Ohio Canal Groundbreaking Site
Why it's listed
Beside Ohio Route 79 in Heath, Ohio, a stone marker records that the Ohio Canal was started on this spot on Saturday, July 4, 1825. North of the marker lie the partial remains of a lock built that year. The lock has been altered and is in disrepair: its west wall was cut down by about three and a half to four feet, timbers brace both walls, and the gates and hardware are gone. The village maintains the grounds, and there is evidence of picnic use. The location matters because a party of several dozen people gathered here for the ground breaking of the canal's first section. Dewitt Clinton, the former New York governor tied to the Erie Canal, turned the first spade of soil, joined by former Ohio governors Thomas Worthington and Jeremiah Morrow and Governor Thomas Ewing. Construction then pushed north and south, and the 308-mile main line was finished by 1833, opening cheaper routes for farm goods and imported items.
Significance in brief: The site marks the ground breaking ceremony for the first section of the Ohio Canal, attended by Dewitt Clinton and several Ohio governors. The canal, completed in 1833 at 308 miles, gave Ohio a cheap way to ship farm goods east and to bring in consumer items without routing through New Orleans or over the Appalachians.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 73001493, listed May 24, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | OH 79, Heath |
|---|---|
| County | Licking County |
| Listed | May 24, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001493 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1825 |
| Areas of significance | Transportation |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Fair condition and altered. The lock is in disrepair, its west wall cut down 3.5 to 4 feet and both walls braced with timbers; gates and hardware are missing. The village maintains the site, which is used for picnics. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 40.01282, -82.45744 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 73001493.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.