Few places in Ohio let visitors experience history like the Monticello III at Lake Park Canal Landing. Horses move along the towpath, water splashes beside the boat, and stories from another century bring Ohio’s past to life. It is an experience many travelers rarely find today.
For years, visitors have climbed aboard the Monticello III, one of Ohio’s few remaining working canal boats, to experience travel from a time when waterways connected communities and helped shape the state. Now, local leaders are working to protect that experience for future generations.
The Roscoe Village Foundation, in collaboration with the Coshocton City & County Park District, is leading an initiative to restore the Monticello III and ensure this one-of-a-kind experience endures for many to enjoy.
A Ride Through Ohio History On The Canal Boat
Before highways and railroads crossed Ohio, canals were the lifelines of a growing state. Waterways like the Ohio & Erie Canal carried goods, connected towns, and turned crossroads like Coshocton into thriving centers of commerce and community. Today, visitors can still experience that world firsthand aboard the Monticello III.
Pulled by horses along the original towpath, the canal boat moves at the unhurried pace of the 1800s. Families listen to stories about canal life while the landscape drifts quietly by, and school groups discover history that feels real rather than read. Visitors often leave with a new appreciation for how much the waterways beneath them once shaped the communities we know today.
The season opens Memorial Day weekend. Public rides, private charters, educational programs, and special events continue through summer and fall.
Restoring a Piece of Ohio’s Past
This spring, you may notice a few fresh touches as the Monticello III prepares for another season on the water. When the season closes, the real work begins. The boat will be taken out of the canal for a full structural restoration led by local craftsman Abe Yoder of ADM Construction — someone known for the precision and care a 19th-century wooden vessel deserves. The goal is to keep this experience alive, authentic, and strong for the next generation of riders.
“We believe in the power of this experience — not just to preserve history, but to bring people together,” said Sharon Bucey, Executive in Residence of the Roscoe Village Foundation. “This is our moment to invest in something that truly belongs to this community.”
Lake Park Canal Landing Becomes an America 250 Experience
This is a meaningful year to climb aboard. As Ohio joins the nation in celebrating America’s 250th anniversary, the Monticello III will feature special programming. The programming connects visitors to the canal era’s role in America’s growth story. New events and interpretive experiences will bring that history to life beyond the ride itself.
Guests will better understand how waterways like the Ohio & Erie Canal helped build a country.
The horses are ready, and the towpath is waiting — there has never been a better time to come out and ride.
After your ride aboard the Monticello III, keep the experience going with a stop at Roscoe Barbeque Company, where slow-smoked meats and authentic Texas-style barbecue bring big flavor to Coshocton.
