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In: dePere lock, fox locks, fox river locks, Fox River Navigational System Authority, General, take your kid to work, tour fox locks

Every year the DOT regional office schedules a “take your kid to work” event that combines fun activities and learning. This year, the office combined an outing to the DePere lock with a demonstration on boat safety from a DNR warden. About 46 kids and 24 adults attended to learn the history and operation of the DePere lock—the busiest lock of all 17 locks on the Fox River. Lock tenders talked about how the locks were used for shipping, cargo, and vital to navigate the sharp drop in elevation of the Fox River. From Menasha to Green Bay, the river drops 168 feet in elevation—equal to the vertical height of Niagara Falls.

Lock tender Scott Thompson explained the size of boats that can fit into the lock chambers and told the kids that in the late 1800s and early 1900s the river was used to ship goods on giant barges and ships. The kids all got the chance to flood the lock chamber by opening the valves and taking a spin on the turnstile to open the giant lock doors. The word from the kids: “This is COOL!”

Original Article

Blog – Fox Locks

Blog – Fox Locks

https://foxlocks.org/blog/take-your-kids-to-work-day/

Fox Locks

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In: appleton fall colors, boating fox river, depere fall colors, dePere lock, Events, fox locks, Fox Locks in the News, fox river boating, fox river fall colors, fox river locks, Fox River Locks History, Press Releases

The weekend of October 1&2 will be our final events for the 2022 season and we are hoping for great weather!

Back by popular demand, our FREE Fall Colors Weekend will again give you the best option for viewing the colors of the season from the Fox River. No locks fees needed, just bring your boat, your family, and cruise through the locks. That weekend, locks will be open as follows:

  • All five Kaukauna Locks 10am-6pm
  • Little Rapids 10am-6pm
  • De Pere Lock 10am-6pm

If you don’t have a boat, please bring the kids to watch the locks in action. The DePere lock is along the pedestrian paths at Voyager Park and all five Kaukauna locks are accessible via the new Kaukauna Locks trail. Ample free parking is available at both locations.

We’ve been rained out a few times this summer, so we’re hoping Mother Nature cooperates on Sunday, October 2 for a guided tour of the Appleton locks. Christine Williams from the Appleton Historical Society will share the stories of how the locks and Appleton grew up together. You’ll learn how the locks were built before Wisconsin became a state and how generations of lock tenders were on call to open the giant lock gates for commercial and recreational river traffic.

This is a walking tour that will travel the 1.5 miles from Appleton lock 1 located in the shadow of Riverview Gardens to Appleton lock 4 located at River Heath.

Original Article

Blog – Fox Locks

Blog – Fox Locks

http://foxlocks.org/2022/09/12/plan-today-for-a-busy-final-weekend-on-the-locks/

Fox Locks

On:
In: appleton fall colors, boating fox river, depere fall colors, dePere lock, Events, fox locks, Fox Locks in the News, fox river boating, fox river fall colors, fox river locks, Fox River Locks History, Press Releases



The weekend of October 1&2 will be our final events for the 2022 season and we are hoping for great weather!
Back by popular demand, our FREE Fall Colors Weekend will again give you the best option for viewing the colors of the season from the Fox River. No locks fees needed, just bring your boat, your family, and cruise through the locks. That weekend, locks will be open as follows:

  • All five Kaukauna Locks 10am-6pm
  • Little Rapids 10am-6pm
  • De Pere Lock 10am-6pm

For all you boaters, this is your last chance this season to get your boats out of the water for winter storage. We didn’t want to charge you a locks fee for giving those boats an off-season home! Please remember we will not be opening the locks before winter after this weekend.

If you don’t have a boat, please bring the kids to watch the locks in action. The DePere lock is along the pedestrian paths at Voyager Park and all five Kaukauna locks are accessible via the new Kaukauna Locks trail. Ample free parking is available at both locations.

We’ve been rained out a few times this summer, so we’re hoping Mother Nature cooperates on Sunday, October 2 for a guided tour of the Appleton locks. Christine Williams from the Appleton Historical Society will share the stories of how the locks and Appleton grew up together. You’ll learn how the locks were built before Wisconsin became a state and how generations of lock tenders were on call to open the giant lock gates for commercial and recreational river traffic.

This is a walking tour that will travel the 1.5 miles from Appleton lock 1 located in the shadow of Riverview Gardens to Appleton lock 4 located at River Heath. Parking is a bit tight so we suggest parking at Telulah Park and walking down the hill to lock 4.

Original Article

Blog – Fox Locks

Blog – Fox Locks

http://foxlocks.org/2022/09/12/plan-today-for-a-busy-final-weekend-on-the-locks/

Fox Locks

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In: dePere lock, fox locks, Fox Locks in the News, Fox River Locks History, Fox River Navigational System Authority, History & Fun Facts, Important information, Little Chute lock, menasha lock, What's going on?

Another fantastic season for the Fox Locks is in the books! Thank you to all of you who traveled through the locks and every year we hope to make improvements in the experience. Many don’t remember that the locks system has not been in operation since the early 1980s, so an entire generation has grown up without the experience of traveling through the historic lock system.

Speaking of history, here’s a quick look at notable dates and events for the lock system:

1825 Construction of Erie Canal completed, idea of connecting Green Bay and Prairie du Chien via water becomes reality.

1848 Wisconsin becomes a state.

1849 Construction begins on Fox & Wisconsin River improvements

1851 Contracts awarded for lock construction at Kaukauna and Little Chute

1866 Wisconsin Improvement Company, owner of the lock project, declared bankruptcy

1870 Green Bay and Mississippi Canal Company takes over management of the locks

1872 United States Army Corps of Engineers acquires navigational control of the waterway

1886 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers abandons Wisconsin River portion of locks system

1922 Dredging for commercial traffic on the Fox River halts

1959 Last vessel navigates the full length of the Fox River

1982 Army Corps of Engineers recommends the lock system is dismantled

1984 Local citizens and elected officials start a campaign to fund and keep the locks open

1993 Individual locks named to the National Register of Historic Places, part of the National Park Service.

2001 State statute 237 creates the Fox River Navigational System Authority

2004 Ownership of the lock system is transferred from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to the State of Wisconsin

2005 Repair and renovation begins on the lock system

2015 All locks are restored to full operational functionality

Fall 2015: Menasha Lock voluntarily closed due to discovery of Round Goby in Little Lake Butte des Morts.

Original Article

Blog – Fox Locks

Blog – Fox Locks

http://foxlocks.org/2019/09/16/fox-locks-timeline-history-at-a-glance/

Fox Locks