Off
The Beaten Path The
online source of what to see in Fredericksburg
Every few months, SimplyFredericksburg
will take you on a journey to places that most
people visiting (and many residing in) Fredericksburg don't get to see.
These are places that are "Off The Beaten Path". There are many great sites
to see in the area that are just not highly advertised or publicized. So
sit back and take a short trip "Off the beaten path".
We will, (in most cases), provide you with
photos and a brief description of each location. As always, we encourage
you and others to see these sites in person. We do not try to replace an
actual visit.
Fredericksburg Water
Power Company Canal System
Volume #1b
Driving
west along Fall Hill Ave. just past Riverside Drive, you will pass the
office of the Friends of the Rappahannock (F.O.R) across from their office,
there is a small (and I do mean small) park. There is a foot bridge right
where you would park your car. Stop
and park, walk across the foot bridge. On the other side of the bridge
is the start of the 2-3 mile long foot path that follows the old Fredericksburg
Water Power Company canal. First this a very quiet and pleasant walk. Second
it is a piece of history that has been preserved. The canal runs much the
same path as it once did many years ago (the canal system was much more
extensive several hundred years ago).
The old canal
system ran from the dam, (just north of the
foot bridge across Fall Hill Ave.), several miles to Fall Hill Ave., (in
the historic district of town. There it ran to a basin where modern day
Canal Street and Fall Hill meet. From the basin, south-east to modern
day Hawke Street. It also ran from the basin back to the current canal
path, there it split into several more canals. A map of the old canal system
is here.
This sketch of Fredericksburg
in 1856 shows how the old canal system looked. Mary Washington Monument
is in the upper left corner, Laucks (then Winchester) Island is in the
upper center with the old dam just above that. The Falmouth bridge is in
the right center edge of the sketch.
We are currently looking for an area guide to keep this section up-to-date and accurate. The "Off the Beaten Path" section is a the brain child of the webmaster. However he only gets to update it when time allows. If you have an idea, topic or content for this section, please let us know. If you are interested in helping out SimplyFredericksburg.com by updating pages and catagories, please contact them here.
We
hope that you enjoyed this issues feature. Previous issues are available
online.
Send comments to
Off
The Beaten Path The
online guide of what to see in Fredericksburg a
service of Simply Web Services
Stop
and park, walk across the foot bridge. On the other side of the bridge
is the start of the 2-3 mile long foot path that follows the old Fredericksburg
Water Power Company canal. First this a very quiet and pleasant walk. Second
it is a piece of history that has been preserved. The canal runs much the
same path as it once did many years ago (the canal system was much more
extensive several hundred years ago).
