118-0209

James River and Kanawha Canal Sites in Lynchburg, Virginia

VLR Listing Date

12/11/1984

NRHP Listing Date

NA

NRHP Reference Number

NA

The James River and Kanawha Canal was one of 19th-century America’s major transportation arteries. Lynchburg was the terminus of the “First Grand Division” which extended 146.5 miles from Richmond. Opened in 1840, this section was the only one of the three divisions ever completed. The canal enjoyed its greatest prosperity during the 1850s and spurred Lynchburg’s development as a leading commercial and industrial center. In 1880 the newly organized Richmond and Alleghany Railway Co. acquired the canal company’s property and laid tracks over much of the system. The canal’s Lynchburg remnants are important relics of a great engineering achievement.
[Thematic Nomination, VLR Listed Only]

Last Updated: September 13, 2023

Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.

Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark

For additional information Read

Nomination Form

118-5507

Lower Basin Historic District 2023 Boundary Increase

Lynchburg (Ind. City)

118-0103

Dewitt-Wharton Manufacturing Company Building

Lynchburg (Ind. City)

118-5470-0002

Carnegie Hall

Lynchburg (Ind. City)