OTD Captain George Pointer's Birthday
Captain George Pointer was one of the first enslaved laborers rented to the Patowmack Canal Company, and after buying his freedom at age 19 his progress lead him to be the last superitendent of the canal project here at Great Falls Park.
He was born 247 years ago today, and we decided to commemorate his birthday with a craft project. This tutorial demonstrates how to make a feather quill pen. This is likely similar to what George Pointer would have used to write his historic 12 page petition, which saved his cottage, to the directors of the C&O Canal in September 1829.
OTD: September 05, 1829
One hundred ninety-one years ago, Captain George Pointer sent a 12 page petition to the new directors of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company. His historic letter was in protest of the canals proposed construction path. The new canal threatened to flood his home of over 40 years, and would have rendered himself and his wife, Elizabeth, destitute. So, the 57 year old former slave wrote a biographical petition which chronicled his life and career as an exceptional canal worker for the original Patowmack Canal Company.
Learn more on our website:
https://www.nps.gov/grfa/learn/historyculture/captain-george-pointer.htm
This is the current view from overlook 1; River level 7 with a flow rate of over 55,300 cubic feet per second.
UPDATED POST 12/21:
Great Falls Park will be CLOSED on December 25th.
We hope everyone is having a safe holiday season and making great memories with the family. Great Falls Park is open everyday of the year, but our Visitor Center does close on December 25th. Whichever park you choose to make those holiday memories be sure to thank the dedicated service members keeping a lookout!
Great Falls Park Both Lanes In Operation!
If you've been frustrated in the past by the long waits to enter Great Falls Park consider making a return visit. The addition of staff has made it possible to open a second service window at our entrance station which has cut wait times dramatically. Stay tuned for updates on improvements to visitor services and facilities that your recreation fee dollars have made possible! (Video of Sunday 9/15/2019)
Four Kayakers take a run down the Virginia Spout line on the Great Falls:
Our elite visitors always seem to have right ideas about how to kick off a holiday weekend.🖖🏿🤙🏿
Kayaking in this section of the Potomac requires expert skill level. It is illegal here to touch or enter the Potomac River otherwise.
Enslaved Laborers Built “ George Washington’s Dream Canal”
As early as 1794 slavery had already become integral to the development of the growing capital not far from the Potomac Company’s canal construction at Great Falls and Little Falls. In that same year, there were already as many as forty-six slaves working on the construction of public buildings in the city when commissioners made a decision to "hire one hundred more." Slave labor was used to construct the majority of our oldest and most important federal buildings, including the White House, U.S. Capitol Building, and even the Washington Monument.
It was still a common practice during the late 1800s for slave owners in, then, Washington County, MD and Alexandria County, VA to rent out their workers; especially during off seasons for agriculture. The Patowmack Company Board members, who oftentimes held meetings in Georgetown taverns, were utilizing common labor practices when they authorized the hiring of hundreds of enslaved laborers to meet their construction and operational demands.
The upriver portions of the canal system were constructed first and were built with mixed workforces of mainly unskilled laborers, indentured servants, and minimal enslaved laborers. However, it is well documented that by the time construction had begun at Great Falls and Little Falls, the Patowmack Company was facing constant financial problems. Indentured servants would regularly flee work sites before their indenture-mortgages were paid; this compounded the losses to the company. For this reason the Patowmack Company’s board members continued authorizing supervisors to rent many numbers of enslaved laborers from neighboring plantations to complete the construction of the downriver canals closest to the new capital city.
The canal at Great Falls, in particular, was the most robust of the company’s construction projects. Today you can find a National Civil Engineering Landmark plaque near Lock 1, commemorating the achievement of labor put forth to complete this endeavor. The Canal
Surfing this heat wave like 🌊🌊🤙🏾
It was busy at the vernal pool today. Drop an emoji or suggest a caption for this forest scene⬇️
Species: Battus Philenor
The pipevine or blue swallowtail butterfly is black with iridescent-blue hindwings. They are found in many different habitats, but are most commonly found in forests. What's your favorite pollinator?
Here's the view from Overlook 1
12/17/18 - Video from Overlook 1 at 3:30p.m.
USPP flyover at Overlook 1 today
Experience flood stage at Great Falls Park! Cresting today at 10.85 ft (Little Falls gauge). We'll see you soon!
This featured clip shows how a combination of bad ideas can quickly turn deadly, but also how being prepared, safely equipped, and possessing the proper training can turn those situations around for the better.
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S/O to our friendly neighborhood kayakers @jameswaldron_ and @kayak.anand who undoubtedly saved a couple lives over the Independence Day holiday. Check out @kayak.anand for the original post.
It was bird day at Great Falls Park today 😄
Over the next two weeks, Seniors from Stone Bridge High School are volunteering for their senior capstone at Great Falls Park, VA. We are grateful for their assistance with river safety outreach, and you can check them out next week, too! *Disclaimer: Kayaking at Great Falls is expert skill level.
View of the Falls this afternoon.
Yesterday's Bird Day x Scout Day activities were a hit. There are still a few more Year of the Bird activities to come this summer, so look for updates on this feed or give a call to the Visitor Center 703-757-3101.
It was a beautiful Thursday morning on Patowmack Canal Trail! The forecast looks similar tomorrow, so stop by for your 3-day vehicle pass which will last through the weekend for only $10. Annual passes are $30 and are also valid at Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park on the Maryland side of the falls!
