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The James River has been a major transportation artery through Virginia for centuries. Although
originally planned to provide a navigable waterway from Great Falls at
Richmond to the Ohio River, the James River and Kanawha Canal was destined
to extend no further west than Buchanan. When completed in 1851, it was
the primary commercial route in the state, measuring 196.5 miles long
and incorporating 90 lift locks raising water levels more than 700 feet.
Civil war, floods, and railroads spelled disaster for the canal, causing
it to fail within the next 30 years.
Near the James River Visitor Center, visitors can see one of the restored canal locks. The
James River/Otter Creek recreation area is one of five developed areas
along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia, and is located near two highway
crossings, state routes 501 and 130. Besides the visitor center, the area
has a campground, restaurant/gift shop, picnic area, and handicap-accessible
fishing dock.
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