People from all over enjoy taking a ride back in time
Tom and Peggy Roahrig (far left) are in their eighth year of operating the canal boat at Lake Park. Tom said they don’t have employees; they have people who work with them and that includes family members. Pictured behind Peggy is Cyrus Granger, who is a captain on the boat; Kimberlin Alton, a helmsman on the boat and the Roahrigs granddaughter; Melissa Roahrig, their daughter; and Rodney Darr, who is a hoagie for the canal boat. For more information on the canal boat, visit http://www.coshoctonlakepark.com/canal-boat.htm. Josie Sellers | Beacon
COSHOCTON – There used to be a map hung up in the store at the canal boat for visitors to mark where they’ve come from.
“People come from out of state and out of the country to ride the canal boat,” said Tom Roahrig, who operates the boat with his wife Peggy. “There were pins in the map from places like Japan and Italy.”
This is the eighth year the Roahrigs have operated the canal boat for the park district. The Monticello III takes guests on a 40 minute ride on a one half mile restored section of the Ohio-Erie Canal. While on the boat, they learn how the horse drawn canal boats worked and how the canal system transformed Ohio.
“People ask a lot of question and when a lot of them get off they say it was really interesting and that they had no idea how it worked,” Tom said.
His favorite parts of operating the boat are meeting the people who come to ride it and preserving history.
“History needs to be preserved,” Tom said. “If you don’t know where you came from and how you got here you don’t have a good direction for the future. The canal is why Ohio is what it is today. The canal was the first two lane interstate in Ohio.”
Peggy added that they also hear how relaxing the ride is.
“I like when you can have people take a quiet minute or two on the boat,” she said. “I love that time. It’s also interesting to meet everyone and find out where they are from. This is the best retirement job I could have because I get to do that.”
Rides on the Monticello III are given at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and at 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m., and 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Labor Day thru mid-October the schedule changes to 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m., and 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The boat will not run Oct. 1-2.
Tickets are $8 for adults; $7 for seniors; and $6 for students ages 5-12. The operating scheduled is subject to change due to weather conditions. Call 740-622-7528 for current schedule. Private charters also are available by calling the Roscoe Village Visitor’s Center at 740-622-9310.
Category: Arts & Entertainment
