The Washington City Canal operated from 1815 until the mid-1850s in Washington, D.C. The canal connected the Anacostia River, termed the "Eastern Branch" at that time, to Tiber Creek, the Potomac River, and later the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal. The canal became disused during the late 19th century and the city government covered over or filled in various sections in 1871. The canal's Lockkeeper's House, built in 1837 near the present-day intersection of 17th Street and Constitution Avenue NW, was preserved and is now the second oldest building on the National Mall. History Early planning and development During the early years of the United States there was great interest among political leaders in building canals for economic development. Construction of a canal to run across the city of Washington was endorsed by politicians and local businessmen. The plan was to connect the Eastern Branch, which was navigable into Maryland, with the Potomac, which was considered a major route to the West. President George Washington had initiated the Potowmack Company in 1785 to improve navigation on the Potomac. Pierre (Peter) Charles L'Enfant, designing a master plan for the development of the capital city, provided for construction of a canal between the Eastern Branch and Tiber Creek. To raise funds for canal construction, lotteries were conducted during 1796, but these efforts were unsuccessful. There was little additional work done until 1802, when Congress granted a charter for the Washington Canal Company. A small amount of construction was started, but obtaining major financing for the canal continued to be difficult. Congress created a new canal company during 1809 and authorized capitalization of $100,000. A groundbreaking ceremony in southeast Washington, attended by President James Madison and other officials, occurred on May 2, 1810. Construction was delayed by the War of 1812 and resumed in 1815. Canal opening and operation The canal was opened formally during late 1815. The canal route began at the Eastern Branch, near the Washington Navy Yard and proceeded north and northwest. Another planned branch proceeded north and northeast from the estuary of James Creek, which divided Greenleaf Point from Buzzard Point but was only constructed in 1866 and never connected with the existing canal. Past the point at which these two branches were planned to converge, a single canal channel travelled northward towards the Capitol, veered northwestward at the base of Jenkins Hill (Capitol Hill), and then turned again