Home on the Canal

This book is without a doubt the most informative and entertaining about the history and life of the canal prior to it becoming a park. I've recently fallen in love with the C & O Canal trail and this book truly has made a profound difference on how I view the trail and its history. The true-life accounts contained therein are priceless and give the reader a real feel of how life on the canal really was.

I am somewhat partial to this book. My grandfather J.P. Mose is in this book and I have Elizabeth Kytle to thank. You will read several accounts of what life was like boating and working on the C & O Canal from those that lived the "Good hard life". One of the greatest parts of this book is reading these accounts and Elizabeth Kytle keeps the wording exactly how these people speak, which makes it that more appealing to the reader. They all have great stories to tell and it leaves you with a new appreciation for generations that have gone before us. She gives you an excellent look into the history of the Canal and brings to life the importance of preserving our heritage.

I am using this book to research my Civil War novel, which takes place, in part, along the Canal. The book has proven quite valuable both for its medium-detail history, and for its first-hand descriptions of the Canal's function, and the lives of Canal families. (The Canal functioned in much the same manner throughout its history, so the first-hand accounts provide a good window to earlier days.) The book is well-written, clearly a labor of love for the Maryland author. It is a good historical source, and a fun read for those planning a visit to the Canal (now a National Historical Park.) There are also some funny, sad and astonishing anecdotes, giving the reader a good "feel" for the lives of the Canal folk. Paul M. Bauer Belmont, MA