10 Comments
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Stephen Baskerville's avatar

Nice piece, Tom. I have spent many hours walking and bicycling along the towpath and the surrounding woods, especially around Great Falls, Carderock, and Georgetown, including many excursions there with my daughters, often in the autumn. But I did not know that history. Many thanks.

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Lea's avatar

Great to remember these men and their history.

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DC's avatar

Thanks, Tom. I've hiked along the C&O Canal many times over the years. I recall seeing the canal locks, lined with massive cut stones, and thinking about the sweat behind the construction. And I noticed the beautiful towpath along the canal. I don't believe the terrain was so level when the canal was built; and men carved that path out of the wilderness.

How about another one showing the train line running by Harpers Ferry, and the abutments supporting the bridge, and the Harpers Ferry Tunnel? A lot of men carved that line out of rock.

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Tom Golden's avatar

Great idea to do it at Harper’s ferry. Want to do it with me?

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DC's avatar

That would be great, Tom! Thanks for suggesting it. I'll follow up by email.

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Peter1's avatar

I'm 75 and even in my lifetime male disposability was part of life. At 18 I was sent 3500 ft into an underground mine with no safety training whatsoever. Me and two other youths were nearly killed. We don't want to be bothered about men dying unless it is a relative. It is easier to refer to them as "people". Women and children are not referred to as just people.

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Tom Golden's avatar

Would be great to hear that story. Glad you survived.

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Raymond Cuttill's avatar

I watch travelogues from all over the world. Usually around train journeys. Just about every bridge or tunnel they say “so many men died building this”. True for canals too.

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Derpetology101's avatar

A new device fixed my sound issues. I can now enjoy your dulcet tones again.

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Tom Golden's avatar

Excellent!

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