Here stands the Lockkeeper’s House a silent witness to Washington D.C.’s evolving landscape. This nearly two-century-old residence whispers tales of a time when a canal cut through the heart of the Federal City. It recalls an era when waterways were lifelines of commerce.
The Lockkeeper’s House dates back to 1837. The C&O Canal was extended to connect to the Washington City Canal. From 1835 to 1855, this small building was home to a C&O employee. His job was to collect fares and assist barges through the canal locks. He and maybe one of his 13 children were expected to be on duty at all hours. They had to service the heavy traffic anticipated by canal planners.
Imagine this area bustling with activity. Barges laden with goods would pass through this very spot. The lockkeeper diligently recorded each transaction, managed the canal, and ensured smooth passage. However, the Washington City Canal didn’t live up to expectations. The barge traffic was less than predicted. The canal became a dangerous hazard. In 1839, a horse-drawn omnibus plunged into the canal. The Washington Evening Star called it “The Man Trap” because of the number of people who drowned in it.
By 1855, the Washington Branch of the C&O Canal was abandoned. The lockkeeper moved on. Squatters then occupied the Lockkeeper’s House. The canal faded into obscurity. In 1871, Alexander Shepherd and the Board of Public Works partially bricked over the Washington City Canal. This created B Street which was later renamed Constitution Avenue in 1931.
The Lockkeeper’s House has had many lives. It served as a Park Police jail cell with a holding cell. Then it became an NPS “public comfort station” which means bathroom. Public access ended in the 1950s. Since then, it has been used to store park maintenance equipment. It was moved in the 1910s and again on October 12, 2017. It was moved 50 feet back from Constitution Avenue.
The National Park Service restored the Lockkeeper’s House to its pre-1915 appearance. The brick chimneys were replaced. The building reopened as an NPS education center. The Lockkeeper’s House stands as a reminder of the city’s early attempts to harness its waterways.
Far from the only reminder of the canal days, the Lockkeeper’s House has company in the old Watergate near the Watergate Complex. Also a bricked-up river of sewage flows under Constitution Avenue. The Lockkeeper’s House is the oldest building on the National Mall. It is a testament to a bygone era. It serves as an eternal memorial to the first attempts to drain the Washington canal. Take a moment to appreciate this small structure’s big history.