Sandy and Beaver Canal

Although the Ohio legislature issued the charter for the Sandy and Beaver Canal in 1828, the canal was not completed until 1848. Economic problems in the late 1830s had halted construction for a number of years, and completion took longer than originally anticipated. The Sandy and Beaver connected Bolivar, Ohio, and Glasgow, Pennsylvania. The canal extended approximately seventy-three miles and contained ninety locks.

The canal never met the full expectations of its builders. From the beginning, the middle section of the canal experienced numerous problems and ultimately fell into disrepair. The eastern and western portions of the Sandy and Beaver Canal were kept busy by local industry and agriculture, but travel along the entire length of the canal was impossible. Like many other canal companies, the Sandy and Beaver Canal Company experienced financial problems when its income was not enough to pay off the construction costs. The canal ceased to operate in the early 1850s.