Commercial Importance of Great Dismal Swamp in It's History
One of the prominent features of the Great Dismal Swamp area is the canal and it's dramatic setting. The canal has many stories, including its business story. George Washington's company became interested in the area, seeing it as an opportunity for farming, once the swamp was drained. That wasn't successful, but the juniper trees were a resource for making juniper shingles and this was profitable. A canal was built to transport the shingles and other wood products that would then be sold and shipped out. The Dismal Swamp Canal is still there and you will see recreational boats traveling up the canal, which is part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.