It’s getting that time of year again, when I want to head back up to the C&O Canal. It’s really a great place. I love walking along all the canal locks at Four Locks, and the drive to Dam 5 is like a snapshot out of time with so many early 19th century homes along the way. Four Locks is especially interesting, not only because of my personal connection to it, but also because the place is literally like some kind of 19th century ghost town… with a few of the 19th century buildings and foundations remaining, as well as the canal locks.
So, as a part of that hankerin’ feeling, I went online to look at what might be new at the canal these days. Well, to my surprise, I found that the C&O Canal Trust has a program in which one can stay at one of four lockhouses on the canal… and one of them happens to be the lockhouse in which my great-great-great grandparents Moore lived in (not for certain, but very likely) during Cyrus Moore’s one year term (1858) as a lead locktender for Four Locks. Very cool stuff! As you can see here, Four Locks has some interesting Civil War history tied to it as well. For those who follow this blog, you might recall me mentioning Four Locks and my g-g-g-grandfather, Cyrus S. Moore. Looks like I need to make plans for an overnight’er at Four Locks.
See this article (October 2009) from The Herald-Mail for additional information about the opening of Lockhouse 49.
Ca. 1905-1910 image of Four Locks
*Something related: In the shadow of Cyrus
Harry Smeltzer
April 29, 2010
Yeah baby!
Robert Moore
April 29, 2010
I can’t imagine the “historical ambiance” it would offer when it comes to using the place to write a few pages for the Cole’s Cav. book!
Craig Swain
April 29, 2010
Very cool!
Mike Simons
April 29, 2010
Robert it is always great to find thing out and places that your kinfolks lived or did many years ago. What you found is quite Cool.
This past summer we stopped off in a small town on the way to Nashville Tenn. to locate a Old Family Cemetery no one had been too since my Wife Grandmother visited in the early 1970′s. The Baptist church they helped found has grown and the Place is being well kept. We took lots of pictures and the Pastor told us descendants still lived in the Town and attend the Church.
Robert Moore
April 30, 2010
Mike, Yes, I’ve been “haunting” that area of Maryland for about 17 years now and been in touch with several cousins, all descendants of my third great grandfather’s brother, whose people remained in the area. Finding more and more connections to the canal up that way as well.
Marc Ferguson
April 29, 2010
My son and I were thinking of biking the C&O last summer, but went instead to the Laurentians in Canada (cooler weather in August). It looks great, and we’ll get there at some point, hopefully soon.
Robert Moore
April 30, 2010
Oh, it can get rather humid in western Maryland that time of year and I have no doubt that cooler weather can be had in Canada. Whenever I go deep into the North in the summer months, cold weather is about all I run into. Nearly froze two summers back when at Old Orchard Beach in Maine.
Larry Freiheit
April 30, 2010
Robert,
You are so lucky to have relatives in this and other areas where the ACW was fought.
I’ve biked the length of the canal and jogged and hiked much of it but it is always a pleasure knowing the history of it and the surrounding area. It would be great to see Ferry Hill Farm restored and the NPS continue cutting trees from the prism for the length of the canal.
You may already have this link or the book itself about the canal, but if not, here it is but before you hit the print button, know that it is 851 pages:
http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/choh/unrau_hrs.pdf
I only printed out the CW chapter for my library so far.
BTW, I hope to have your package in the mail within a week.
Larry
Robert Moore
April 30, 2010
That’s one area I can never get enough of… from Harpers Ferry back toward Clear Spring and Four Locks. I definitely need to bike the canal. Looking forward to that package. Thanks, Larry!
John Miller
April 30, 2010
Robert, this is really cool. Good luck with the Cole’s Cavalry book and I am sure that you will do a great job with such a forgotten cavalry unit and bring it to life. Also the C&O Canal is really a great place. Take care my friend and congrads.
Vicki Frenger
May 1, 2010
Mr. Moore, I have been reading your book, Gibraltar of the Shenandoah, with great interest. My great grandfather, Samuel H. Craun, served in Company H of the 12th Virginia Cavalry. In your book, on pages 146 and 147, is a picture of a reunion of Confederate veterans held at Thornrose Cemetery in 1919. I’m wondering if there was an accompanying list of attendees with the picture. A couple of the men look like they could possibly be him.
Robert Moore
May 2, 2010
Thanks for your comment. Sorry to say, I don’t recall a caption giving details as to who was present for the photo.