About Wabash & Erie Canal
Wabash & Erie Canal, Inc.
The Carroll County Wabash & Erie Canal, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation formed in 1972 to preserve the Canal in Delphi as a significant part of Indiana's history. The founding members sought to preserve the only accessible portion of the Wabash & Erie Canal which still had water in it for educational and entertainment purposes for the local community.
The city of Delphi hosts a three-mile section of the Canal—the longest man-made waterway ever built in the United States (1832-1876). A modern Interpretive Center is midway of its 468-mile trek from Toledo, Ohio to Evansville, Indiana.
Canal Center
The west end of the Canal Center features a world class interactive museum with an exciting “kid friendly” presentation of twelve galleries that depict the canal era from the beginning through construction, then operation, and finally its demise. A year after it was completed in 2004, the facility was awarded "the best new volunteer driven museum in the US" by the American Association of State and Local History.
Thus, sixteen years after opening, successful operation efforts continue to be centered on creating even more excitement with renovations to three galleries. Additional exhibits have been added to enhance the visitor's experiences. People from all over the US and from around the world regularly arrive to see the exhibits and camp at our RV Park. The Center is open afternoons all year.
Our replica canal boat, The Delphi, offers cruises on weekends. An engaging 1850s Pioneer Village features craftsmen and events on summer weekends. Ten miles of trails are accessible by foot and bicycle. Thirty interpretive panels dot the towpath and highlight trailside connections with the canal era.
Mission Statement
The Wabash & Erie Canal Association strives to restore and promote the Wabash & Erie Canal by providing educational experiences that will teach history and inspire others to become involved.
Wabash & Erie Canal, Inc. Was Founded By
Robert Bradshaw
Thomas McCain
Phyllis Moore
David Hanna
Dennis McCouch
George Obear
Roseland McCain
Ralph Melin
Elizabeth Peterson
Joseph Peterson
John Temple
Wayne VanSickle
Ed Waymire
Faye Wood
Charter Members at Incorporation
Robert Brookbank
Dale McCurdy
Michael Griffey
Louis Brubaker
Bill Payne
Bill Kirkoff
Ernest L. Goff
Audria Clements
Clarence Kite
Myron Johnson
Hope Coomey
John Klepinger
Don Moore
Alfred Moss
Elsie Myers
Dean Overholser
Larry Welborn
John Peterson
Arthur Weddell
Donald Willy
Jerry Young
Board of Directors
Janet Ayres
Karen Bradshaw
Mac Carlisle
Linda Cooper
Rebecca Crabb
Frances French
Curtis Wayne Garrison
Steve Gray
Bill Lampcheska
Dan McCain
John Polles
Beverly Seese
See the Interactive Map!
Get a closer look at Canal Park with our Interactive Map!