Lock #4 - Soulanges Canal

The Soulanges Canal, completed in 1899, was built on the northern shore of the St. Lawrence River, linking Lake St. Louis to Lake St. Francis. This canal replaced the old Beauharnois canal, permitting ships to avoid the Cascades, Split Rock, Cedar and Coteau rapids on the northern arm of the St. Lawrence River. The canal was abandoned in 1959 with the opening of the St Lawrence Seaway. With a total length of 23 kilometers, the canal had a total of 5 locks. The 4th lock sits approximately 5 kilometers from the eastern end of the canal. It is a beautiful stone complex consisting of 3 sets of gates, which, when in active use, was 280 feet long, 46 feet wide, with a depth of 15 feet and a lift of 12 feet. The upper gate was a "Guard Gate" designed to be closed in the event of emergency or for maintenance of the lower part of the canal. The lock stonework, while somewhat deteriorated, is still basically intact; a testament to construction techniques of the time, and far more interesting than the concrete and steel structures of today.