Patowmack Canal - Current Recreational Use

Current Recreational Use

In 1930 the U.S. Congress authorized this place of human history and natural beauty as a park. The National Park Service took on responsibility for its management in 1966.

The preservation of the Patowmack Canal is part of the Park Service's continuing efforts to protect and preserve special resources of the park. The Patowmack Canal and Matildaville ruins are protected by the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979. This law prohibits excavation, removal, or displacement of archaeological resources. The significance of the Patowmack Canal in the development of the young nation is evident in its designation as a National Historic Landmark. The Patowmack Canal is a Civil Engineering Landmark, and a Virginia Historic Landmark.