The Lowell Power Canal System is the largest power canal system in the United States, at 5.6 miles in length. It is operating through six major canals on two levels, controlled by numerous gates. The system was begun in the 1790s, beginning its life as a transportation canal called the Pawtucket Canal, which was constructed to get logs from New Hampshire down the Merrimack River to shipbuilding centers at Newburyport, Massachusetts, bypassing the 30-plus-foot drop of the Pawtucket Falls.
In the early 1820s, Associates of the recently deceased Francis Cabot Lowell bought up the old Pawtucket Canal in what was then East Chelmsford, Massachusetts. Within a few years, the new industrial center that became Lowell was using canals feeding off a widened and deepened Pawtucket Canal as a direct power source for their textile mills. The first of these canals was the Merrimack Canal, which powered the Merrimack Manufacturing Company. The repurposing of the Proprietors of Locks and Canals allowed the Associates to sell water power to other companies, starting with the Hamilton Canal, leading to the explosive growth of the town, and then shortly thereafter, city, of Lowell.
Pawtucket Gatehouse, from the above the falls side. Barge lock chamber to the right of the gatehouse.Pawtucket Gatehouse, from across the river, during a minor spring flood
By the late 1840s, Lowell's canal system was producing as much power as possible. However, the Chief Engineer of Locks and Canals, an Englishman by the name of James B. Francis devised the Northern Canal and the Moody Street Feeder, to increase the capacity of, and availability of water to various parts of, the whole system. The Pawtucket Gatehouse was constructed to control flow from behind the Pawtucket Dam into the Northern Canal.
The dam itself, which was built twenty years earlier, was lengthened at that time, diverting the entire Merrimack (during periods of lower flow) into the two canal system entrances above it. It is a stone dam topped with wooden flashboards – a system still used on this dam today.[needs update] The level of the water is regulated by the flashboards and the metal pins that hold them back. When there is too much water going over the top of the dam, the pins bend backwards, releasing the boards, and the outflow of the dam is increased.
The Gatehouse contains ten wooden gates that control the flow of the Merrimack into the canal. Originally, they were opened[clarification needed] by a Francis Turbine, also an invention of James B. Francis. Today, the Gatehouse is controlled electrically and remotely by Boott Hydroelectric, who is partially a continuation of the Proprietors of Locks and Canals, and who operates a 24-megawatt hydroplant on the Northern Canal.
HAER No. MA-9, "Moody Street Feeder", 2 photos, 1 data page, 1 photo caption page
HAER No. MA-9-A, "Moody Street Feeder, Gatehouse", 6 photos, 4 data pages, 1 photo caption page
October 28, 2023
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Not to be confused with Pawtucket Falls Massachusetts or Pawtucket Canal Main article History of Lowell Massachusetts The Lowell Power Canal System is the largest power canal system in the United States at 5 6 miles in length It is operating through six major canals on two levels controlled by numerous gates The system was begun in the 1790s beginning its life as a transportation canal called the Pawtucket Canal which was constructed to get logs from New Hampshire down the Merrimack River to shipbuilding centers at Newburyport Massachusetts bypassing the 30 plus foot drop of the Pawtucket Falls Lowell Locks and Canals Historic DistrictU S National Register of Historic PlacesU S National Historic Landmark DistrictA 1975 map showing the canal systemShow map of MassachusettsShow map of the United StatesLocationLowell MassachusettsCoordinates42 38 44 N 71 19 12 W 42 64556 N 71 32000 W 42 64556 71 32000Built1821ArchitectNathan Appleton Kirk BoottNRHP reference No 76001972 1 Significant datesAdded to NRHPAugust 13 1976Designated NHLDDecember 22 1977In the early 1820s Associates of the recently deceased Francis Cabot Lowell bought up the old Pawtucket Canal in what was then East Chelmsford Massachusetts Within a few years the new industrial center that became Lowell was using canals feeding off a widened and deepened Pawtucket Canal as a direct power source for their textile mills The first of these canals was the Merrimack Canal which powered the Merrimack Manufacturing Company The repurposing of the Proprietors of Locks and Canals allowed the Associates to sell water power to other companies starting with the Hamilton Canal leading