Historic Canals & Waterways of South Carolina

Between the 1790s and the coming of the railroads in the 1830s, South Carolina was one of the country's leaders in waterborne transport, constructing more than 2000 miles of canals and waterways linking the port of Charleston's with the state's hinterlands. An expert on historic architecture and engineering, Kapsch describes how topography and the need to get cotton to market made South Carolina an avid participant in the nation's canal boom, spending more money per capita on internal improvements than any other state in the Union. The book pays special attention to the construction of the Santee Canal, the longest and most complex canal to be built in South Carolina. Generously illustrated with maps, contemporary illustrations, and modern photographs, this book will appeal to readers interested in transportation history and in the early history of South Carolina. Annotation c2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)