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Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 14 Mar 2011 13:09:50 EDT
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I agree, Dr Hardwick.  Achenbach's book recognizes the benefits that  did 
occur, even as he places it within that larger context.  
 
When I think of the Potomac, I tend to do so in terms of what it's like up  
in the wilder sections.
 
 
In a message dated 3/14/2011 10:37:37 A.M. Mountain Daylight Time,  
[log in to unmask] writes:

I'd be  hesitant to label the Patowmack canal a failure (my word, not 
WNapier's)--it  all depends on whose perspective you adopt.  The company never 
was  profitable--so if you tell the story from that perspective, it is hardly 
a  narrative of "success."  But if you look at the role that the company  
played in promoting commercial agriculture in the Valley, in the context of  
other transportation improvements connecting the Valley to the eastern  
seaboard, the story is surely considerably less obviously one of frustrated  
hopes and failed investments.  Quite a few Alexandria merchants did just  fine 
off of the economic opportunity that the canal created, as did numerous  
farmers upstream.  The amount of grain and other goods carried by the  canal was 
non-trivial, even if underwhelming from the perspective of the  company 
directors and investors.

___________________________
Kevin  R. Hardwick
Associate Professor
Department of History, MSC 8001
James  Madison University
Harrisonburg, Virginia  22807
________________________________________
From: Discussion of  research and writing about Virginia history 
[[log in to unmask]] on  behalf of [log in to unmask] [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Monday, March 14, 2011  10:30 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: navigable rivers  west of the Blue Ridge -- George Washington

There's a well-written,  interesting book by Joel Achenbach, "The Grand
Idea: George Wasington's  Potomac and the Race to the West."  There's a good
bit of information  about the nature of the never-really-successful efforts 
 to
tame the  Potomac and the people involved, as well as the "grand idea" of
Washington  for creating a waterway to the west as a way of tying the
developing   country together and, of course, building its commerce.
The Grand Idea:  George  Washington's Potomac and the Race to the West



In a  message dated 3/14/2011 8:16:25 A.M. Mountain Daylight  Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

Thanks  very much. I found  the  dissertation
online
http://wvuscholar.wvu.edu:8881//exlibris/dtl/d3_1/apache_media/L2V4bGlicmlzL
2R0bC9kM18xL2FwYWNoZV9tZWRpYS8xNDAwOQ==.pdf




________________________________
From:   George M. Williams <[log in to unmask]>
To:   [log in to unmask]
Sent: Sun, March 13, 2011 11:31:48  PM
Subject:  Re: [VA-HIST] navigable rivers west of the Blue  Ridge

The South Branch  of the Potomac was used in the Spring when  the waters
were at
higher  levels to ship  barrels of flouer  to Alexandria, the boats/barges
were
built in the Moorefield area, but  were not returned.

You might try  Elizabeth Oliver Lee "Potomac's  Valley shall become a domain
we
Create"  Commercialialism and the  South Branch Valley 1750-1800,
,Dissertation,
History Department,West  Virginia University, 2008,

George M.  Williams


-----  Original Message ----- From: "Lyle E. Browning"   
<[log in to unmask]>
To:  <[log in to unmask]>
Sent:  Wednesday, March 09, 2011  8:54 PM
Subject: Re: navigable rivers west of the  Blue  Ridge


Your first stop would be to visit the Virginia Canals   and Navigations
Society
Website. In it you will find information  on  riverine traffic modes in the
Shenandoah Valley. Bill Trout's  wonderful  River Atlas series has one on
the
Shenandoah that will  give you a  tremendous amount of information.

As for craft, these  would primarily  have been batteaux or the Shenandoah
River
variant  called a Gundalow that  had flattish ends, some of which  were
dismantled
for use as housing boards  upon completion of their  one-way voyage.

Lyle Browning


On  Mar 9, 2011, at 5:05  PM, Bill Crews wrote:

> does anyone know the  extent to which  any of the rivers in the Shenandoah
Valley
> were  used for  travel or commerce in the Colonial era? Relatedly is 
anyone
>   familiar with a source -- ideally a primary one -- for what kinds  of
craft
were
> used on these rivers?
>
>  Bill
>
>
>
>  ______________________________________
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