C&O Canal Association (COCA) Archival Resources in Washington and Hagerstown

Our archives are maintained as part of the Special Collections of the Gellman Library at George Washington University. They are available to the public in suite 704 of the Library at 2130 H Street, NW, Washington, D.C., during the hours of noon to 8 pm on Mondays, and noon to 5 pm Tuesdays through Fridays, and by appointment at other times during the week. However, it is always best to phone first, to be sure they files you want are waiting for you. Their number is (202) 994-7549.

The Special Collections home page is here.

There is also a page listing GWU special collections relevant to the canal, including the COCA archives.

Available on that page, in PDF format, is a very well organized finding aid to the COCA archives. The finding aid will help you stroll through all our newsletters, correspondence, clippings, photographs, magazine articles, and reports, covering every phase of the Association’s history and actions. The collection extends back in time to well before the 1954 through-hike that led to the canal’s preservation as a National Historic Park.

If you wish to add material to our COCA archives, please contact Molly Schuchat at (202) 362-4745 or by email: Molly.Schuchat@gmail.com.

Another important COCA archival collection is the Justice William O. Douglas Papers, maintained at the Western Maryland Room of the Washington County Free Library in Hagerstown, Md. Hours and directions are available.

Those who wish to consult the Douglas Papers or other canal-related resources at the Western Maryland Room may wish to telephone in advance to librarian John Frye, who can be reached at (301-739-3250, ext. 158).