(Indianapolis, IN) – A new funding commitment announced by State Rep. Lindsey Patterson could move long-delayed restoration work forward at the Whitewater Canal State Historic Site, but state officials and preservation advocates caution that final approvals and long-term operating support remain unresolved.
In a written statement released this week, Patterson said southeastern Indiana has received a commitment for a $7 million matching grant from the Lilly Endowment to support restoration and preservation work at the Metamora site. She described the effort as “a major project totaling more than $14 million” and said the work would focus on the Duck Creek Aqueduct, the Laurel Feeder Dam, Lock 24, and the canal corridor connecting those structures.
Patterson credited “countless local advocates, preservationists, community leaders, and state officials” for sustaining the project through what she characterized as a long and difficult process, saying their behind-the-scenes efforts helped keep the canal restoration from stalling.
The Whitewater Canal site, best known for the covered wooden Duck Creek Aqueduct, has faced mounting challenges in recent years as aging infrastructure and water-control systems deteriorated. In mid-2025, the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, which operates the site, announced plans to close the Metamora location after the summer season, citing the scale and cost of repairs needed to safely operate the canal and preserve its historic structures.
Estimates presented publicly at the time placed the cost of full restoration at more than $14 million, including work to stabilize the aqueduct, repair dams and locks, and address canal segments between those landmarks. Lawmakers had already approved $7 million in state funding in a previous budget cycle, but that appropriation was contingent on securing a non-state match of equal size.
Patterson said the new grant commitment satisfies that requirement, but the funding is not automatic. As a next step, the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites must appear before the Indiana State Budget Committee to request formal release of the state-allocated funds. Only after that approval can construction contracts and restoration work proceed.
Debate at the Statehouse has underscored that capital funding alone may not resolve all of the site’s challenges. During legislative hearings earlier this session, state officials acknowledged that while large-scale construction money can stabilize historic structures, it does not automatically provide ongoing operating funds for staffing, maintenance, and programming once repairs are complete.
Those concerns have fueled a broader policy discussion over how Indiana’s historic sites are governed. State Sen. Jean Leising of Oldenburg has advanced legislation that would move management of several historic sites, including Metamora, from the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites back to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Supporters of the proposal argue that long-term preservation requires clearer accountability and more predictable funding, regardless of which agency is in charge.
Local preservation advocates have also warned that delays carry real risks. The Duck Creek Aqueduct—widely regarded as one of the most significant surviving canal-era structures in the country—has suffered repeated flooding and structural stress. Advocates have said failure to stabilize the aqueduct could result in irreversible loss of the defining feature of the Whitewater Canal system.
The aqueduct’s significance extends beyond Indiana. Engineers and preservationists have long recognized it as a rare surviving example of a covered wooden canal aqueduct, and it has been documented in federal historic engineering records. For southeastern Indiana communities, it also serves as the centerpiece of a tourism district that supports local shops, restaurants, and seasonal events in Metamora.
Supporters of the restoration effort argue that protecting the canal is both a cultural obligation and an economic investment. Critics and budget analysts, however, continue to press for clarity on how the site will be funded and managed after construction ends, noting that past preservation efforts have struggled without sustained operating support.
In her statement, Patterson framed the moment as both a breakthrough and a continuation of the work ahead. “This is a proud day to be part of southeastern Indiana,” she wrote, calling the canal “a treasured historic asset” and saying the investment will help ensure it is preserved for future generations.
