A Composite Lock Waiting to be Interpreted?

[Tom Castaldi]

Composite Lock No. 36 on Ohio's Sandy & Beaver Canal is similar to the Wabash & Erie Canal Lock No. 28 at Burnett's Creek in Carroll County. Standing alongside Towpath Road, one of the Indiana lock wall remains while both of the Ohio lock walls seem to be intact. The Hoosier lock constructed of stone has long ago lost the wood wall covering that decayed and disappeared. The Ohio lock, however, has been refurbished and serves as a teaching tool to illustrate how a "composite" lock was constructed. That is to say, most of the stones at one end are exposed - but by a gradual addition of layers of courses of wooden planking in a "stair- stepping" manner covering the stone walls - the other end of the lock wall is completely covered as the original composite lock might have appeared.

If Lock No. 28 is or some day might be within the boundaries of a park open to the public, another hidden Hoosier treasure will have been preserved for interpretation. It would require removing a lot of silt; recovering a few large stones that could be used to replace portions of the walls; and researching the layers of wood, fasteners or other construction features necessary to create an important exhibit. Even though the south wall is missing there may be some surprises such as original stones under the silt that could be used to recover some of the missing wall.
Lock No. 28 is mostly out of sight and gradually deteriorating, but this neglected transportation relic could have an all new purpose for a public that continues to be on the move.