Middlesex Canal

Yeah

... you know, this isn't the Middlesex Canal here, right? This isn't a 20-foot wide river.

This is a massive waterway.

It's kinda difficult to track the whole thing, so people are getting oil through it, and elsewhere globally, they're increasing their exports, they're increasing their production.

End footnote.

The Middlesex Canal was one of the earliest factors in New England enterprise.

it began its course in charleston mill pond and ended it at lowell it was completed in eighteen o four at the cost of seven hundred thousand dollars and was the first canal in the united states to transport both passengers and merchandise its charter was extinguished in eighteen fifty nine in spite of all opposition by a decision of the supreme court and thus in less than sixty years this marvel of engineering skill as it was then considered which was projected to last for all time was switched off the track by its successful rival the boston and lowell railroad and with the stage coach and the turnpike road became a thing of the past the course of the old middlesex canal can still be traced as a cowpath or a woodland lane and in one place which i have always kept in remembrance very near the Somerville station on the western division of the Boston and Main Railroad, can still be seen a few decayed willows nodding sleepily over its grass-grown channel and ridgy paths, a reminder of those slow times when it took a long summer's day to travel the 28 miles from Boston to Lowell.

The Boston and Lowell Railroad, probably the first in the United States, went into operation in 1835. i saw the first train that went out of lowell and there was great excitement over the event people were gathered along the street near the depot discussing the great wonder and we children stayed at home from school or ran barefooted from our play at the first toot of the whistle as i stood on the sidewalk i remember hearing those who stood near me disputing as to the probable result of this new attempt at locomotion The engine never can start all them cars.

She can too.

End footnote.

The Middlesex Canal was one of the earliest factors in New England enterprise.

It began its course in Charleston Mill Pond and ended it at Lowell.

It was completed in eighteen oh four at the cost of seven hundred thousand dollars and was the first canal in the United States to transport both passengers and merchandise.

Its charter was extinguished in eighteen fifty-nine in spite of all opposition by a decision of the Supreme Court.

And thus in less than sixty years this marvel of engineering skill as it was then considered, which was projected to last for all time, was switched off the track by its successful rival, the Boston and Lowell Railroad, and with the stagecoach and the turnpike road became a thing of the past.

The course of the old Middlesex Canal can still be traced as a cow path or a woodland lane, and in one place which I have always kept in remembrance, very near the Somerville station on the western division of the Boston and Maine Railroad, can still be seen a few decayed willows nodding sleepily over its grass-grown channel and ridgy paths, a reminder of those slow times when it took a long summer's day to travel the twenty-eight miles from Boston to Lowell.

The Boston and Lowell Railroad, probably the first in the United States, went into operation in eighteen thirty-five.