Windsor Locks Canal

In 1824, a group of prominent Hartford businessmen formed the Connecticut River Company to construct a canal that would bypass the treacherous rapids of Enfield Falls and extend navigation along the Connecticut River. Soon boats were a frequent sight in the village of Windsor Locks, named after the locks of the canal that ran alongside Main Street. Mills also sprang up in the area, utilizing the canals water to power their manufacturing operations. Today the canal has taken on a more historical, ecological, and recreational significance. Home to diverse plant and animal species, it is an excellent place to enjoy sweeping views of the Connecticut River and to see the factories that played a big part in the regions history.

Maria Giannuzzi has compiled Windsor Locks Canal not only to document the canal's role in the economic, technological, and cultural history of the Connecticut River Valley, but also to recognize the ecological and recreational promise it has in the 21st century. She is a member of the Connecticut Historical Society, the Windsor Locks Historical Society, and the Windsor Locks Preservation Association.