Lock 1 North, located in the downtown city park of New Bremen, holds back the uppermost level of water at the north end of the 21-mile plateau of the Miami and Erie Canal. This plateau is called "Loramie Summit."
Remnants of the base of the original 1845 New Bremen wooden lock were recently located sixteen feet down below the top of the 1910 concrete replacement lock 1 N. In 1934-1935, the canal from Fort Loramie to Lock 2N was dredged and two dams constructed.
The canal greatly expanded markets New Bremen become a center hub for grain storage and transportation . The area also became a major pork producer slaughtering up to 10,000 hogs per year which were shipped by canal boat.**
Pictured is the oldest bow string girder bridge in Ohio, located just south of Lock 1 N. * The towpath trail at the south end of the park is made of crushed stone and extends to Minster, Ohio.
A functional Lock 1N will be coming to life again. A grant has been obtained for this reconstruction.
* Source: http://www.newbremenhistory.org/NBCentennialSchrage.htm
** Source: http://www.meccainc.org/news/v8n3.pdf