They may not have all the bells and whistles of some of DC’s newest hotels, but you can enjoy a unique take on history by staying in one of the region’s six historic lockhouses perched along the picturesque Chesapeake & Ohio Canal.
Lockhouse 22 near Potomac Maryland. Image by C&O Canal Trust
The canal, built in the mid-1800s, once carried canal boats stocked with coal, lumber, and other goods between markets. There were hopes of extending it as far as the Ohio Valley—until the steam locomotive came along, making the canal defunct.
A series of lockhouses – this is Lockhouse 10 – have been refurbished along the canal. Image by C&O Canal Trust
The canal towpath has since been preserved for bikers, hikers, and birdwatchers. And now, several of the lockhouses along the way, where families once stayed to collect tolls, have been restored and opened to overnight guests. Each one offers a window on a different era of canal history, including furnishings that capture those time periods.
Enjoy a cosy evening by the fire. Image by C&O Canal Trust
“The lockhouses offer an authenticity that hotels and Airbnbs don’t offer,” said Heidi Glatfelter Schlag, Director of Marketing and Communications at C&O Canal Trust. “And we have found that many people crave that authentic experience.”
This lockhouse depicts the 1930s. Image by C&O Canal Trust
Lockhouse 10, for example, at mile marker 8.8 near Cabin John, has been refurbished to depict the 1930s, including a period kitchen and a bathroom. This is one of the “luxury” ones, since it includes air-conditioning, heat, electricity, and running water.
Lockhouse 10’s porch. Image by C&O Canal Trust
“I love the furnishings in this lockhouse,” said Schlag. “It has a great screened-in porch, where my husband and I sat out and enjoyed the night air during our stay there.”
Lockhouse 10 is fully rustic. Image by C&O Canal Trust
Lockhouse 22, at mile marker 19.64 near Potomac, Maryland, depicts the 1830s and ‘40s—including no electricity. It’s one of three that are considered “fully rustic.”
The lockhouses are open to guests year-round. Eight people can spend the night in one of the full-amenity lockhouses for US$160 (€140) a night. For more information, contact C&O Canal Trust. And stay tuned for a seventh lockhouse opening to overnight guests in 2019, Lockhouse 21. “It is locally known as Swains Lockhouse after the family who lived there and operated the canal when it was still a functional transportation route,” Schlag said. When it opens, Swains Lockhouse will interpret the 1916 time period and include full amenities.
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