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Canal Reminiscences / Recollections of Travel in the Old Days on the James River & Kanawha Canal cover

Canal Reminiscences / Recollections of Travel in the Old Days on the James River & Kanawha Canal

By George William Bagby
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History - AmericanTravel Writing

About This Book

The author offers nostalgic vignettes of 19th-century inland travel in Virginia, describing slow canal packet and batteau journeys, the skills and daily life of boatmen, stagecoach rides, and bustling packet landings. Observations mix practical detail—cargoes, cooking, poles and oars, river hazards—with social commentary on merchants, townspeople, and economic anxieties, often delivered with wry humor. Sketches recall landscapes, inns, and local characters while reflecting on technological change and the canal's decline, juxtaposing past leisure and abundance with contemporary worries about commerce and progress.

About the Author

Bagby, George William portrait

George William Bagby

George William Bagby was an American author known for his vivid recollections of travel along the James River and Kanawha Canal. His notable work, "Canal Reminiscences / Recollections of Travel in the Old Days on the James River & Kanawha Canal," offers readers a glimpse into the historical and cultural significance of this waterway during its heyday. Through his engaging narrative style, Bagby captures the essence of 19th-century travel and the experiences of those who navigated these canals, contributing to the literary heritage of American regional literature.

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