Translate

Friday, June 12, 2009

Photohunters: Lock

The photohunters theme this week is Lock. I thought I would post about the Battery Creek Lock which I visited at the James River Park off the Blue Ridge Parkway in Bedford County Virginia a few years ago. I posted about this lock in 2007 but it seemed like such an obvious choice for the theme that I'm doing another post about it.
This lock which was used in the mid to late 1800s was restored in the 1960s. You can enlarge the photographs of the signs to make it easier to read, by clicking inside them.
I liked the fact that there were a lot of children stopping to read these signs when we were at the park. I think it's a very educational set up.
The Battery Creek Lock is part of the "James River and Kanawha system that was the main artery of trade between Richmond and the western valleys" in the nineteenth century, according to the Bedford, VA tourist site.
The photograph above is of the James River and I took this shot standing fairly close to the lock. "The James River flows through the mountains at this location creating a water gap in the Blue Ridge. . . . Historically water gaps like this provided a gateway for westward expansion."
I took the information about water gaps from a sign at the park. They do a good job of giving the visitors a lot of information both about the lock and the water gap.


Another interesting tid bit on the sign is that "over time the river has cut more deeply into the mountains, exposing geologic formations more than 500 million years old."
For other photohunters take on the theme, please visit the home of the Photohunt.

47 comments:

Napaboaniya.Elaine Ling said...

A place with the word Lock in it :)
Reminds me of the Sirname, Lockhart too!

keeyit said...

Informative post for me. Now only I know this kind of lock. Thanks.

Daryl said...

This is not just easy on the eyes, such pretty scenery but its fascinating and educational ... I like learning

Unknown said...

wow - great history, i love your photos for this theme!

Sue said...

Great choice for this week's theme! We both went with historical locations :) Happy photo hunting!

Randi said...

Very interesting and informative post.
Love your photos!

Liz Hinds said...

Locks are clever devices. Interesting post, carver.

MaR said...

Wonderful choice for the theme, Carver. I love the peaceful shot of the James River...beautiful!
My PH

annalarssonphotography said...

Learing post! And great photos for this theme Carver!

Have a great weekend :)
Anna

Annie said...

Very interesting post and your photos are wonderful. I'd never heard of this place, very cool.

Hope you have a nice weekend!

Pat said...

Great shots and thanks for the history of it all. I posted the same kind of lock, as we have several here in the canals of Paris.

Happy Weekend.

jams o donnell said...

Nice shots Carver. That scenery is a delight to behold!

jmb said...

Very interesting post Carver. I thought of that kind of lock, but none near hear nor any in my archives.

Happy weekend to you.

candi said...

Great post! Nice shots and very informative.

Colin Campbell said...

Lovely series of photographs.

Leslie said...

That's a really good one for this week! :)

http://lesliesmyers.blogspot.com/2009/06/photohunt-lock-up-cat-food.html

Leslie said...

That's a really good one for this week! :)

http://lesliesmyers.blogspot.com/2009/06/photohunt-lock-up-cat-food.html

eastcoastlife said...

This is a unique take on the theme. I love the River James.
This place has lots of interesting information and history.

YTSL said...

When I think of locks, I tend to have visions of industrial England. Nice to see a lock in the American countryside! :)

gengen said...

Very interesting entries...happy weekend. Mine is ready too.

marcia@joyismygoal said...

I love this it reminds me of all the fieldtrips I have been on as a child to the Erie CAnal

LifeRamblings said...

great perspective for the theme. i love the river, very well captured.

happy weekend.

JC said...

I learned something new today, thanks to you! Great shots, too :-)

Upcountrysmiles said...

Aloha Carver,
Very interesting! Thank you for sharing.
Happy PH!

Cindy O
Please stop by & visit
http://upcountrysmiles.com

CRIZ LAI said...

Very interesting sharing. Love all the facts.

http://crizcats.blogspot.com/

bing said...

this is very informative. thanks for sharing..

Tara R. said...

A wonderful take on the theme, and a great set of photos. The scenery is gorgeous. Thanks for including the backstory on the Lock.

Anonymous said...

Canals were once the arterial 'roads' of Britain and even now are very familiar. I always wanted to live on a barge and travel the waterways.
Your post is very interesting and those signs are excellent.

rdl said...

very interesting!

Teena in Toronto said...

I never thought of that kind of lock. Good one!

I played too :)

Unknown said...

great take on the theme. beautiful place!

marta said...

Great job of documenting the site. I also went with a canal lock but a bit newer. I think they are very fascinating and a great part of US history.

NitWit1 said...

Oh I loved the historical setting of your post. There have been several canal and river locks today.

My post:
http://cowardscorner-nitwit1.blogspot.com

bonggamom said...

I love your take on the theme! There are quite a few canal locks near my in-laws place, in Devizes, England, and my kids had fun helping to swing the huge locks open and closed.

Dragonstar said...

Locks are such clever things, and you've made a fascinating post. Thank you.

srp said...

My daughter Nyssa did some geology work out in western Virginia when she was at William and Mary. It is a great area for this. Wonderful post!
Mine is up here.

Unknown said...

That's superb information and nice photos. Apparently, there are loads of kinds of locks.

Visit the Pinopolis Lock here: http://blondesherry.blogspot.com/2009/06/photohunt-lock.html

Sherry at EX Marks the Spot

lissa said...

definitely a different take for photohunt, certainly unique

RJ Flamingo said...

Cool! I see I had to wait till tonight to see posts on this type of lock... :-) Great shots, Carver!

girasoli said...

Interesting post. I have been to the Ballard Locks in Seattle and still don't understand how they work. I think it is a spatial thing.

Cezar and Léia said...

Wow very informative and interesting post!
Well done Carver and many thanks for sharing!
Fabulous post indeed!
Léia

MyMaracas said...

A unique take on the theme! I feel so literal-minded now. LOL

I grew up in a house on the banks of the Kanawha, so this is especially enjoyable for me. Thanks for the great post!

Vicki

dixymiss said...

Wonderful pictoral history lesson, Carver. Beautifully done!

Marites said...

quite informative and the James River pic you took is reallyl beautiful. my PH entry for lock is up too.

SabineM said...

oh wow, i didn't know you had locks where are you. VERY COOL!

Ayie said...

whoah, a different lock for the photohunt. nice one!

Heart of Rachel said...

This is a great post. Thanks for sharing about this interesting place.