Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Monday, January 3, 2011
Jones Falls 3
Stone Arch Dam at Jones Falls.
When it was built in 1831 this was the largest dam in North America and the third largest in the world.
At Jones Falls, boats rise and fall almost 60 feet via a set of four canal locks, and a dam, nicknamed the Whispering Dam, which holds back the 60 feet of water. The dam is approximately 360 feet long (107 m), 60 feet (18 m) feet high, and 27 feet (8 m) thick at the base. It was built with large sandstone blocks that were hauled by horse-teams to and shaped on site. No mortar or cement was used in this dam. The blocks were set in a giant arch, with the pressure of the water behind the dam pushing the perfectly-dressed blocks together, like an arch used in building structures.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Jones Falls 2
Upper Locks and Turning Basin, empty in the winter.
Looking at basin from one way.
Looking back.
The Rideau Canal was constructed between 1826 and 1832 under the supervision of Lieutenant Colonel John By of the Royal Engineers. It was to provide a secure, defensible, military water passage to connect Montreal to the naval shipyards in Kingston in case of an American invasion in the uneasy years following the War of 1812.
The Canal has gone through three different eras in its history. The military period began with its construction but slowly declined over the next couple of decades, being replaced with a period of commercial use. Timber, potash, feldspar, mica, iron ore and phosphate were transported along the canal by steamer and barge, with destinations such as England, New Jersey and Montreal. In the 1850s, the advance of the railroads provided a more economical and quicker form of transportation, thus causing a declining use of the canal for a brief period. The 1880s heralded the recreational period, with numerous excursion steamers ferrying loads of travellers and sightseers through all areas of the canal. Fishing lodges were established, such as the Hotel Kenney at Jones Falls, and tourists came from all over the east coast of North America to vacation, fish and enjoy the beauty of the Rideau Canal.
The Canal has gone through three different eras in its history. The military period began with its construction but slowly declined over the next couple of decades, being replaced with a period of commercial use. Timber, potash, feldspar, mica, iron ore and phosphate were transported along the canal by steamer and barge, with destinations such as England, New Jersey and Montreal. In the 1850s, the advance of the railroads provided a more economical and quicker form of transportation, thus causing a declining use of the canal for a brief period. The 1880s heralded the recreational period, with numerous excursion steamers ferrying loads of travellers and sightseers through all areas of the canal. Fishing lodges were established, such as the Hotel Kenney at Jones Falls, and tourists came from all over the east coast of North America to vacation, fish and enjoy the beauty of the Rideau Canal.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Jones Falls 1
I will use the next few postings to show pictures of the Jones Falls Lock Station, part of the Rideau Canal, now a World Heritage Site. The canal is a chain of beautiful lakes, rivers and canal cuts joining Kingston, at the head of Lake Ontario, to Ottawa, Canada's capital city. It is one of the greatest engineering feats of the 19th century and incredibly, has enjoyed continuous operation in essentially the same manner since 1832. Jones Falls lockstation is the highest lift of any location on the Rideau Canal, 18m, there are 4 locks. During the winter theses locks are empty and you can appreciate their size. These photos were taken with my Kodak DC4800 that I bought in 1996.
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