watershed moment

wiki

Jordan L. Mott established his iron works in “Mott Haven” in 1828. 

1893

Realizing water access was key to local industry, in 1850 Mott drew up plans for a local canal running right behind his building, to be fed by an underground stream. 

It went north parallel to Lincoln, 

then went behind where the Western Beef is today.

I found a map from 1880 that shows the canal and where the ClockTower would be built just 6 years later.

Greater Astoria Historical has one rare photo.

The canal was filthy with industrial waste, but artists romanticized it anyway.

Later, trucks hauled products out and the canal was no longer needed.

streetview

It was drained and filled in and called Canal Place,

 of course!