Nomination Form
The linear James River and Kanawha Canal Historic District includes the canal route from the Great Ship Lock in the east end of the city of Richmond to Bosher’s Dam in western Henrico County. The parent James River Company was founded in 1785, with George Washington serving as honorary president. In 1835 the James River and Kanawha Canal Company was formed from the original company to connect the James with the Kanawha River and thus provide a navigation system to the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. A system of basins, locks, and docks was built through downtown Richmond in the 1850s. The canal operated until 1880 when it was purchased by the Richmond and Alleghany Railway Company. Although much of the system has been built over, its course can still be traced through the city.
Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Nomination Form
Programs
DHR has secured permanent legal protection for over 700 historic places - including 15,000 acres of battlefield lands
DHR has erected 2,532 highway markers in every county and city across Virginia
DHR has registered more than 3,317 individual resources and 613 historic districts
DHR has engaged over 450 students in 3 highway marker contests
DHR has stimulated more than $4.2 billion dollars in private investments related to historic tax credit incentives, revitalizing communities of all sizes throughout Virginia
