When the Miami and Erie Canal opened in 1843, the first boat to pass through Waterville was the Albert
White. At its peak of operation in 1851, 400 boats used the canal: packet boats for passengers, barge
boats for hauling farm products and commercial goods, and state boats for maintenance and inspection.
The canal was vitally important to the development of the state as well as Waterville.
In a program sponsored by the Waterville Historical Society Wednesday at Browning Community Center,
Toledo Metroparks historian Jennifer Christensen will portray Ms. Virginia Bennett, a young educated
woman working on the canals in the mid 19th century. Using PowerPoint slides and props in her
"Canal Days" presentation, Christensen will show a sharp contrast between the life we enjoy
today and the harsh existence many of our ancestors endured.
As transportation shifted to railroads, the canal era faded and the state officially abandoned the Miami
and Erie Canal in 1877, though sections were used until 1909. In Northwest Ohio it was gradually filled
in during the 1930s to 1950s and became the Anthony Wayne Trail.
The public is welcome to this free program which begins at 7 p.m. Browning Community Center is located
south of Waterville on Neowash Road.