Canal Lock Gate Pivots
Working at the museum is always a learning experience and we recently had a very fortunate learning experience. As we were sorting through artifacts to display, we found an old iron piece that appeared to be a piece of junk. Fortunately, our newest Trustee, Steve Dorsten, identified the piece as a part of a canal gate. The part looks something like a very large square nut with a bolt shaft in the middle. As it turns out, this is the bottom pivot of a lock gate. Further research has led to the identification of more parts and pieces of canal lock gates in our possession.
Over the years, people have donated artifacts of which the identity or use isn’t quite clear. Maybe just a bit of information is supplied by the donor, written down and then shared with other trustees and knowledgeable persons. Sometimes the item is fully identified and put in a display and then there are times when further research is needed. What a delight it is to identify a piece of Delphos history!
Since the price of metal has gone up so has the loss of what might be priceless pieces of history. As you are going through possessions you have acquired from family or friends, always get as much information as possible so as not to discard an item of importance to your family or town history. If you have no interest in the history, find a person or museum that would truly appreciate these items and pass them on with any pertinent information for posterity.
The Delphos Canal Museum appreciates any and all artifacts relating to the canal, town history and, of course, the townspeople who make up our unique story.
Printed in the Delphos Herald, February 9, 2013
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