There is not only water (finally) in Georgetown’s C&O Canal, but there is also Georgetown Heritage’s new canal boat.
The boat was dramatically lowered into the canal on July 11, 2021. She is now anchored between 31st Street and Thomas Jefferson Street, NW. Come check her out!
The boat will be the centerpiece of Georgetown Heritage’s educational and community programming. It will help engage residents, visitors, and school groups in the canal’s rich history and natural assets. The canal boat unlocks the potential for new educational outreach, allowing Georgetown Heritage to reach a bigger audience in a fun, hands-on setting. In partnership with the National Park Service, we have developed programming that shares stories of the canal’s history and shows how this first mile of the C&O Canal connects with Georgetown’s natural and cultural heritage.
As the saying goes, it takes a village, and rebuilding the canal boat involved a partnership among Georgetown Heritage, National Park Service, The Georgetown Business Improvement District, and the Government of the District of Columbia. All the groups worked together to realize our vision of preserving and activating the first mile of the C&O Canal. In addition to launching the new canal boat, the project included:
- Stabilizing the Grace Street wall.
- Repairing and replacing Locks 3 and 4.
- Resurfacing the ramps from the pedestrian bridges.
Georgetown Heritage recently secured a $375,000 grant from The District of Columbia to help advance another critical component of the Canal Plan: a proposed cultural and educational center along the canal. Investments like this and those from generous individuals, corporations and foundations, enhance our community and help ensure that Georgetown has a bright future.
The champagne is chilling, the mules are being trained, and the finishing touches are being put on the boat, which will be christened in April 2022.
We look forward to welcoming you aboard!
