Tinkers Creek Aqueduct
Encyclopedia
Tinkers Creek Aqueduct is an aqueduct
that was constructed to bridge the Ohio and Erie Canal
over Tinkers Creek near its confluence with the Cuyahoga River
in Valley View, Ohio
. It is a relatively rare surviving example of an Ohio and Erie Canal aqueduct. It was originally constructed in 1825-1827 by, and re-built due to flood damage in 1845 and 1905. Tinkers Creek Aqueduct was included in a National Historic Landmark
district established in 1966, and it was separately listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1979. The original Tinkers Creek Aqueduct was a wood plank, steel truss, and Ashlar
-sandstone
structure constructed in 1827, south of the present aqueduct's location. Cuyahoga River and Tinkers Creek flooding caused continual damage to the original aqueduct, so successive structures were built in 1845 and 1905 in the present location. Today, Tinkers Creek Aqueduct is the only aqueduct which remains of the four original aqueducts in the Cuyahoga Valley. Of Furnace Run Aqueduct, Mill Creek Aqueduct, Peninsula Aqueduct, and (? Yellow Creek ?) Aqueduct; Mill Creek Aqueduct, of modern construction, is the only aqueduct which still carries Ohio and Erie Canal water. After 102 years of flooding, weathering, and deterioration, Tinkers Creek Aqueduct was removed in 2007. The National Park Service is currently working on Phase II of the project to reconstruct it from modern materials.
and Tinkers Creek.
Aqueduct
An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water. In modern engineering, the term is used for any system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and other structures used for this purpose....
that was constructed to bridge the Ohio and Erie Canal
Ohio and Erie Canal
The Ohio Canal or Ohio and Erie Canal was a canal constructed in the 1820s and early 1830s. It connected Akron, Summit County, with the Cuyahoga River near its mouth on Lake Erie in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and a few years later, with the Ohio River near Portsmouth, Scioto County, and then...
over Tinkers Creek near its confluence with the Cuyahoga River
Cuyahoga River
The Cuyahoga River is located in Northeast Ohio in the United States. Outside of Ohio, the river is most famous for being "the river that caught fire", helping to spur the environmental movement in the late 1960s...
in Valley View, Ohio
Valley View, Ohio
Valley View is a village in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,034 at the 2010 census. It is a suburb of Cleveland with a town council form of government. It is part of a school district that also includes nearby Cuyahoga Heights and Brooklyn Heights...
. It is a relatively rare surviving example of an Ohio and Erie Canal aqueduct. It was originally constructed in 1825-1827 by, and re-built due to flood damage in 1845 and 1905. Tinkers Creek Aqueduct was included in a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
district established in 1966, and it was separately listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1979. The original Tinkers Creek Aqueduct was a wood plank, steel truss, and Ashlar
Ashlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
-sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
structure constructed in 1827, south of the present aqueduct's location. Cuyahoga River and Tinkers Creek flooding caused continual damage to the original aqueduct, so successive structures were built in 1845 and 1905 in the present location. Today, Tinkers Creek Aqueduct is the only aqueduct which remains of the four original aqueducts in the Cuyahoga Valley. Of Furnace Run Aqueduct, Mill Creek Aqueduct, Peninsula Aqueduct, and (? Yellow Creek ?) Aqueduct; Mill Creek Aqueduct, of modern construction, is the only aqueduct which still carries Ohio and Erie Canal water. After 102 years of flooding, weathering, and deterioration, Tinkers Creek Aqueduct was removed in 2007. The National Park Service is currently working on Phase II of the project to reconstruct it from modern materials.
Statistics
- Ohio and Erie CanalOhio and Erie CanalThe Ohio Canal or Ohio and Erie Canal was a canal constructed in the 1820s and early 1830s. It connected Akron, Summit County, with the Cuyahoga River near its mouth on Lake Erie in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and a few years later, with the Ohio River near Portsmouth, Scioto County, and then...
- Valley View VillageValley View, OhioValley View is a village in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,034 at the 2010 census. It is a suburb of Cleveland with a town council form of government. It is part of a school district that also includes nearby Cuyahoga Heights and Brooklyn Heights...
, County of CuyahogaCuyahoga County, OhioCuyahoga County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. It is the most populous county in Ohio; as of the 2010 census, the population was 1,280,122. Its county seat is Cleveland. Cuyahoga County is part of Greater Cleveland, a metropolitan area, and Northeast Ohio, a...
, OhioOhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus... - Ohio 631
- Elevation: 610 feet (185.9 m)
- National Register Number: 66000607
- Resource type: District.
- Property type: Transportation - water -related.
- The threat level was Threatened in 2006.
- Congressional District: OH-11
- Certified Local Government: NO
- This NHL offers public access.
- Current use/information: Part of Cuyahoga Valley National ParkCuyahoga Valley National ParkCuyahoga Valley National Park preserves and reclaims the rural landscape along the Cuyahoga River between Akron and Cleveland in Northeast Ohio. The park is the only national park in Ohio.Cuyahoga means "crooked river" in Mohawk....
.
Condition
The Tinkers Creek Aqueduct is a contributing structure on the NHL portion of the canal and continues to deteriorate rapidly. Due to the advanced state of decay, the aqueduct structure and the associated towpath Trial bridge will be removed and eventually replace with a modern aqueduct and bridge. Phase 1 of the project will involve removal of the existing aqueduct and Towpath Bridge, installation of a new Towpath Bridge, installation of temporary steel pipes to carry the canal water over the creek, restoration of portions of the sandstone abutment walls, and installation of a temporary high-water overflow structure. A later phase will include replacement of the aqueduct structure with a new design and restoration of the existing sandstone center pier and remaining abutment walls. Phase 1 is to begin in FY 2007. The increased numbers of flood events in recent years has caused significant damage to the river and stream banks which potentially threatens the canal basin. Ongoing monitoring and stabilization of river and stream banks will continue as needed.Flooding
The aqueduct and surrounding area are subject to flooding by the Cuyahoga RiverCuyahoga River
The Cuyahoga River is located in Northeast Ohio in the United States. Outside of Ohio, the river is most famous for being "the river that caught fire", helping to spur the environmental movement in the late 1960s...
and Tinkers Creek.
See also
- List of bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Ohio
- List of Registered Historic Places in Cuyahoga County, Ohio
External links
- Tinker's Creek Aqueduct at the Historic American Engineering Record