The Middlesex canalThe Middlesex Canal in Massachusetts operated during the first half of the 19th century. The 27 mile barge Canal connected the port of Boston with Lowell at the Merrimack river. The canal helped Boston to expand and bloom during that time. The story reminds how investing in infrastructure is smart. In the slides below which were recorded in 4K resolution, one sees a few pictures from artists like Thomas Dahill, Louis Linscott, Joseph Payro, Edward Lamson Henry or Jahez Ward Barton. The background music is Mendelssohns "Variations sérieuses" op. 54 from 1841. Felix Mendelssohn lived from 1809-1847, within the time of the canal which was in operation 1802 (first boat)- 1851 (last poll). Mendelssohn's sister was married to Gustav Dirichlet (1804-1859), my academic grand9 father. I myself like the mathematics as well as art from the 18 hundreds especially well. Water always attracted artists. Examples are William Turner or other artists. Why does this appear here? I learned quite a bit about the canal from my colleague Robert Winters who curates the canal website. I myself help curate since 19 years Rheinfall.com, a page devoted to water too. I grew up near the Rhein river and was as a kid, teenager and student every often on the Rhein with our boat. In present time, my daily runs often pass along the canal or cross it, especially in Medford, Winchester and Woburn area, but also in Boston, when running through Sommerville or Charlestown. It is fun to make up or run along the locations, where the canal has been and imagine how it would have looked like then. Update January 9, 2018: A new painting of Dahill exhibited near the Mystic lakes.A map, displayed in the book "An incredible Ditch": |