Rock Ford will welcome guest speakers Donald Kautz and Benton G. Webber as they present “Conestoga Navigation: A Slackwater Canal” on Thursday, April 11 at 4:30 pm. Their presentation will be an overview of this slackwater canal system that existed on the Conestoga River from Lancaster to the Susquehanna River during the early 19th Century. This presentation will include a brief history of the Conestoga Navigation Company and photographs of the remnants of the locks as they appear today. Reigart’s Landing, a central component of the Conestoga Navigation System, was located at the site of the present-day location of the Chesapeake Street bridge entrance to Lancaster County Central Park – only a short distance from Rock Ford.

Donald Kautz is a web developer by profession and an amateur photographer. Kautz recently produced a photo essay of the Conestoga River. Benton G. Webber is a municipal engineer for Lancaster Township. Webber received his engineering degree from Lehigh University and has been active in the local engineering profession for more than 30 years.

This presentation is free and open to the public. It will be held in the Rock Ford Barn.