Boating on the James River & Kanawha Canal

Exhibit Curated by Cathy Dalton
Digitized by Noelle Beverly, Cathy Dalton, and Laura Crowe

First Boats on the James  

The first boats on the James River were dugout canoes used by the Monacans and early settlers. Canoes may still be seen on the James. Lynchburg’s existence is due to its location at a ferry crossing. As European settlers moved westward, roads were built that made travel somewhat quicker than paddling up river, but where the James flowed from the mountains into the foothills, travel became more difficult and crossing the river became necessary. John Lynch built a ferry to make a crossing more reliable than the horse ford, which was only traversable during dry weather. Eventually he built a covered bridge for travelers to cross.  

As Lynch’s town grew and more people settled in the area, freight and crops needed to be transported back and forth to Richmond. Previously, hogsheads of tobacco would be pulled by mules along a “rolling road.” A more reliable and profitable way to get to market was needed.

The batteau was a new style of riverboat used to transport great loads of tobacco, lumber and crops to the market in Richmond. According to Michael P. Rucker in High Water on the James: 

“The first batteau was launched in 1775 by brothers Anthony and Benjamin Rucker of Amherst County, Virginia, an event witnessed by their friend and neighbor, Thomas Jefferson, of nearby Poplar Forest. Mr. Jefferson’s account reads: ‘Rucker’s battoe [sic] is 50 f. long, 4 f. wide in the bottom & 6 f. wide at the top. She carries 11 hhds. [hogsheads of tobacco] & draws 13 1/2 [inches] water.’ ”  

The Packet Boat Marshall

Known as the finest packet boat to travel the James River & Kanawha Canal, the Marshall carried the body of Stonewall Jackson from Lynchburg to Lexington, his final resting place, in 1863. Jackson succumbed to friendly fire wounds received at Chancellorsville. During the time of the Civil War, and for some time following, the citizens of Lynchburg revered the memory of Stonewall Jackson, as well as the Marshall, through its association with him. Over the years, many artifacts regarding the Marshall were donated to the Lynchburg Museum, allowing us to have a fuller understanding of packet boats on the James River & Kanawha Canal.

Marshall Packet Boat Model constructed by William C. Sowers, Jr.
87.1.1, Gift of Mrs. William C. Sowers, Jr.

Packet Boat Models constructed by Theodore Haxall (1892-1990): 2021.40.15, 2021.40.9, 2021.40.5, 2021.40.3
Transfer from the Valentine Museum, Richmond, Va.

The “Old” Canal

By the time the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was built through to the Ohio River in 1873, the Kanawha Canal had sustained overwhelmingly costly damage from the Civil War and flooding. As a result, the railways took on the role of freight transport, and the. The once vital canal closed to traffic in 1877. Remnants of the Kanawha Canal can still be seen at the bottom of Ninth Street near Amazement Square and the Depot Grille.

The Vital James

Today improved highways and railways have supplanted the need for freight to be transported by water, but the James River still draws people to its banks, nevertheless, the annual Batteau Festival reenacts the original 8-day boat trip from Lynchburg to Richmond each June. In more recent years, people have moved into renovated factories and warehouses to be close to the river and restaurants have opened on top of high buildings and sites to get a river view. Throughout its history, Lynchburg has never lost its connection to the James River. It remains a vital and constant resource for our vibrant city.