Washington City Canal

Washington City Canal
Washington City Canal in 1851
Specifications
Status	Underground under Constitution Avenue
History
Date of first use	1815
Date closed	1871

The Washington City Canal was a canal in Washington, D.C., that operated from 1815 until the mid-1850s. The canal connected the Anacostia River, termed the "Eastern Branch" at that time, to Tiber Creek, the Potomac River, and later the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal. The canal fell into disuse during the late 19th century and the city government covered over or filled in various sections in 1871.

The canal's Lockkeeper's House, built in 1837 near the present-day intersection of 17th Street and Constitution Avenue NW, was preserved and is now the oldest building on the National Mall.^[1][2]