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Ben Franklin III Canal Boat Falls Apart

Thursday, April 14, 2022 at 11:04 AM

By Travis Thayer @TheTravisThayer

The boat was removed from the canal in Metamora on Monday for its annual five-year inspection.

Ben Franklin III Canal Boat. File photo.

(Metamora, Ind.) - A staple of Metamora has fallen apart.

This week, the Ben Franklin III Canal Boat was removed from the Whitewater Canal in Metamora for its five-year inspection. During the transportation to the administration parking lot, the front end of the boat cracked and broke off.

The vessel is 75’ long with a width of 12 and is constructed of wood and fiberglass.

The Ben Franklin III began operating in October 1989, replacing the second Ben Franklin which the State of Indiana used beginning in 1980 to give visitors to Metamora a feel for canal life.

The original Ben Franklin dates back to the 1840's.

The Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites are working with its board of directors and the state to devise a plan for the future of the boat.

The Ben Franklin III Canal Boat has been out of operations since the end of the 2019 season.

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