Our Waters in Local History

Humans are deeply connected to water. All of our survival, & for many, our livelihoods depend on healthy, vibrant waters. ACWA celebrates the history our creeks play in our local culture by sharing the following resources and references:

 

The Antietam Canal

In 1812 the Potomac Canal company planned a series of locks along the Antietam Creek to act as a feeder system for their completed canal works on the Potomac River. The Antietam canal system was envisioned as locks built into already existing mill dams. Twenty-one locks were anticipated to be built from PA to the mouth of the Antietam at the “Antietam Iron Works”, including one located at the site now known as the Saylor House at Kiwanis Park in Hagerstown. A discouraging boat accident occurred during a test run of locks built in Funkstown. The Antietam Canal project was ultimately abandoned in 1817 due to cost overruns. Read about the attempted Antietam Canal & the Saylor House in this article by Steven Hatleberg, originally published by the C&O Canal Association, March 2023 (PDF)

 

The Saylor House at Kiwanis Park, Spring 2024 (photo credit: A. Aldrich)

Historic Stone Bridges

Once there were 30 stone bridges in Washington County, a unique symbol of 19th century Western Maryland. Only 21 of these stone spans remain in various states of repair in our County. Built for horse and pedestrians, some bridges continue to support modern traffic crossings.

“Like the elders of a lively family, (the stone bridges) are a surviving gift that helps remind us who we once were, who we are, and to give us a firm foundation upon which to build our region’s future. ”
— “Bridges of Washington County” brochure

Horse-drawn wagons crossing Burnside Bridge, over Antietam Creek, Maryland, September 1862. Library of Congress https://lccn.loc.gov/2019637171

Stone Bridges in the Antietam Watershed:

  1. Leitersburg Bridge No. 2, 1829

  2. Old Forge Bridge, 1863

  3. Funkstown Turnpike Bridge, 1823

  4. Funkstown Bridge, 1833

  5. Claggett’s Mill Bridge, 1841

  6. Claggestt’s Mill Bridge 1840

  7. Rose’s Mill Bridge, 1839

  8. Devil’s Backbone Bridge, 1824

  9. Booth’s Mill Bridge, 1833

  10. Roxbury Mills Bridge, 1824

  11. The Hitt Bridge, 1830

  12. Pry’s Mill Bridge, 1858

  13. Felfoot Bridge, 1854

  14. Burnside Bridge, 1834

  15. Antietam Ironworks Bridge, 1832

  16. Antietam Aqueduct, 1834

Stone Bridges in the Cononcocheague Watershed

  1. Bridge at Price’s Ford, 1822
    -Description by WCHT

    -ACWA Blog Post Update, August 1, 2024

  2. Broadfording Bridge, 1829

  3. Wilson Bridge, 1819

    -Description by WCHT

  4. The Conococheague Bridge, 1829

  5. The Conococheague Aqueduct, 1834

 

RESOURCES