19TH CENTURY U.S. CANALS

Maine

 

 

Cumberland & Oxford Canal

 

A Book of the United States: exhibiting its geography, divisions, Constitution and government - 1839
A brief description is on page 379.

 

A Description of the Canals and Rail Roads of the United States- 1840
A brief description is on page 29.

 

A matter of historical record: The Cumberland & Oxford Canal – the close of a great public enterprise

A brief history of the canal.   Historical photo.


American Annual Register - 1835
A description of the canal and the products it typically carried is on page 3.

 

An Accompaniment to Mitchell’s Reference and Distance Map of the United States- 1835
A brief description of the canal.
 

Annual Report of the State Engineer and Surveyor on the Canals of New York – 1906

A brief history and description is on page 1370.


Bay of Naples Inn with Steamboat 1890s
Historical photo from Naples.
 

BG's ME: Cumberland Oxford Canal

A brief video history of the canal.


Bridgton
A brief history of the canal and the types of vessels using it are on page 12.

 

Canal Boats of the Cumberland and Oxford Canal
An article begins on page 4 of the American Canal Society newsletter.

 

Chronicling America
A set of historical newspaper articles which make reference to the canal.

 

Cumberland & Oxford Canal
A brief description and history of the canal.

 

Cumberland & Oxford Canal
An article begins on page 5 of the American Canal Society newsletter.

 

Cumberland & Oxford Canal
An article begins on page 5 of the American Canal Society newsletter.

 

Cumberland & Oxford Canal History. Part 1
An article begins on page 3 of the American Canal Society newsletter.

 

Cumberland & Oxford Canal History. Part 2
The article continues on page 5 of the American Canal Society newsletter.

 

Cumberland & Oxford Canal History. Part 3
The article concludes on page 5 of the American Canal Society newsletter.

 

Cumberland & Oxford Canal Played Big Role in Region's History
A brief history and description of the canal.

 

Cumberland and Oxford Canal
A brief history and description of the canal.   Map and historical and current photos.

 

Cumberland and Oxford Canal

A brief history and description of the canal.   Historical photo.


Cumberland and Oxford Canal

A collection of a historical painting, map and photo.


Digital Public Library of America
Links to historical documents.

 

Google Newspapers
Includes a brief history of the canal.

 

It Happened in Windham: The Big Ditch 

A brief history and description of the canal.


Lake Region
A description of the economic impact of the canal on the region is on page 112.

 

Landscape with Figures: Nature & Culture New England
A brief history begins on page 169.

 

Letter from the Treasurer of the State to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives Transmitting His Annual Report on the State of the Finances ... December 31, 1826
Financial information is on pages 8. 51, 62, 64, 65,77 and 80.

 

Mitchell's Compendium of the Internal Improvements of the United States - 1835
A brief description is on page 11.

 

Plan of the City of Portland, 1837
Map of Portland, including the canal.
 

Portland Directory – 1856
A brief description of the canal is on page 297.

 

Professor Details the Building of the Cumberland and Oxford Canal
A 2003 newpaper article about a lecture on the subject.

 

Rediscovering the Cumberland Oxford Canal 

A video history of the canal.


Renaissance of America’s “Other C&O Canal” 

The article begins on page 18 of the American Canal Society newsletter.


Report of the Committee Appointed to Procure a Survey for the Route of the Contemplated Cumberland & Oxford Canal to which is added the Report of the Engineer, Containing an Estimate of the Expence of Making the Canal – 1823 


Resolves of the Legislature of the State of Maine - 1826
A Resolve in favor of the canal is on page 500.

 

Six Canals That Built New England
Includes a brief history and description of the canal.   Map and historical postcard.

 

Songo Lock
A brief history of the canal and description of the sole remaining lock of the canal.

 

Songo Lock and the Cumberland and Oxford Canal

The article begins on page 16 of the June, 2014 issue of the Canal Society of Indiana newsletter.


Songo Lock Historical Marker

Photo and text of a marker in Cumberland County.


Songo Locks in Naples, ca. 1890
A brief history, description and historical photo.

 

Songo River & Lock
A brief history and description of the canal.

 

Songo River Line to the Switzerland of America Up in Maine
A link to a history of the Songo River Line steamboat company, which operated on the canal.

 

Special Laws of the State of Maine Passed by the Legislature - 1821
An Act to establish the canal begins on page 82.

 

Ten Maine Historical Sites
A brief history of the canal. Historical and current photo.
 

The American Almanac and Repository of Useful Knowledge - 1833
A brief description of the proposed canal is on page 236.

 

The Cumberland And Oxford Canal
A brief history and description of the canal.   Current photo.

 

The History of Portland, from Its First Settlement - 1831
A brief history begins on page 267.

 

The last Cumberland and Oxford canal lock by 'PWC'

Includes a brief history of the canal.


The Old Cumberland and Oxford Canal

A brief video history of the canal.


The Popular Encyclopedia - 1841
A brief description is on page 10.

 

Up the Canal to the Mountains
An article begins on page 8 of the American Canal Society newsletter.

 

Westbrook, Maine
History and description of the city, including that of the canal.

 

What?! You Used to Be Able to Take a Boat from Portland to Sebago Lake

A brief history of the canal, including a video.


Rev. September, 2025