1827
On March 2, 1827, Congress granted the State of Indiana 527,271.24 acres of land. It covered areas from the mouth of the Tippecanoe River on the Wabash to the mouth of the Auglaize River on the Maumee. The land was given upon the conditions that the canal connecting the rivers would be commenced within five years, it would be completed in twenty years and the federal government would be able to use it free of tolls.

1828
On January 5, 1828, Indiana accepted the land grant with intentions to fulfill all of the conditions the federal government placed upon them. Another act that same year authorized the construction of the canal to connect the navigable waters of the Wabash River with the navigable waters of the Maumee. Nine days later Canal Commissioners were appointed and work on the canal was to begin.

1832
February 22, 1832, George Washington's Birthday was celebrated as the date for the groundbreaking ceremony for the Wabash section of the canal. Music, the presence of the Canal Commissioners, the National Flag and citizens made the groundbreaking a great occasion. Thus was the beginning of what was to be the longest canal in the world -- it was expected to be 60 feet deep and 459 miles in length.

1835
On January 27, 1835, Governor Noah Noble signed the Mammoth Improvement Bill which included eight major public projects. One of the eight projects was the Indianapolis Central Canal. Compared to the other projects, it was the largest and most expensive at $3,500,000. At that time, there was some dispute as to whether or not canals would be the appropriate measure for commerce considering the new technological advancement of the railroad.

1836
Construction on the Indianapolis section of the Central Canal began.

1839
In August of 1839, Indiana went into debt halting all improvement projects including the canal. At that time, the State's indebtedness was $18,500,000. There were no longer sufficient funds to finish constructing the canal.

1840
A report indicated that although the length of the roads and the canals in Indiana was 1,239 miles, only 231 miles of canal had been completed. Up until that point, the estimated cost of the State's involvement in the canal was $19,914,400.

1841
On February 12, 1841, the Indiana State Legislature passed a bill requiring that the Whitewater Canal and the Madison and Indianapolis Railroad should be completed at once. However, no action occurred as a result of this act.

1844
Due to commerce that took place up and down the canal, the population of counties bordering the canal increased 397 percent, and there were 400 wagons a day waiting to unload at points along the canal.

1850
January 21, 1850, the State ordered the canal to be sold. Although the canal cost over a million dollars to build, it was sold for less than $2,500 to private investors.

1870
The portion of the canal from Broad Ripple to Indianapolis became an important part of the public water supply for Indianapolis.

1881
The canal became the property of the Indianapolis Water Company for $200,000.

1971
The canal was dedicated as an American Water Landmark by the American Water Association.