Washington Canal Groundbreaking On May 2, 1810, Washington officials and citizens flocked to the groundbreaking for the <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/41">Washington Canal</a>, which would connect the <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/424">Potomac River to the Eastern Branch, also called the Anacostia River</a>. Although the canal had been part of the original 1791 plan for the city, <a href="http://mallhistory.org/items/show/253">it had never been built</a>. In 1809, Congress chartered a new company specifically to complete the Canal. The <em>National Intelligencer</em>, one of the first newspapers in Washington, reported on the festivities for the groundbreaking of the canal, which people hoped would promote business in the city. <em>National Intelligencer</em> (Washington, DC). 5/4/1810 <a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=38&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=1800-1829">1800-1829</a>