Middlesex Canal - Operational History

Operational History

The canal ran from Middlesex Village in East Chelmsford, Massachusetts (later renamed Lowell), through several Middlesex County towns. At first it terminated in Medford, but was later extended to Charlestown, Massachusetts with a branch near Medford Center to the Mystic River. A series of other canals were constructed, in part by the canal proprietors, along the Merrimack River, enabling freight to be transported as far inland as Concord, New Hampshire. The water source for the canal was the Concord River at North Billerica. This was also the highest point of the canal, and is the present location of the Middlesex Canal Association's museum.

Freight boats required 18 hours from Boston up to Lowell, and 12 hours down, thus averaging 2.5 miles per hour; passenger boats were faster, at 12 and 8 hours, respectively (4 miles per hour). A roundtrip between Boston and Concord, New Hampshire usually took 7–10 days. These speeds were maintained to prevent wakes from damaging the canal sides.

The canal was one of the main thoroughfares in eastern New England until the advent of the railroad. The Boston and Lowell Railroad (now a part of the MBTA Commuter Rail system) was built using the plans from the original surveys for the canal. Portions of the line follow the canal route closely, and the canal was used to transport construction materials and also an engine for the railroad. Its use was not restricted to freight and transit: people from the city would ride passenger boats on daylong excursions to the countryside.

The canal was no longer economically viable after the introduction of railroad competition, and the company collected its last tolls in 1851. The Middlesex Turnpike, incorporated 1805, also contributed to its downfall. Investors who held their shares in the company lost money: shareholders invested a total of $740/share but only reaped $559.50 in dividends. Those who sold their shares at an appropriate time made money: valued at $25 in 1794, shares reached a value of $500 in 1804, and were worth $300 in 1816.

Before the corporation was dissolved, the proprietors proposed to convert the canal into an aqueduct to bring drinking water to Boston, but this effort was unsuccessful. After the canal ceased operation its infrastructure quickly fell into disrepair. In 1852 the company ordered dilapidated bridges over the canal torn down and the canal underneath filled in. Permission was given for the company to liquidate and pay the proceeds to the stockholders, and its 1793 charter was revoked in 1860. The company's records were given over the state for preservation.

Parts of the canal bed were covered by roads in the 20th century, including parts of the Mystic Valley Parkway in Medford and Winchester, and parts of Boston Avenue in Somerville and Medford. Boston Avenue crosses the Mystic River where the canal did.