Goshen Millrace Canal, Indiana

Day 1325

     The Goshen Hydraulic Canal (The Millrace) was put into service on April 18, 1868, the same day Goshen, Indiana was incorporated as a city.  It was designed to provide water power to the new industries in the area and was progressively used for steam generation, electrical generation, ice production, recreation and much more.

     A Millrace is a body of water used to turn a water wheel.

     We hiked the canal.

     Along the banks you can hear the croaking of frogs. Once in a while, they would greet us on the trail.

     You never knew what is going to pop up out of the canal, a snake,

 a turtle,

     Wildflowers were abundant.

     When you came to a widening of the canal, ducks and geese would gather.

     We came across this family

     At the beginning of the trail, you could take the path we took along the canal, or another path that took you through the woods. Both were about the same length, 5 miles round trip. This made this sign very amusing. At this point the trials crossed. To take this picture I am standing on the woods trial. The cross traffic that does not stop is us. (As you can see, Barbara did stop.)

     Various bridges crossed the canal

     One of the oldest and unique was this stone bridge. Originally built of wood in the 1880’s by the Hawks Furniture Company, it was rebuilt of stone in 1905 when the wooden bridge was destroyed. Its purpose was to carry people and goods between the company’s two building on either side of the canal.

     We had to pause as Barbara herded a gaggle of geese across the trail.

     Is this the source of the canal?