to the explosive growth of the town and then shortly thereafter city of Lowell Pawtucket Gatehouse from the above the falls side Barge lock chamber to the right of the gatehouse Pawtucket Gatehouse from across the river during a minor spring floodBy the late 1840s Lowell s canal system was producing as much power as possible However the Chief Engineer of Locks and Canals an Englishman by the name of James B Francis devised the Northern Canal and the Moody Street Feeder to increase the capacity of and availability of water to various parts of the whole system The Pawtucket Gatehouse was constructed to control flow from behind the Pawtucket Dam into the Northern Canal The dam itself which was built twenty years earlier was lengthened at that time diverting the entire Merrimack during periods of lower flow into the two canal system entrances above it It is a stone dam topped with wooden flashboards a system still used on this dam today needs update The level of the water is regulated by the flashboards and the metal pins that hold them back When there is too much water going over the top of the dam the pins bend backwards releasing the boards and the outflow of the dam is increased The Gatehouse contains ten wooden gates that control the flow of the Merrimack into the canal Originally they were opened clarification needed by a Francis Turbine also an invention of James B Francis Today the Gatehouse is controlled electrically and remotely by Boott Hydroelectric who is partially a continuation of the Proprietors of Locks and Canals and who operates a 24 megawatt hydroplant on the Northern Canal The Canal System and the Gatehouse were designated a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the ASCE in 1984 2 and a Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark by the ASME in 1985 3 and are part of Lowell National Historical Park It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and declared a National Historic Landmark the next year 1 4 Contents 1 Timeline of canals 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksTimeline of canals edit1796 Pawtucket Canal 1822 Merrimack Canal 1825 Hamilton Canal 1828 Lowell Canal 1831 Lawrence Canal Western Canal 1835 Eastern Canal 1847 Northern Canal Moody Street Feeder and Pawtucket GatehouseSee also editList of National Historic Landmarks in Massachusetts National Register of Historic Places listings in Lowell MassachusettsReferences edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lowell Canal System nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pawtucket Gatehouse a b National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service April 15 2008 ASCE Landmark page Archived 2012 03 14 at the Wayback Machine ASME Landmark report Archived 2011 08 16 at the Wayback Machine NPS NHL Listing info Archived 2012 04 01 at the Wayback MachineExternal links editHistoric American Engineering Record documentation filed under Lowell Middlesex County MA HAER No MA 1 Lowell Canal System HAER No MA 1 A Lowell Canal System Pawtucket Dam HAER No MA 4 Hamilton Canal 4 photos 1 data page 1 photo caption page HAER No MA 4 A Hamilton Canal Guard Gates 6 photos 1 data page 1 photo caption page HAER No MA 4 B Hamilton Canal Wasteway Gatehouse 1 photo 1 data page 1 photo caption page HAER No MA 5 Western Canal 3 photos 1 data page 1 photo caption page HAER No MA 5 A Western Canal Hickey Hall Dam 5 photos 1 data page 1 photo caption page HAER No MA 5 B Western Canal Tremont Gatehouse 4 photos 1 data page 1 photo caption page HAER No MA 5 C Western Canal Guard Gates 4 photos 1 data page 1 photo caption page HAER No MA 6 Lawrence Canal Lawrence Dam 3 photos 1 data page 1 photo caption page HAER No MA 7 Eastern Canal 5 photos 1 data page 1 photo caption page HAER No MA 7 A Eastern Canal Boott Dam 3 photos 1 data page 1 photo caption page HAER No MA 7 B Eastern Canal Boott Penstock 2 photos 1 data page 1 photo caption page HAER No MA 8 Northern Canal 7 photos 1 data page 1 photo caption page HAER No MA 8 A Northern Canal Pawtucket Gatehouse 16 photos 1 measured drawing 1 data page 2 photo caption pages HAER No MA 8 B Northern Canal Great River Wall 14 photos 1 data page 2 photo caption pages HAER No MA 8 C Northern Canal Waste Gates 8 photos 5 measured drawings 1 data page 1 photo caption page HAER No MA 9 Moody Street Feeder 2 photos 1 data page 1 photo caption page HAER No MA 9 A Moody Street Feeder Gatehouse 6 photos 4 data pages 1 photo caption page Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lowell Power Canal System and Pawtucket Gatehouse amp oldid 1169237001, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
