I do not believe that there was a canal connection between the Roanoke River and either the James or the Appomattox Rivers. There were efforts to improve navigation on the Roanoke, which drains much of southern Virginia but flows to the southeast across North Carolina to Albemarle Sound. The development of the Roanoke River was also tied to developing a transportation connection (the Dismal Swamp Canal, for instance) from Albemarle Sound to the Atlantic at Norfolk, Virginia. Because the canal era coincided with early development of the railroads, the most important competition became making a connection to the Roanoke, at Weldon, North Carolina, from Virginia. There was an article a decade or more ago in the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography about the competition between Petersburg, on the Appomattox River, and Norfolk to grab the Roanoke's commerce via rail links to Weldon. But, someone who has actually checked the facts rather than relying on memory may have better information. John John T. Kneebone [log in to unmask] Director, Publications and Educational Services Library of Virginia http://www.lva.lib.va.us -----Original Message----- From: kukla [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Wednesday, April 04, 2001 9:47 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Canal connecting Staunton & Appomattox/James? Conversations with some canoe and batteaux enthusiasts prompts this question: was there an antebellum canal connecting the Staunton (Roanoke) River with the Appomattox or James? -- Jon Kukla ....................... Executive Vice-President and CEO 1250 Red Hill Road ........ Patrick Henry Memorial Foundation Brookneal, VA 24528 .... www.redhill.org .... 804 376-2044 Home 804 376-4172 ...... Office email: [log in to unmask] -- To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html