The
Cross Florida Barge Canal was a
canalCanals are artificial channels for water. There are two types of canal: aqueduct canals are used for the conveyance and delivery of water, and waterway canals are navigable transportation canals used for passage of goods and people, often connected to existing lakes, rivers, or oceans.The word...
project to connect the
Gulf of MexicoThe Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest body of water in the world. Considered a smaller part of the Atlantic Ocean, it is an ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United...
and the
Atlantic OceanThe Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about 106.4 million square kilometres , it covers approximately one-fifth of the Earth's surface and about one-quarter of its water surface area. The first part of its name refers to the Atlas of Greek...
across
FloridaFlorida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. It was the 27th state admitted to the United States...
for
bargeA barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats or pushed by towboats...
traffic. Two sections were built but the project was cancelled, mainly for
environmentalThe environmental movement, a term that includes the conservation and green movements, is a diverse scientific, social, and political movement for addressing environmental issues....
reasons. It is now a protected
green beltA green belt or greenbelt is a policy and land use designation used in land use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped, wild, or agricultural land surrounding or neighbouring urban areas. Similar concepts are greenways or green wedges which have a linear character and may run through an...
corridor, one mile (1.6 km) wide in most places. Named after the leader in the opposition against the canal,
Marjorie Harris CarrMarjorie Harris Carr was an American conservationist.Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Harris moved to Lee County in southwest Florida. In 1936, she received a B.S. in zoology from Florida State College for Women; in 1942, she received an M.A. from the University of Florida...
, it is known as the
Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway.
The planned route of the canal followed the
St. Johns RiverThe St. Johns River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant for commercial and recreational use. At long, it winds through or borders twelve counties, three of which are the state's largest. The elevation drop from the headwaters to the mouth is less than ; like...
from the Atlantic coast to
PalatkaPalatka is a city in Putnam County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,033 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 10,796. It is the county seat of Putnam County and includes East Palatka. The city is home to St...
, the valley of the
Ocklawaha RiverThe 110 mile long Ocklawaha River flows north from Central Florida until it joins the St. Johns River near Palatka, Florida. Its name is a corruption of ak-lowahe, Creek for "muddy"....
to the coastal divide, and the
Withlacoochee RiverThe Withlacoochee River originates in central Florida's Green Swamp, east of Polk City. It flows west, then north, and then turns northwest and finally west again before it empties into the Gulf of Mexico near Yankeetown. The river is 86 miles long and has a drainage basin of 1,170 square miles...
to the
Gulf of MexicoThe Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest body of water in the world. Considered a smaller part of the Atlantic Ocean, it is an ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United...
.
The
Cross Florida Barge Canal was a
canalCanals are artificial channels for water. There are two types of canal: aqueduct canals are used for the conveyance and delivery of water, and waterway canals are navigable transportation canals used for passage of goods and people, often connected to existing lakes, rivers, or oceans.The word...
project to connect the
Gulf of MexicoThe Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest body of water in the world. Considered a smaller part of the Atlantic Ocean, it is an ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United...
and the
Atlantic OceanThe Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about 106.4 million square kilometres , it covers approximately one-fifth of the Earth's surface and about one-quarter of its water surface area. The first part of its name refers to the Atlas of Greek...
across
FloridaFlorida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. It was the 27th state admitted to the United States...
for
bargeA barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats or pushed by towboats...
traffic. Two sections were built but the project was cancelled, mainly for
environmentalThe environmental movement, a term that includes the conservation and green movements, is a diverse scientific, social, and political movement for addressing environmental issues....
reasons. It is now a protected
green beltA green belt or greenbelt is a policy and land use designation used in land use planning to retain areas of largely undeveloped, wild, or agricultural land surrounding or neighbouring urban areas. Similar concepts are greenways or green wedges which have a linear character and may run through an...
corridor, one mile (1.6 km) wide in most places. Named after the leader in the opposition against the canal,
Marjorie Harris CarrMarjorie Harris Carr was an American conservationist.Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Harris moved to Lee County in southwest Florida. In 1936, she received a B.S. in zoology from Florida State College for Women; in 1942, she received an M.A. from the University of Florida...
, it is known as the
Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway.
Route
The planned route of the canal followed the
St. Johns RiverThe St. Johns River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant for commercial and recreational use. At long, it winds through or borders twelve counties, three of which are the state's largest. The elevation drop from the headwaters to the mouth is less than ; like...
from the Atlantic coast to
PalatkaPalatka is a city in Putnam County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,033 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 10,796. It is the county seat of Putnam County and includes East Palatka. The city is home to St...
, the valley of the
Ocklawaha RiverThe 110 mile long Ocklawaha River flows north from Central Florida until it joins the St. Johns River near Palatka, Florida. Its name is a corruption of ak-lowahe, Creek for "muddy"....
to the coastal divide, and the
Withlacoochee RiverThe Withlacoochee River originates in central Florida's Green Swamp, east of Polk City. It flows west, then north, and then turns northwest and finally west again before it empties into the Gulf of Mexico near Yankeetown. The river is 86 miles long and has a drainage basin of 1,170 square miles...
to the
Gulf of MexicoThe Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest body of water in the world. Considered a smaller part of the Atlantic Ocean, it is an ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United...
