James River Water Gap Near Big Island, Bedford County, ole Virginny, 2014.This was a most important

James River Water Gap Near Big Island, Bedford County, ole Virginny, 2014.This was a most important place for early American transportation, a low gap through the otherwise almost continuous Blue Ridge (mostly 700-900 m in elevation but only about 100 m through the gap) allowing access into the interior of North America. Originally used for overland travel, in the early 19th century the James River and Kanawha Canal along the river allowed canal boat access another 50 or so km upstream on the James River to Buchanan. The Canal, said to have been surveyed and planned by George Washington, was intended to punch across the remainder of the Appalachians to  join the Kanawaha River in what is now West Virginia and allow access into the Ohio and Mississippi River system. It was never completed as the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad allowed faster and more reliable access into the interior. -- source link

More pics about