It’s America’s 250th anniversary and the Preble County Local History and Genealogy Room is celebrating all year long by offering special programs tied to the themes as designated by the America 250-Ohio Commission.

The theme for April is Ohio Moves: Transportation. Join special guest speaker, Ohio University professor and historian Tom O’Grady, as he delivers a fascinating presentation on the history of Ohio’s canals.

Although often forgotten today as more modern forms of transportation are used, Ohio was once a leader during the canal age. Beginning in 1825, Ohio began constructing its canal system that eventually included nearly a thousand miles of channel and towpaths laced with stone locks and culverts, aqueducts, feeder lakes and slack water ponds. Learn how these canals opened up Ohio to world commerce allowing the export of surplus grains and manufactured goods and the import of items made in New York, London and even Paris making Ohio a major player on the world stage.