Originally, the Central Canal was to run from the Wabash & Erie Canal near Peru (Miami Co.) south through the State Capitol of Indianapolis and intersect with the Cross-Cut Canal at Point Commerce (Greene Co.) after which, the canal would proceed to its southern terminus in Evansville (Vanderburgh Co.). The canal was broken up into three geographical divisions and construction began on the Central and Southern Divisions simultaneously.
After four (4) years of construction 20 miles of the lower Southern Division of the Central Canal was completed from the canal terminus in Evansville into central Warrick County near modern Seven Hills Road in 1836. Heavy works were started along the path of the canal in counties north of its northern terminus but with the financial crisis of 1838/39 all work stopped, and the canal sat incomplete for the next 10-11 years. By the early 1840s the Central Canal idea was abandoned, and the Southern Division was renamed the Ohio Canal and continued to operate by that name until 1849. In 1849 The Wabash & Erie Canal Company had decided to extend the WEC south from Terre Haute to Evansville. The route would cross the summit in Clay Co. via the Cross-Cut Canal before descending into Point Commerce (Greene Co.) at which time the canal would follow along the original Southern Division route. By the summer of 1853, construction on the Southern Division of the Central Canal was completed but it had been renamed once again, along with the Cross-Cut Canal, to be part of the 468-mile-long Wabash & Erie Canal.
Counties of the Central Canal – Southern Division
Tour Guides
CSI Articles about the Southern Division of the Central Canal
(2017 – Present)
The Tumble is the Canal Society of Indiana’s (CSI) current publication. The Tumble was the first publication of CSI to be completely internet based starting in 2017.
Volume X (2026)
Volume IX (2025)
Volume VIII (2024)
Volume VII (2023)
Volume VI (2022)
Volume V (2021)
Volume IV (2020)
Volume III (2019)
Volume II (2018)
Volume I (2017)
(2002-2016)
The Hoosier Packet was the official Canal Society of Indiana’s publication from 2002 through 2016.
(1986-2002)
The Newsletter began being published in 1986 and was a companion publication of the Canal Society of Indiana’s (CSI) that ran concurrent with Indiana Canals publication. The Newsletter was initially printed with information about CSI. In the mid 990s Newsletter took on a new format and absorbed Indiana Canals into this one publication which became the primary publication of the Canal Society of Indiana until 2002.
(1989 – 2002)
Indiana Canals began being published in 1986 and was a companion publication of the Canal Society of Indiana’s (CSI) that ran concurrent with Newsletter publication. Indiana Canals was initially printed with information about the how the canals function, mechanical features of old and what was still remaining. In the mid 990s Indiana Canals publication was absorbed into the Newsletter which became the prime publication of the Canal Society of Indiana.
Volume V (1993/94)
- Canal Excitement
- The Evansville Guards in the Clay County Reservoir War
- Blue Hole – Eel River Summit Deep Cut (Photograph)
- Splunge Creek Flood Control Structure (Photograph)