▁to ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁Ocean . ▁Ro cks , ▁down ed ▁trees , ▁and ▁flo od ▁de br is ▁were ▁constant ▁ha z ards , ▁so ▁their ▁removal ▁became ▁expensive ▁on going ▁maintenance . ▁Lyn ch burg ▁became ▁a ▁to b acco ▁trad ing , ▁then ▁commercial , ▁and ▁much ▁later ▁an ▁industrial ▁center . ▁ ▁Event ually ▁the ▁state ▁built ▁a ▁canal ▁and ▁to w path ▁along ▁the ▁river ▁to ▁make ▁transport ation ▁by ▁the ▁water way ▁easier , ▁and ▁especially ▁to ▁provide ▁a ▁water ▁route ▁around ▁the ▁falls ▁at ▁Richmond , ▁which ▁prevent ed ▁through ▁navigation ▁by ▁boat . ▁By ▁ 1 8 1 2 , ▁U . S . ▁Chief ▁Justice ▁John ▁Marshall , ▁who ▁lived ▁in ▁Richmond , ▁reported ▁on ▁the ▁navigation ▁difficulties ▁and ▁construction ▁problems ▁on ▁the ▁canal ▁and ▁to w path . ▁ ▁The ▁General ▁Assembly ▁recognized ▁the ▁settlement ' s ▁growth ▁by ▁incorpor ating ▁Lyn ch burg ▁as ▁a ▁town ▁in ▁ 1 8 0 5 ; ▁it ▁was ▁not ▁incorpor ated ▁as ▁a ▁city ▁until ▁ 1 8 5 2 . ▁In ▁between , ▁Lyn ch ▁built ▁Lyn ch burg ' s ▁first ▁bridge ▁across ▁the ▁James ▁River , ▁a ▁to ll ▁structure ▁that ▁replaced ▁his ▁fer ry ▁in ▁ 1 8 1 2 . ▁A ▁to ll ▁turn pi ke ▁to ▁S alem , ▁Virginia ▁was ▁begun ▁in ▁ 1 8 1 7 . ▁Lyn ch ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 0 ▁and ▁was ▁buried ▁beside ▁his ▁mother ▁in ▁the ▁gra vey ard ▁of