Charlestown Landing No. 1

The Middlesex Canal, constructed between 1793 and 1803, once stretched from this point to Lowell, 27 miles to the northwest. In the early 19th century, when travel over land was more difficult than water travel, the canal served as a highway for passengers, lumber, and other goods between the coast and the interior. The canal played a vital role in the economic growth of the communities through which it passed and helped spark the Industrial Revolution in America. After the introduction of rail travel, the canal was no longer economically viable and by 1853 it had fallen into disuse. Some sections of the canal are still visible today in other cities and towns along the route.

Cambridge, Massachusetts · United States