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Great Falls Park
History & Culture
 

A trading place. A place to fish. A canal and town. An amusement park. A place to discover nature. During the past ten thousand years, the Great Falls of the Potomac has been the location of all of these, and more. From trading to recreation, people have been drawn here for thousands of years.

The reasons why people come to Great Falls, both in the past and in the present, are as varied as the people themselves. On these pages, discover the history and the stories of this unique place.

Patowmack canal
Patowmack Canal
Discover one of America's first canals
more...
Ice in the Potomac and Falls  

Did You Know?
Water temperatures in the Potomac can drop to freezing and ice will form along the banks. However, the water is moving too quickly through the Great Falls to completely freeze over.

Last Updated: June 12, 2007 at 11:27 EST