Big Sandy River Lock No. 3

Lock No. 3 on the Big Sandy River, located at Fort Gay, 26.2 miles upstream from the Ohio River, was completed in 1897. ¹ It featured a 270-foot-long dam and was engineered to provide a 10.6-foot lift. The lock itself measured 158 feet in length and 52 feet in width.

Construction on this lock began in 1883 under the direction of Engineer B.F. Thomas. ² The project faced several delays and cost overruns. In 1891, a significant alteration was made to the original plan, switching from a fixed dam to a moveable needle dam at Fort Gay, a first of its kind in the United States.

The total expenditure for Lock No. 3 reached $750,000 by its completion in 1897. ² This achievement drew attention, including visits from engineers from Mississippi and Hungary and the Congressional River & Harbor Committee.

In 1902, the federal government approved a project to raise the height of the Fort Gay lock. ² Despite this upgrade, transportation through the lock decreased significantly, from 300,000 tons to 194,000 tons.

The lock’s operations were reduced in 1920 due to ongoing repairs. ² By 1922, traffic through the lock had dwindled with a minimal amount of coal and oil sent through. Locking operations were discontinued in 1947. ^{1 3}