The Codorus Navigation Company, based in York in south-central Pennsylvania, was formed in 1829 to make a navigable waterway along Codorus Creek from York, Pennsylvania to the

Susquehanna River The Susquehanna River (; Lenape: Siskëwahane) is a major river located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, overlapping between the lower Northeast and the Upland South. At long, it is the longest river on the East Coast of the ...

, a distance of . Plans called for of canal, of slack-water pools, 10 dams, and 13 locks with an average lift of about . The first of the system were finished in 1832, allowing boats named ''Codorus'' and ''Pioneer'' to run passenger excursions between York and Barnitz's Springs. After the entire system was opened to boats, arks, and rafts in 1833, the first ark to reach York carried of lumber and 100 passengers, and later arrivals brought such cargo as stone, coal, and shingles. Plans originally included a second canal from the mouth of Codorus Creek along the Susquehanna to calm water above Chestnut Ripples. This would have made entrance into the Codorus system easier for craft coming down the river, but the extension canal, though started, was never finished. Competition from the York and Maryland Railroad, which connected York to

Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore was d ...

by 1838, and the Wrightsville, York and Gettysburg Railroad, which began operations in 1840, put the Codorus canal out of business by about 1850. Codorus Navigation was one of several privately funded canals such as the

Union Canal Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

that operated in Pennsylvania during the same era as the

Pennsylvania Canal The Pennsylvania Canal (or sometimes Pennsylvania Canal system) was a complex system of transportation infrastructure improvements including canals, dams, locks, tow paths, aqueducts, and viaducts. The Canal and Works were constructed and assemb ...

. Though the canal fell into disuse in the middle of the 19th century, parts of its graded towpath, once used by the mules that pulled the boats, are becoming part of a

rail trail A rail trail is a shared-use path on railway right of way. Rail trails are typically constructed after a railway has been abandoned and the track has been removed, but may also share the right of way with active railways, light rail, or streetcar ...

along Codorus Creek between York and John Rudy County Park. The trail of , a northern extension of Heritage Rail Trail County Park, will join of existing trail that begins in Ashland, Maryland, and ends in York. Construction began on the trail extension in 2006.

Points of interest

References

External links

American Canal Society

Rail Trail
Greenmesh (Paul Kuehnel) {{GeoGroupTemplate Canals in Pennsylvania Canals opened in 1833 Transportation buildings and structures in York County, Pennsylvania

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