Valley Heritage Driving Tour

Canal Street

Canal Street was the center of industrial action in Shelton when the Ousatonic Dam was built. The dam and the canals that brought water to the area that came to be named Shelton provided the water power for industrial output.

Interestingly, there was a series of locks on the Shelton side of the river that allowed boats to be lifted from the Housatonic River below the dam to Lake Housatonic above the dam. The remnants of the locks which were built in 1867 are still in place and open to the public at the far end of Canal Street today.

Now we cross back into Derby.

The Driving Tour now proceeds a little less than one mile through 3 traffic lights to the center of town where you will take a left and go back over the Derby/Shelton Bridge to Derby where you will turn right on Main Street and head to St. Michael's Church.

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