Lock 32

Lock 32 is a historic stone lock beside the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath in Boston. It is a modest stop, best folded into a Towpath walk: the wooden bridge over the chamber gives the clearest view, and the trail continues north or south. To find it, start at Boston Trailhead, 1508 Boston Mills Road, and walk north.

Lock 32 was one of 44 locks on the canal between Lake Erie at Cleveland and the Portage Summit at Akron. The canal connected Lake Erie to the Ohio River at Portsmouth, giving Ohio a route for moving crops and other goods. At each lock, boats had to wait while the water level changed; that pause lasted at least 20 minutes. McBride’s Grocery served canallers right here, and canal traffic helped turn Boston from a frontier hamlet into a busy canal town.

The approach follows the flat, packed-limestone Towpath. Accessible parking is noted at Boston Store Trailhead, but the route up and over the lock includes steps, so don’t assume the lock-top crossing is step-free. The Towpath is a shared route for people walking, running and cycling.