimes called the Potomac Canal, is a series of five inoperative canals located in Maryland and Virginia, United States, that was designed to bypass rapids in the Potomac River upstream of the present Washington, D.C., area. The most well known of them is the Great Falls skirting canal, whose remains are managed by the National Park Service since it is within Great Falls Park, an integral part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway. The first section of the canal opened in 1795, and the canal ended operations in 1828.

Location

Great Falls, Fairfax County, Virginia
38.99762, -77.25382

Categories

ENGINEERINGPOLITICS/GOVERNMENT
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Potomac Canal Historic District

This page lists Potomac Canal Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Cornwell Farm
Industrial
1 mi
Four Stairs
Industrial
1.4 mi
Gunnell, William, House
Industrial
1.7 mi
Great Falls Grange Hall and Forestville School
Industrial
1.7 mi
Georgetown Pike
Industrial
2.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Action at Dranesville
1861Civil War
5.2 mi
Battle of Dranesville (December 1861)
1861Civil War
5.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Potomac Canal Historic District listed on the National Register?

Potomac Canal Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 17, 1979.

What type of historic resource is Potomac Canal Historic District?

Potomac Canal Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Potomac Canal Historic District a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Potomac Canal Historic District has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Potomac Canal Historic District?

The period of significance for Potomac Canal Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Potomac Canal Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Potomac Canal Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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