Landsford Canal State Park

Amazing pre-Civil War ruins alongside a shallow, rocky river that hosts beautiful (but endangered) lilies.

Category Watery Wonders, Extraordinary Flora, Retro-Tech, Incredible Ruins

Watery Wonders http://atlasobscura.com/category/natural-wonders/watery-wonders Extraordinary Flora http://atlasobscura.com/category/natural-wonders/extraordinary-flora Retro-Tech http://atlasobscura.com/category/inspired-inventions/retro-tech Incredible Ruins http://atlasobscura.com/category/architectural-oddities/incredible-ruins

Landsford Canal was built 1820-1823 to accommodate river traffic around the shallow, rocky drop in the Catawba River.

The ruins of the canal are very well-preserved and intact, including several locks, culverts, bridges, and the lock keeper's house (that has been moved from further downstream into the park itself). The park has described several hiking trails around the ruins that highlight both the stonework and the unusual plants of the area.

A newly created walking trail was designed to assist the crowds of people that visit to see the Rocky Shoals Spider Lilies. These endangered plants hold fast to the rocks in the shallows across the river. Every year, from mid-May to early June, the lilies bloom with huge numbers of beautiful white flowers.

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  • lewis& lewis July 3, 2010
    i used to live in the neighborhood that you would pass through to get to the park. this a great place to get away and learn about some history of Sc and the catwaba river. there is also a cemetary in the area that dates back to the time of the canal. there were rumors of an old church nearby as well but we never found it.