Industry

The C. & O. Canal relied on thousands of transient laborers to build locks, culverts, and canals through difficult terrain. Contractors, often inexperienced and underfunded, frequently abandoned work, leaving laborers unpaid and vulnerable. Workers faced nonpayment of wages, scrip currency, and deductions for board, tools, or lost days. Despite exploitation, harsh conditions, and financial instability, these transient laborers became the backbone of canal construction, navigating a system marked by contractor failures, unpredictable pay, and the relentless push to complete one of America’s largest public works projects.