From The Desk Of Jeff Maximovich


To all my fellow Ohio & Erie Canal enthusiast, from my heart

Who would think that an impression could be left in the heart and mind of someone so young that
would last a lifetime? Well, this is how it began as a little boy. After my grandfather passed away
my grandmother was very lonely this was in 1964. While staying with my grandmother, I often
played on the banks of the Ohio & Erie Canal and dreamed away the hours.

There was always an old man down there and he told me stories about the canal boats, the canal
and life here on Summit Lake. Now in my later life looking back, he was old enough to have been
there. The curiosity of the Ohio & Erie Canal stayed with me my whole life. I didn't know that one
day this little boy's dreams would be a major focal point of my life and had no idea I would put so
much drive into this fascination. As the years went by life's opportunities rose up and enabled me
to start to live my boyish dreams and wonders. From years gone by and what evolved from this
was a spectrum of events.

As these events unfolded most all of them were good, enjoyable and educational with a few close
calls along the way, in walking the total distance of the Ohio & Erie Canal. Since the canal's
demise by flood during the Easter week of 1913, I am certain that I am the only person who has
walked the total length of the Ohio & Erie Canal. Photographing and re-documenting every site
along the way. When the canal fell in 1913, it was already nearly dead and had been dying slowly
for over forty years.

The canal's conception was good. Its simplex design hindered it which left no room for
architectural advancement. It was what it was. The lock system simply lifted the canal boats over
summits and lowered them into valleys. This great achievement connected the shipping lanes of
the Great Lakes through a series of rivers eventually making it to the Ohio River. The canal itself
was well thought out. After completion, the state of Ohio had a major waterway cut through its
dense wilderness - the Ohio & Erie Canal established new towns and new beginnings. I wanted to
see all of these wonderful & historic sites first-hand. In doing so, a lot of preparations needed to be
made.

After months of plotting and planning this adventure would start unfolding. There were tools
needed but not only for survival. These tools were more important, they were strength, endurance,
vision and imagination. All of them come into play as your body carries you along. Your mind
wanders, thinking what happened here or may be over there? All of the canal sites were
documented by me. This has never been done before and the peacefulness allowed my mind to
drift back into time. I got a first-hand look at history and what brought good fortune to this state in its
early days.

As far as technology it was the best available in its time. The Ohio & Erie Canal was cut out of the
ruggedness, just like our great country's beginning. All of the work and digging on the Ohio & Erie
Canal fell on the backs of the Irishmen who came over to this country to make new lives. Through
advertisement of a good life and steady work in America. Upon arriving here and finding work on
the Ohio & Erie Canal, they soon found themselves subjected to horrible and tortuous conditions.
Because of the massive influx of Irish to this country, their lives were expendable and they were
treated as less than human. Many of their bones lay in the woods along the canal and some of
their grave sites still exist by markers that are so old that the numbers are worn off. I have seen
many of these first-hand.

Walking along the canal looking around, you can see its killer - the Black Dog or the Iron Horse,
which means the trains. Their tracks usually run close to the canal. The Ohio & Erie Canal fell prey
to a more powerful beast - the railroad. The railroad was the product of technology and was here to
stay. The canal never progressed. From its beginnings until its last day, nothing ever advanced.
During the time of the Ohio & Erie Canal, many changes in our country were happening for
instance the Pony Express. Although the canal did carry the U.S. Mail from 1835 into the late
1840's. From that point on the trains took over carrying the mail. In 1843, the telegraph was
invented and its beginnings boosted the railroads all the more. All of the telegraph lines ran next to
the tracks. None ever ran along the Ohio & Erie Canal. Things were changing in our country but not
on the canal. Also in the year 1843, the Wyandot Indians left Ohio for their reservations west of the
Mississippi, thus proving the "New Age" was coming.

While walking these long miles of wilderness, it puts me in touch with what really went on back in
the old days. It really doesn't matter how the canal ended up because to me, I still love it and the
passion will always be there. Many people used this canal and brought themselves out of the
wilderness, started new lives and made families. I am sharing a lot of these same adventures as
they experienced along the towpath of the great Ohio & Erie Canal. Taking me back in time to the
beginnings of new towns and settlements established by the canal. In my story, it has real life
events and enjoyable history with every page. After reading my book, the reader will be educated on
the history of the Ohio & Erie Canal - past and present. The Ohio & Erie Canal set the wheels in
motion and from it a powerful and productive state emerged which is my home.

All of the things that I set out to do, I have done. Out of necessity, many things were added in along
the way for instance, GPS (Ground Positioning Satellite) fix on every lock site and a detailed map of
the lock system in Ohio. My intentions were to document the Ohio & Erie Canal without the use of
modern technology but it became very clear to me in order to do this correctly, I had no choice but
to use state-of-the-art tracking. Over the 300 miles, every lock has been photographed and its
position for the first time ever accurately marked. Thinking about all this and where it will take me
from here, I have yet to find out, but I do know that a little boy's dreams and wonders have been
fulfilled. Guess what? I am still that little boy.


Jeffrey M. Maximovich
The Johnny Apple Seed of the Ohio & Erie Canal
The going sometimes got rough but I was on a mission
After cutting through some pretty deep back woods I take a well
needed rest
This old train is beautiful and it also help bring the
Ohio & Erie Canal to it's end!
Canal Sign in Massillon, Ohio
Funny thing about this sign, it's in the wrong
place! Should be 2 blocks west..
"THE JOHNNY APPLE SEED OF THE OHIO & ERIE CANAL"
Here I would like to share a very personal letter written to
me anonymously by a very special person
I've known Jeff all my life. He came from a large family, with good
upbringings. As a boy he never played sports with the other kids but
always had a pencil in hand drawing. Jeff stayed close to his mother. He
has a good heart and has always put others needs far out in front of his
own, when his father was sick at home before his death, Jeff was always
on time to help his mother and even today stays close to her.

"Good deeds deliver good deeds" now look at him good things are
happening. Jeff has always been a man of adventure, hopefully these
adventures will soon pay off in the pages of his wonderful book. This is
the real life walk across Ohio! This man has more drive and
determination than anyone I've know so far.

He made a plan and he did it and he done it well and was cast forever
into Ohio's history. Jeff is not a young man either, that long walk across
the state took it's toll on him and aged his already tiered body. Jeff is a
proud man and is a handsome one also he has a ruggedness to look at
but to speak with him, he's gentle as a lamb.

Signed

A family member who loves him.....