A New Champion for an Old Canal
The Ohio & Erie Canal is an early 19th-century creation built to meet growing transportation needs. The Towpath Trail is a late 20th-century creation, built because visionary individuals saw new uses for the abandoned canal. One of these individuals was Congressman Ralph Regula.
From his farm near the rural canal town Navarre, Regula watched the growth of suburbs and realized that he needed to take action to protect canal resources and the natural landscape. His vision became a green pathway tying together communities along the historic route of the canal.
Regula's vision was realized when Congress enacted his bill creating the Ohio & Erie Canalway in 1996. The legacy of his inspiring commitment will endure through the generations.
"He acts with one question in mind: What do we want this land to be like in 100 years?"
- Akron Beacon Journal, October 12, 1998
The Ohio & Erie Canalway stretches 110 miles from Cleveland to New Philadelphia. Regula's efforts towards its creation span over 30 years. His first success came in 1964 when he orchestrated the transfer of canal lands from the State to Stark County for park use.
Elected to Congress in 1972, Regula teamed with Congressman John Seiberling to introduce the legislation that created Cuyahoga Valley National Park in 1974. Two decades later, he fully achieved his vision with the establishment of the canalway.
Courtesy hmdb.org
