By Ranger Lisa
In the 1870s, then-President Grover Cleveland would regularly visit Pennyfield in order to pursue his favorite hobby of fishing. Long before Camp David became the presidential retreat, Cleveland, who had grown up on the Erie Canal in New York State, found a comfortable respite in the familiar presence of locktenders and boatmen. Today, as I frequently visit Pennyfield, I find myself often thinking on Mr. Cleveland and his visits to this place. I share with him the history of having grown up on the Erie Canal, and as, in his time, he knew the locktenders and boatmen of both C&O and Erie, I have come to regard the visitors, vistas and wildlife of both places as something akin to home.
Today, a visitor to Pennyfield need not only experience the lock, lockhouse and its surroundings on a short day trip, but now one can linger at Pennyfield a bit, spending the night in the restored Pennyfield Lockhouse, hearing the peaceful night sounds that come to this rustic spot, underscored by the continuous rush of the Potomac River and the water pouring through the lock gates outside the lockhouse door. From this spot, you can imagine the sound of a boat horn, calling you from your sleep, or the challenges of the lives of the locktenders as the Civil War bore down upon the Canal. From this place, you can watch the shadows of blue heron glide across moonlit waters, or tell ghost stories around a fire ring on a cool, autumnal night. There is a serenity to this place that I, Mr.Cleveland and many others who live in and visit the DC area cherish; a serenity that can be yours, as well, for a day, a night or as often as you choose to make Pennyfield your presidential escape.
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Swain's lock is a beautiful Seneca Red Sandstone lock. The old lockhouse there is located on the berm side of the Canal. Swains Lock can be accessed from the towpath or from River Road via Swains Loc... Read More
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Dierssseb Waterfowl Sanctuary, located at mile 20, is a 30-acre marshland between the canal and Potomac River. This is a spectacular place for avid birders to view a variety of native waterfowl. A fo... Read More
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Blockhouse Point State Park, located at mile 21, was named for the Union Civil War fort that once stood there. The beautiful cliffs at Blockhouse Point are striking from the towpath, while the park i... Read More
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Violettes Lock, number 23, located at 21.2, is another fine example of a lock built from local Red Seneca Sandstone. At this point, one can also view the inlet lock which allowed for the watering of... Read More
