History
Lock No. 1 on the Big Sandy River, located at Catlettsburg, zero miles upstream from the Ohio River, was opened on November 17, 1904. [4] Featuring a dam length of 300 feet, it was designed to provide a 21-foot lift with a lock that measured 160 feet in length and 55 feet in width. [1][2] It was noted for being the highest needle dam in the world. [3]
However, the completion of Lock No. 29 on the Ohio River in Ashland, which maintained the navigation pool at a height of 498.5 feet above mean sea level, subsequently reduced the lift at Big Sandy’s Lock No. 1 to 13.5 feet.
As of 1947, operational hours at Lock No. 1 were set from 8 AM to 4:30 PM daily. [5] After no commercial traffic used the lock in 1951, locking operations were discontinued on June 30, 1952. [7] The Ashland Oil & Refining Company made an offer to operate the facilities. [6]
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Sources & Citations
References for this location, in MLA format.
Show all 7 sources
- “Big Sandy River navigation.” Ohio River Blog, 27 Aug. 2016. ↗
- “Big Sandy River.” American Canal Society Canal Index, “Big Sandy River.” American Canal Society Canal Index, ↗
- “Highest Needle Dam in the world, Lock No. 1. Big Sandy River, Catlettsburg, KY.” Kentucky Historical Society, Big Sandy River, Catlettsburg, KY.” Kentucky Historical Society, ↗
- “Suggestion.” Messenger-Inquirer, 17 Nov. 1904, p. 1.
- “Navigation Is Scheduled For River Lock System.” Cincinnati Enquirer, 18 Sept. 1947, p. 14.
- “Ashland Oil Offers To Operate Lock, Dam.” Courier-Journal, 12 Jun. 1952, p. 11.
- “U. S. To Halt Operation of Big Sandy Dam No. 1.” Courier-Journal, 28 Feb. 1952, p. 4.
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