02036 - View of Dutch Gap Canal; James River, Va; April 1865 [LC-DIG-cwpb-02036]
The James River has always been a major shipping channel for Virginia. In 1611, Sir Thomas Dale cut a ditch, using a method he had learned in Holland, to help shorten the distance of the river which naturally has many switchback turns resulting in extra miles of travel between two points. This “gap” in the river became known as “Dale’s Dutch Gap” due to its legacy with both Holland and Sir Dale.
By the time of the Civil War it was simply known as the “Dutch Gap”. Located near Drewry’s Bluff which had become heavily defended by the Confederates, it was unusable for Union shipping. As a solution, the Union Army decided to build a canal that would not only bypass the fortifications, but allow the Union Navy to bring gunboats to that part of the river.
Began in late 1864, it was too late to make an impact in the war. By the time it was completed in April of 1865, the war was over and the canal served no military purpose. Today, however, the canal remains and has become the main shipping channel of the James River, still saving countless miles each year.
![02036 - View of Dutch Gap Canal; James River, Va; April 1865 [LC-DIG-cwpb-02036]](/img/s/v-10/p1466028508-3.jpg)