. About 28% of the 107-mile (172 km) project was built—the cross-country section from the
St. Johns RiverThe St. Johns River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant for commercial and recreational use. At long, it winds through or borders twelve counties, three of which are the state's largest. The elevation drop from the headwaters to the mouth is less than ; like...
to the Oklawaha River, part of the route along the Oklawaha, and a small section at the
Gulf of MexicoThe Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest body of water in the world. Considered a smaller part of the Atlantic Ocean, it is an ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United...
end up to the dammed
Lake RousseauLake Rousseau is a reservoir on the Withlacoochee River in central Florida, USA, on the boundary of Levy County to the north-west, Marion County to the north-east, and Citrus County to the south. It was created in the 1920s when the river was dammed....
.
Bridges
All the bridges over the
St. Johns RiverThe St. Johns River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant for commercial and recreational use. At long, it winds through or borders twelve counties, three of which are the state's largest. The elevation drop from the headwaters to the mouth is less than ; like...
north of the canal are high enough for ships, or have movable sections. High bridges were built over the canal, as well as several over the
Ocklawaha RiverThe 110 mile long Ocklawaha River flows north from Central Florida until it joins the St. Johns River near Palatka, Florida. Its name is a corruption of ak-lowahe, Creek for "muddy"....
where it was not widened to the canal. The following major roads, railroads, and
locksA lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber whose water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is the...
and
damA dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions...
s cross the path of the canal:
- Buckman Lock (formerly St. Johns Lock)
- SR 19
State Road 19 is a Florida State Road in Putnam, Marion, and Lake counties. It runs from Groveland to Palatka. It provides access to areas in Ocala National Forest, like Pittman.-Route description:...
(high bridge)
- Rodman Dam (south of the canal on the Ocklawaha River
The 110 mile long Ocklawaha River flows north from Central Florida until it joins the St. Johns River near Palatka, Florida. Its name is a corruption of ak-lowahe, Creek for "muddy"....
, forming Lake Ocklawaha along the canal)
- Eureka Dam (unfinished)
- CR 316 (high bridge)
- SR 40 (high bridge)
- CR 314 (no bridge)
- SR 35
State Road 35 is a north-south state highway in the western counties of the U.S. state of Florida.It is mainly signed as a hidden route along U.S. Highways:*U.S. Route 17: Punta Gorda to Bartow....
(no bridge)
- SR 464 (no bridge)
- Florida Northern Railroad
The Florida Northern Railroad is one of several short line railroads run by the Pinsly Railroad Company. It has connections to CSX at Ocala, Florida, running north to Lowell, Florida and south to Candler, Florida. It was formerly run by CSX as their Ocala Subdivision.-External links:*...
(no bridge)
- CSX S-Line (no bridge)
- US 27-301
U.S. Route 301 in Florida runs from the Sarasota-Bradenton-Venice, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area northeast to the Greater Jacksonville Metropolitan Area. The road is a spur of U.S...
-441 (SR 25/SR 500) (no bridge, but several unused supports in the median)
- CR 475 (no bridge)
- I-75 (SR 93) (no bridge; recently built land bridge
A land bridge, in biogeography, is an isthmus or wider land connection between otherwise separate areas, which allows terrestrial animals and plants to cross over and colonise new lands...
over I-75 for trail users)
- SW 49th Avenue (no bridge; recently built underpass for trail users)
- CR 484 (no bridge)
- SR 200 (no bridge)
- CSX line (low bridge)
- US 41 (SR 45) (low bridge)
- Inglis Lock (Inglis Dam is south of the canal on the Withlacoochee River, forming Lake Rousseau
Lake Rousseau is a reservoir on the Withlacoochee River in central Florida, USA, on the boundary of Levy County to the north-west, Marion County to the north-east, and Citrus County to the south. It was created in the 1920s when the river was dammed....
along the canal)
- US 19-98 (SR 55
State Road 55 is mainly the internal or secret designation of U.S. Route 19 through Florida, although it has appeared on maps and atlases in several occasions. State Road 55 originates at the Georgia border north of Ashville, and ends at SR 684 in Bradenton. North of Perry, it's the secret route...
) (high bridge, duplicate currently under construction)
History
The idea of such a canal was first proposed by
Philip II of SpainPhilip II was King of Spain and Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, during his wife Mary Tudor's reign, King of England and Ireland...
in 1567. It was repeatedly considered over the years but found to be economically unviable.
Secretary of WarThe Secretary of War was a member of the United States President's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War," was appointed to serve the Congress of the Confederation under the Articles of Confederation...
