History of the Central Canal

Exploring the Northern Division of the Central Canal

Returning to a long running project to research the history of the Central Canal, in this post we explore an intact section of the canal.

Water Over Water: The History of the Fall Creek Aqueduct

Ed Fujawa

Water Over Water: The History of the Fall Creek Aqueduct

This post looks at the history of the Fall Creek Aqueduct, which in some form, has been carrying the Central Canal over the creek since 1838

Past and Present: Intersection of the Central Canal and Washington Street

Ed Fujawa

Past and Present: Intersection of the Central Canal and Washington Street

Exploring the past and present of the intersection of the Central Canal and Washington Street in Indianapolis.

Ed Fujawa

Searching For The Central Canal

Exploring the history of the Central Canal with an annotated map of the canal route through Indianapolis and Central Indiana.

Discovering The Central Canal's Buck Creek Culvert

Ed Fujawa

Discovering The Central Canal's Buck Creek Culvert

My research on the history of the Central Canal in Indiana led to the discovery of the ruins of a culvert for the canal near Indianapolis.

Ed Fujawa

The Lost Lock of the Central Canal

Exploring the site of a stone lock in downtown Indianapolis along the route of the Central Canal.

The Central Canal was part of the Internal Improvement Act of 1836, which was a legislative effort to construct a series of canals, roads, and railroads throughout Indiana. The Central was a major component of this, but poor planning and economic collapse resulted the collapse of the projects, financial ruin for the state, and only a short section of the canal in Indianapolis being completed. These posts explore various aspects of the Central Canal, also sometimes called the Downtown Canal or Indianapolis Canal, in and around the Indianapolis metropolitan area.