Photo by Skip Lawrence George Lewis moves his Frederick Key into its new home Tuesday at the Tourism Council’s office on East Church Street. Lewis and his family bought the key during the Keys to Frederick public art program, sponsored by the Frederick Arts Council in 2007.

Lewis began the Catoctin Aqueduct Restoration Effort in 2005, and he leads the project toward rebuilding the collapsed aqueduct.

Only one of the aqueduct's three arches is standing, about 175 years after its construction.

Lewis credits his interest in the aqueducts to his days in Boy Scouts, when he got into stamp collecting, which led to an enthusiasm for history.

"I was in the military for 30 years," he said. "Military people tend to ... enjoy history just because of studying (it) and strategies and politics and wars and all that."

In 1996, he bought a farm along the C&O Canal, between Point of Rocks and Brunswick . "I love the outdoors," Lewis said. "I got involved in the history of the canal."

Lewis is an appointed member of the Federal C&O Canal National Historical Park Advisory Commission, essentially counseling the secretary of the interior on things relating to the C&O Canal.

"I had an interest in history, and interest in the outdoors, and the story to be told about the C&O Canal is just tremendous," Lewis said.

He explained that the location of the aqueduct is the only place where the C&O Canal and the B&O Railroad, "the big titan competitors in transportation," cross. Lewis said that is why the aqueduct is so important to the country's history and the history of transportation.

"Frederick County has got the beautiful Monocacy Aqueduct and the forgotten Catoctin Aqueduct," Lewis said. "We started raising awareness of that, and it caught fire."

Part of Lewis' endeavor includes a 6-foot, fiberglass Frederick Key he bought at a 2007 auction. Part of a public art display, the key was one of 30 placed throughout downtown Frederick in 2007.

One side of the key depicts the Catoctin Aqueduct, and the other illustrates the Monocacy Aqueduct's six arches, which Lewis said is "probably the most famous aqueduct in the country."

Lewis and his wife wanted to keep the piece as public art and allow public awareness of it.

They first placed the key in the Tourism Council of Frederick County's office on East Church Street before moving it to the visitors center in Williamsport in Washington County. Then it was housed at the headquarters of the C&O Canal National Historic Park, before moving back to the Tourism Council recently.

Lewis hopes the key, which he called "basically public art," is seen around town by residents.

"It's a key to part of the county's history, a key to tourism; it's a key that I guess links both the past and maybe the future, because of the people coming to Frederick County to visit," he said.