John C. CalhounJohn Caldwell Calhoun was the 7th Vice President of the United States and a leading Southern politician from South Carolina during the first half of the 19th century. Calhoun was an advocate of slavery, states' rights, limited government, and nullification...
once again proposed a canal in 1818 in order to solve the losses due to shipwrecks and piracy. The
Florida RailroadThe Florida Railroad was the first railroad to connect the east and west coasts of Florida, running from Fernandina to Cedar Key. The line later became part of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad, and, where still in use, is operated by CSX Transportation and the First Coast Railroad...
, finished on March 1, 1861, served a similar purpose, connecting the
Atlantic OceanThe Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about 106.4 million square kilometres , it covers approximately one-fifth of the Earth's surface and about one-quarter of its water surface area. The first part of its name refers to the Atlas of Greek...
at
FernandinaFernandina Beach is a city in Nassau County in the state of Florida in the United States of America and on Amelia Island. The area was first inhabited by the Timucuan Indian tribe...
to the
Gulf of MexicoThe Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest body of water in the world. Considered a smaller part of the Atlantic Ocean, it is an ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United...
at
Cedar KeyCedar Key is a city in Levy County, Florida, United States. The population was 790 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S Census estimates of 2005, the city had a population of 958. The Cedar Keys are a cluster of islands close to the mainland. Most of the developed area of the city has been on...
.
In the 1930s, regional politicians lobbied the federal government to fund canal construction as an economic recovery program, and president
Franklin D. RooseveltFranklin Delano Roosevelt , the only U.S. President elected to more than two terms, was a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
allocated emergency funds in 1935. Local opponents of the canal protested that the canal would deplete Florida's
aquiferAn aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock or unconsolidated materials from which groundwater can be usefully extracted using a water well. The study of water flow in aquifers and the characterization of aquifers is called hydrogeology...
s, and work was stopped a year later.
Work was reauthorized in 1942 as a national defense project, with
damA dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions...
s and locks to protect the underground water supply. Support for the project from Washington was sporadic, and funds were never allocated to USACE to actually start construction.
Planning was once again given the go-ahead in 1963 with support from president
John F. KennedyJohn Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
, who allocated one million dollars to the project. The next year Lyndon Johnson set off the explosives that started construction. Opponents subsequently campaigned against the canal on environmental grounds, and the project stopped again in January 1971. It was officially cancelled in 1991. The
right-of-wayAn easement is a non-possessory interest to use real property in possession of another person for a stated purpose. An easement is considered as a property right in itself at common law and is still treated as a type of property in most jurisdictions...
was turned over to the state and became the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway, named in honor of the woman who led opposition to the canal.
Project Timeline
- May 1933 - Canal Authority of the State of Florida was created to construct and maintain a deep-water ship canal across Florida.
- 1935-1936 – Construction of a ship canal began under the Emergency Relief Appropriations Act of 1935, but work was suspended when Federal funds were depleted.
- July 1942 – Congress authorized construction of the Cross Florida Barge Canal.
- February 1964 – The U. S. Army Corps of Engineers began construction of the Cross Florida Barge Canal.
- 1969 – The Environmental Defense Fund and others filed suit in the U. S. District Court for the District of Columbia seeking temporary and permanent injunction against the construction of the canal.
- January 15, 1971 – The District Court granted a preliminary injunction halting any further construction activities pending the outcome of the litigation.
- January 19, 1971 – President Richard Nixon signed an executive order suspending further work on the Barge Canal. When halted, the project was one-third complete and approximately $74 million had been spent on land acquisition and construction.
- 1979 – Bills filed in Congress to deauthorize the Canal failed to pass.
- May 22, 1990 - A revised federal bill was filed in the U. S. Senate by Senators Bob Graham and Connie Mack providing, among other things, for a minimum 300-yard wide greenway corridor to be maintained along the former Barge Canal route. This bill was agreed to by the entire Florida Congressional delegation.
- May 31, 1990 - The Florida Legislature enacted a deauthorization bill conforming to the consensus bill filed in the U. S. Senate. Most of the provisions were not effective until Congress deauthorized the project.
- October 27, 1990 – Senate Bill 2740 was passed by Congress and sent to the President for signature. The bill deauthorized the Cross Florida Barge Canal project upon acceptance by the Governor and Cabinet of the State of Florida.
- November 28, 1990 – President George Bush signed SB 2740 into law deauthorizing the Cross Florida Barge Canal project and changing the purpose of the lands to recreation and conservation.
- January 22, 1991 – The Governor and Cabinet of the State of Florida signed a resolution agreeing to the terms of the Federal deauthorization bill thereby officially deauthorizing the Cross Florida Barge Canal project. This action ultimately led to the creation of the Cross Florida Greenway State Recreation and Conservation Area.
- 1998 - The Cross Florida Greenway was officially renamed the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway in honor of the individual who led the fight to stop the Cross Florida Barge Canal project.
External links