Roanoke Canal Museum Preserves History
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The Roanoke Rapids Canal is nearly 200 years old, and a local museum showcases much of its history.
The Roanoke Canal Museum & Trail has hundreds of artifacts related to the historic landmark. A walking trail also follows the canal’s original towpath for 7.5 miles between Roanoke Lake and Weldon.
The canal opened in the 1820s to open trade and transportation to the western frontier. However, the emergence of railroads eventually forced its closure in 1880, but investors developed it into a source of waterpower to generate electricity.
In 1976, the remnants of the canal were listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
