1802 William Farange builds first hostelry in Camden County, N.C.
1803 Thomas Moore wrote “THE LAKE OF THE DISMAL SWAMP”
1805 Dismal Swamp Canal began limited through navigation for flat boats
1810 Jericho Canal completed
1812 Feeder Ditch completed
1814 First recorded passage of a vessel other than a shingle flat
1818 President James Monroe visited the Dismal Swamp
1819 First Lottery held to raise funds for improving the Canal
1820 Second Lottery held
1822 Cross Canal completed
1823 First passage of completely loaded schooner “Rebecca Edwards”
1825 Erie Canal completed
1826 U.S. Congress purchased 600 shares of Dismal Swamp Company
1826 Dismal Swamp Canal enlarged as a shoal draft ship canal
1829 Third Lottery held
1829 Lake Drummond Hotel built
1829 President Andrew Jackson visited the Dismal Swamp Canal
1829 Federal Government purchased 200 additional shares of stock
1830 “Lady of the Lake” first steamer designed to ply the canal
1830 North West Canal completed
1842 Moses Grandy, a former Camden County slave, dictates his autobiography in London.
1856 Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Dred: A Tale of the Great Dismal Swamp is published.
1862 Confederate troops prevented the destruction of the Dismal Swamp Canal Locks
1867 State of Virginia’s 600 share-holdings sold at auction
1871 North West Canal closed by dam built to conserve water
1878 Congress sold its shares in the Dismal Swamp Canal
1888 Last sale of lumber harvested from the Dismal Swamp
1890 Emma K – Dismal Swamp’s favorite vessel – was built
1899 Dismal Swamp Canal enlarged in substantially its present form