Plan Laid Out to Continue the Legacy of Whitewater Canal Historic Site

The Ben Franklin III canal boat fell apart last Monday.

The Ben Franklin III. Photo by the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites.

(Metamora, Ind.) – Members of the Metamora community might be wondering what the future holds for the Ben Franklin III and the Whitewater Canal Historic Site.

The Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites operates the Whitewater Canal Historic Site, which was created in 1946. 

On April 11, the Ben Franklin III canal boat was removed from the Whitewater Canal for its five-year inspection. During the transportation to the administration parking lot, the front end of the boat cracked and broke off.

The canal boat has been in operation since 1989, giving visitors to Metamora a feel for canal life. However, the boat has been out of operations since the end of the 2019 season.

Cathy Ferree, president and CEO of the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, says four components have been identified for a major capital investment project to revive and continue the legacy of the Whitewater Canal Historic Site.

Those four components are repairs to the aqueduct, the waterwheel, the two locks and to acquire a new boat.

The current estimated cost is $6.6 million for the aqueduct, the waterwheel, and locks, and an additional $1 million for a new boat.

The cost breakdown is as follows:

• The Duck Creek Aqueduct, a National Historic Landmark and the only historic covered aqueduct of its kind still in existence, will cost $4 million for repairs and reinforcements to help prevent damage in case of severe flooding on Duck Creek.
• Lock 24 – located by the horse barn – will cost $1.4 million to repair. This lock is essential to keeping water in the canal, and it is also the place where a boat would be drydocked. Due to the pressure from the surrounding earth, the canal wall must be removed, reinforced and reconstructed. In addition, the lock doors are inoperable and need to be replaced.
• Lock 25 – located by the mill – will cost $1.2 million to repair. In addition to the current work to replace the waterwheel, the site needs wall repairs, stone masonry work and repairs to the stone steps, wood steps and guardrails.
• Waterwheel – will cost $250,000 to build and install.

The next step in the process is to work with civil engineers and other agencies to determine a long-term, sustainable strategy.

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