James River Visitor Center & Canal Locks

The visitor center is housed in a restored canal boat basin building which was originally built in the mid-19th century. The building now serves as a museum, offering exhibits on the history of the James River and the canal system that was once used for transportation in the area. Visitors can also view a short film about the canal's history. Adjacent to the visitor center is a series of canal locks which were used to raise and lower boats between different levels of the canal. The locks were built in the early 1800s and were an important part of the canal transportation system.