Pennsylvania and Ohio Canal

Pennsylvania and Ohio Canal
A network of east-west canals and connecting railroads spanned Pennsylvania from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh. North-south canals connecting with this east-west canal ran between West Virginia and Lake Erie on the west, Maryland and New York in the center, and along the border with Delaware and New Jersey on the east. Many shorter canals connected cities such as York, Port Carbon, and Franklin to the larger network.
A map of Pennsylvania's historic canals and connecting railroads
Map
Specifications
StatusGenerally abandoned except for historic interest
History
Construction began1835
Date completed1840
Date closed1877
Geography
Start pointNew Castle, Pennsylvania, U.S.
End pointAkron, Ohio, U.S.
Connects toBeaver and Erie Canal, Ohio and Erie Canal
Pennsylvania and Ohio Canal: Ohio portion
A network of east-west canals and connecting railroads spanned into Ohio for a short distance from Pennsylvania as well.
Map of Ohio Portion of the P&O Canal
Map

The Pennsylvania and Ohio Canal, also known as the P & O Canal, the Cross Cut Canal and the Mahoning Canal, was a shipping canal which operated from 1840 until 1877, though the canal was completely abandoned by 1872. It connected canals in two states, the Ohio and Erie Canal in Ohio and the Beaver and Erie Canal in Pennsylvania, and was funded by private interests.