Farmington Canal
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Farmington Canal-New Haven and Northampton Canal
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| Location | New Haven, Connecticut to Northampton, Massachusetts |
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| Coordinates |
42°00′35″N 72°46′04″W / 42.0098°N 72.7679°W (MA border) 41°19′N 72°55′W / 41.31°N 72.91°W (New Haven outlet) |
| Area | 247.6 acres (100.2 ha) |
| Built | 1829 |
| Architect | Hurd, Davis; Farnam, Henry |
| NRHP Reference # | 85002664 |
| Added to NRHP | September 12, 1985 |
42°00′35″N 72°46′04″W / 42.0098°N 72.7679°W (MA border)
The Farmington Canal, also known as the New Haven and Northampton Canal, was a major private canal built in the early 19th century to provide water transportation from New Haven into the interior of Connecticut, Massachusetts and beyond. Its Massachusetts segment was known as the Hampshire and Hampden Canal. With the advent of railroads, it was quickly converted to a railroad in the mid-19th century and in recent years has been converted to a multi-use trail (a rails-to-trails project) after being abandoned for years.
The entire length of the canal right of way in Connecticut (covering 25 segments and a total area of 247.6 acres) from Suffield to New Haven was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985 under the name "Farmington Canal-New Haven and Northampton Canal". The 1984 NRHP nomination document provides a detailed history, and describes 45 separate bridges, aqueducts, weirs and other surviving features.
The Farmington Canal Lock in Cheshire, Connecticut, and the Farmington Canal Lock No. 13 in Hamden, Connecticut were listed separately on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1973 and 1982, respectively. Those are locks 12 and 13 out of 28 original locks on the canal.
Ground was broken for the canal in 1825 and by 1828 the canal was open from New Haven to Farmington. By 1835 the complete route to Northampton was finished and operating. The canal, however, was never successful financially. Competition with railroads threatened the canal. The New Haven and Northampton Company was built along the canal's right of way in 1848. Joseph Earl Sheffield was involved with the financing of both the canal and railroad. This railroad merged with the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad in 1887. Portions of the railway were in use up until the 1980s. A two-mile section from the Main/Whiting Street intersection in Plainville to Townline Road sees limited use.
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