Ohio River Lock No. 22 is a closed and mostly demolished lock and dam along the Ohio River near Ravenswood, West Virginia.
Ohio River Lock No. 22 is a closed and mostly demolished lock and dam along the Ohio River near Ravenswood, West Virginia.
Ohio River Lock No. 22, located at mile 220.9, was completed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers in 1918. 2 The completed structure included a lock measuring 600 feet long by 110 feet wide. 4
The Racine Lock and Dam, located at mile 237.5, was constructed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers at a cost of $64.9 million. 1 Work on the project began in May 1964, followed by the construction of the locks in April 1965. The locks were placed into operation on December 16, 1967. Construction of the dam itself began in August 1967, and the pool was raised to its full height on August 24, 1971.
The completed structure, replacing Dams Nos. 21, 22, and 23, measured 1,173 feet in length and included eight tainter gates and two locks: a primary lock for commercial barge traffic measuring 1,200 feet long by 110 feet wide and an auxiliary lock measuring 600 feet long by 110 feet wide. 1 American Electric Power later added a hydroelectric power plant in 1983, producing 24 megawatts of electricity.
Lock No. 22 was decommissioned in 1969, and the lock and chamber were demolished. 3 The powerhouse and lockmaster’s house were left intact, and the property was transferred to the city of Ravenswood for use as a public park. The house was used as a city rental property from 1970 to 1999.
Details
- State: Ohio, West Virginia
- Route: Ohio River
- Status: Abandoned or Closed
- Type: Lock
Sources
- “Racine Locks and Dam.” U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
- “Canalization Continued, and Completed.” Ohio River Navigation. 1979, p. 28.
- Ramsey, Katrena. “Ravenswood Locks & Dam #22 Lockmaster’s House.” West Virginia State Historic Preservation Office, 5 Sept. 2022.
- “Chart No. 62.” U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1929.