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 Beyond the lock (Chesboro), the canal had to squeeze itself between a high bluff
and the Wabash River. It then exited Huntington County and entered Wabash County.
From The Forks To Paradise - Canal Society of Indiana
1996 Spring Tour guide
Friday
15th. Continued canal line. Moved encampment 6 miles to Camp Black Loon down Northeast
side of the Wabash to bluffs. Sunday 17th, walked about three miles down the River. The
land good. Fine timber, pure water emanating from first rate springs. The whole country
from The Forks down as far as I have yet been, entitled to the same character. The River
itself is beautiful, being surrounded on each side with banks sufficiantly high to prevent
innundation and having for its bed a perfectly smooth, regular rock. No stagnant water, no
unwholesome vegetation in the stream; on the contrary everything calculated to induce
belief the country will be healthy.
We run the Canal
Line. Diary of John Peter Paul - member of 1827 surveyong party
 Lock No. 12, 8 feet lift, built of cut stone from the
Salamania quarry. These stomes are not sufficiently durable to answer in a situation so
exposed as the face of a lock, and are beginning to fail under the action of the weather.
With some repairs occasionally, the lock may be made to last a number of years. The gates
will need rebuilding in 1850.
Jesse L. Williams
- 1847 Chief Engineers report to the Canal Commissioners.
 2.3
miles east of Davis street, out old 24 across the railroad tracks to new 24 there, at the
second house on the left, stop and prepare for a hike. This hike leads south from the
house over a field and one fence. On the north side of the Interurban track is an old
canal lock known in the past as the "Jim McDonald" lock.
At the northwest corner is the
remains of a gatekeeper's house. The canal locks of the  past, I am informed, were generally equipped
with tumblers (sic). The tumblers (sic) provided a means for the water which
collected in the valley when the elevations in the creek were sufficient, to find an exit
into the canal from the berm side without washing the bank in its way. Due to Rager Creek,
it was necessary to build one more elaborate than the others in Lagro Township.
Today, through the lock in the old
bed flows Rager Creek. This lock is in the best state of preservation of the group. It
measures 130 feet  long. Here the massive
limestone may be seen more easily. Here 16 inches are allowed for the gates to fold into
as we find with the others, with niches measuring 12' 5" long.
The North side of the canal bed was
referred to as the berm side, while the south side was called the tow path for along here
the patient mules, "rabbits", tirelessly towed the Canal boats. Because of the
inaccessible location of this lock it is the most accurate specimen. During the months
when nettles and thistles are bad, is a bad time to visit the site as I did this 11th day
of June 1936, wearing gloves and yet my hands sting from the effect of the nettles and
thistles which it was impossible to avoid. The canal bed measures 14 feet in width.
Notes made by C.A.
Anderson & E.L. Martin during W.P.A. Project. June 11 , 1936
 The Curley Hayes lock is
located 1.3 miles east of Lagro on the old State road 24. It is easily visible from the
road lying to the south, just north of the Interurban tracks. Here the lock was named for
a gate keeper.
Just west of the lock was a large turning basin, estimated to be 500' by
120' wide. In the basin, boats could turn around or lay over for the night. On the east
side of the basin stood a slaughter house 100' by 30' with a dock in the basin for loading
purposes. West of the lock on the south side of the basin was a waste or spillway. This
was constructed by digging 4 or 5 feet deep, 10 or 12 width and filling in almost to a
level, so as not to prove an inconvenience in driving the mules which pulled the boats.
Over these rocks, in the rainy season, the surplus water spilled and proceeded to the
river.
 Here, at these seasons, the mules would often be
required to wade through 4 or 5 inches of water. The lock is also in excellent condition
today. The depths of the locks today are approximately 8' 4". The Curley Hayes lock
is 120 feet long. The other measurements, such as wings, niches, and short
straight-of-ways are approximately the same in all cases, the only variation being in the
length found in the longs straight-of-ways. You may see the chisel marks in the limestone
and the cuts for the gate hinges. This lock has also been raided by man, who, needing a
limestone slab, finds it easier to remove one from the lock than to quarry the same. With
the exception of an occasional missing, or replaced stone, the lock is in good condition.
Notes made by C.A.
Anderson & E.L. Martin during W.P.A. Project. June 11 , 1936 |
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