Mammal Bone,-Equine or Bovine in origin
1900s
Alexandria Canal, Potomac River, Eastern US
Measurements: 10" x 3"; weight not given

I believe this example to be a cow or horse leg bone, likely discarded from 19th-century butchering activities near the canal’s construction site. Unlike a fossil, this bone is not mineralized and shows no signs of the permineralization process that characterizes fossils over thousands of years. Its presence reflects local agricultural or food-related activities during the canal’s operation rather than a prehistoric find. The example may be of interest to regional history organizations as an in-kind gift. The worth of the example is in it's tie to the regions commerce and industry history.

The Alexandria Canal was a significant infrastructure project in the 19th century aimed at bolstering Alexandria, Virginia’s economic position by connecting its seaport to the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal in Georgetown. The canal was constructed between 1833 and 1843; facilitating trade of goods like coal and flour via a seven-mile stretch. It's usefulness faced competition from railroads and frequent flood damage and closed in 1886, with its towpath later repurposed for trolley and rail lines. Some archaeological efforts have rediscovered key features like the Tidal Lock and turning basin.

The Arlington Historical Society, may provide more information and may have interest in your discovery: https://arlhist.org/the-alexandria-canal/