MARIETTA, Ohio — A journey through time awaits along the tranquil waters of the Muskingum River.

It's home to the oldest system of hand-operated river navigation locks in the United States, known as the Muskingum River Navigation System. 

The locks help boats safely bypass nearly a dozen dams on the Muskingum River. When they were initially built, the locks and dams helped open Ohio and the entire Midwest to trade and development.

For Don Sandford, whose connection to these locks spans back to 1985, passing through the Muskingum's locks is more than just a routine trip.

"These are actually my favorite trips coming up through the locks here on the Muskingum," he said.

Stanford captains the Valley Gem Sternwheeler, operated by a private company, on tours up and down the river to see the locks in action. 

"There's something about the locks on the Muskingum that are more personal. You actually get in and you see the lock guys, the ones who work on the locks, the stone, the wood."

Ron Mingus, with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, explained the historical significance of the locks.

"This is one of the last remaining hand-operated locks left in the United States. Construction started in 1841, and the system has been open ever since," he explained. "It was the largest capital improvement project in the state of Ohio at the time."

David Stuthard works at the site and helps manually operate the locks. 

"To do something like this that only very few do is kind of cool. There's no hydraulics, no machines, motors or anything like that," he noted. 

The Muskingum River Navigation System has earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places. The locks are an excellent reminder of the area's rich history, yet also showcase the enduring quality of craftsmanship from a bygone era.

The locks are operated free of charge for recreational boats.