Navigation on the Upper Potomac and Its Tributaries

A New Book by Dan Guzy

As part of its mission to promote understanding of history relating to the C&O Canal, the C&O Canal Association has published a new book that sheds light on the drive to use the Potomac River as an avenue for commerce. The author is generously donating the proceeds from this edition to the Association.

During the late eighteen and early nineteenth centuries, boats up to 75 feet in length regularly plied the Potomac, carrying cargos that included flour, whiskey, iron, tobacco, and lumber. To establish and expand this trade, George Washington and other leaders engaged in a series of improvements that reduced the considerable hazards of navigating the river. They also built sluices and bypass canals, the most elaborate of which was the series of locks that allowed boats to proceed around Great Falls.

These projects, which set the stage for the eventual construction of the C&O Canal, are carefully described in Dan Guzy’s book. The work also examines the nature of the riverine commerce and the craft used for it. The many photographs will be of special interest to those who wish to know more about features of the river and intriguing early structures that are within the canal park, or visible from it. The illustrations also include historical maps, and three appendices provide useful original documents.

An engineer by profession, Guzy is an avid canoeist who has explored the upper Potomac and its tributaries over the past 15 years. His interest in these waterways led him to archival research and to publication of a series of articles on aspects of their history. The ultimate result is Navigation on the Upper Potomac and Its Tributaries, a 166-page paperbound book that includes endnotes and a useful index. The six-by-nine inch volume is a handy reference and an excellent addition to the library of a C&OCNHP enthusiast or of anyone interested in the history of the Potomac Valley.

Front cover image is copyright Dan Guzy, all rights reserved

The book is available for $13 to C&OCA members, or $15 to non-members. It may be ordered by printing and mailing the form that is also linked from the "Store" page.

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