In the early 1800's, the Farmington Canal was built between Northampton and New Haven, with Irish immigrants digging it by hand. Its locks controlled the flow of water to compensate for the slope of the land, and nearby farmers answered barge captains' horns to come maneuver the locks. Flat-bottomed boats were pulled by mules walking alongside the canal, carrying goods and passengers between ports; a trip from New Haven to Cheshire cost sixty-two cents and took nearly five hours. Local children swam and skated on the canal. It has been reported that in 1839, the Amistad slaves were transported on the canal from the New Haven prison to Farmington, and horsecarts then carried them to the courthouse in Hartford for trial. The canal operated from 1828 to 1848, after which trains became the preferred form of transportation. Lock 12 is the only restored lock remaining today.

Photo: Cynthia Lopez

Photo: Michael Herrick

Photo: Michael Herrick

Photo: Michael Herrick