Then and Now: Shawsheen River Aqueduct

Today, along Route 129 on the Wilmington -  Billerica town line, the remains of the Shawsheen River Aqueduct serve as a reminder of the days when the Middlesex Canal served as a lifeline to the community.

In operation for approximately fifty years the canal provided the fastest way to transport goods between Boston and Lowell and served nine communities in between. 

The Shawsheen River aqueduct was the largest structure along the canal route and, at one point, measured 188 feet in length and nearly 35 feet in height.

In 1967 the Middlesex Canal was dedicated as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by The American Academy of Civil Engineers.  A plaque commemorating the honor can be seen on the remains of the aqueduct.

Today the busy section of route 129 barely resembles the quiet stretch of land that once bordered the canal.  The aqueduct’s ruins, however, provide a majestic memento of the town’s rich history.