Ground was broken on February 22, 1832 to begin construction of the Wabash and Erie Canal. The canal, which took 11 years to finish, stretched more than 460 miles, linking the Great Lakes to the Ohio River and making it the longest canal built in North America.
The interpretive center has very good exhibits covering the history and construction of the canal, the lives of the workers who built the canal, and life on the canal and in the towns along the way. The center was built to resemble a small town Main Street and is located in a park on the outskirts of Delpi, Indiana. A portion of the canal has been refurbished and several log houses have been relocated to the park. A large house built in1844 by Reed Case, the contractor responsible for building for building the Carroll County portion of the canal, has also been relocated to the property. A portion of the towpath is graveled to make a nice walking trail. During the summer visitors can take a ride on a replica canal boat. The interpretive center is open all year but the other buildings are only opened in the summer and for special events.
The interpretive center is accessible but there are some problem areas. The floor has slopes that are not very noticeable so use caution. A few of the exhibit areas have steps up or are too narrow for wheelchair access. Some of the hands on exhibits can not be accessed from a seated position. None of the relocated buildings appear to be accessible. The towpath is level and accessible.
The entire Erie Canal area has been a boon for travelers for lots of years. And lucky us to take advantage of it.
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