Lehigh Canal
Encyclopedia
The Lehigh Canal was constructed by the Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company
to carry anthracite from the upper Lehigh Valley
to the urban markets of the northeast, especially Philadelphia
. With the discovery of large deposits of anthracite coal, the Lehigh Coal Mine Company was formed to transport the coal down the Lehigh River
to the Delaware River
and on to the growing consumer markets in Philadelphia via a connection with the Pennsylvania Canal (Delaware Division)
in Easton
.
, an engineer of New York
's Erie Canal
, was constructed between 1827 and 1829. The enlarged Lehigh Navigation extended 46 miles (74 km) between Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania (present-day Jim Thorpe) and Easton with 52 lock
s, eight guard locks, eight dams
and six aqueducts, allowing the waterway to overcome a difference in elevation of over 350 feet (107 m). A weigh lock
determined canal boat fees a half mile (1 km) south of Mauch Chunk. A connection across the Delaware River
to the Morris Canal
through New Jersey
allowed the coal from the Lehigh Canal to be shipped more directly to New York City
.
During the 1830s, an extension of 26 miles (42 km) to White Haven, Pennsylvania
, which included 20 dams and 29 locks, was constructed, covering a difference in elevation of over 600 feet (183 m) to Mauch Chunk.
In 1855, the canal reached its peak of more than one million tons of cargo. However, competition from railroads and the catastrophic flood
of June 4, 1862, were all steps towards the canal's demise. The canal was used as a means of transportation until the 1940s (about a decade after other similar canals ceased operations), making it the last fully functioning towpath
canal in North America
. In 1962, most of it was sold to private and public organizations for recreational use.
Several segments of the canal are listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. An 8-mile (13 km) segment of the canal towpath has been converted into a multi-use trail that runs from Freemansburg
through Bethlehem
to Allentown
. The trail runs along the river and active railroad tracks. A section near Jim Thorpe
is accessible to recreational users. The final section in Easton
is maintained and operated by the National Canal Museum
. Other short sections are accessible, but there are parts of the canal towpath that have been worn by the elements and are not safe to access.
Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company
The Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company, also known in the Lehigh Valley as the Old Company, was a mining and transportation company which grew out of the Lehigh Coal Mine Company. It was created from the merger of the Lehigh Coal Company and the Lehigh Navigation Company.-Development:The Lehigh Coal...
to carry anthracite from the upper Lehigh Valley
Lehigh Valley
The Lehigh Valley, known officially by the United States Census Bureau as the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan area and referred to locally as The Valley and A-B-E, is a metropolitan region consisting of Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, and Carbon counties in eastern Pennsylvania and...
to the urban markets of the northeast, especially Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. With the discovery of large deposits of anthracite coal, the Lehigh Coal Mine Company was formed to transport the coal down the Lehigh River
Lehigh River
The Lehigh River, a tributary of the Delaware River, is a river located in eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. Part of the Lehigh, along with a number of its tributaries, is designated a Pennsylvania Scenic River by the state's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources...
to the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
and on to the growing consumer markets in Philadelphia via a connection with the Pennsylvania Canal (Delaware Division)
Pennsylvania Canal (Delaware Division)
The Delaware Division of the Pennsylvania Canal, more commonly called the Delaware Canal, runs from the Lehigh River at Easton south to Bristol...
in Easton
Easton, Pennsylvania
Easton is a city in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 26,800 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Northampton County....
.
History
The Lehigh Canal, designed by Canvass WhiteCanvass White
Canvass White was an American engineer and inventor. He was chief engineer at the Delaware and Raritan Canal and he patented a type of hydraulic cement.-Birth:He was born on September 8, 1790, in Whitestown, New York...
, an engineer of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
's Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
, was constructed between 1827 and 1829. The enlarged Lehigh Navigation extended 46 miles (74 km) between Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania (present-day Jim Thorpe) and Easton with 52 lock
Lock (water transport)
A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...
s, eight guard locks, eight dams
DAMS
Driot-Arnoux Motorsport is a racing team from France, involved in many areas of motorsports. DAMS was founded in 1988 by Jean-Paul Driot and former Formula One driver René Arnoux. It is headquartered near Le Mans, only 2 km from the Bugatti Circuit.- History :The year after its foundation,...
and six aqueducts, allowing the waterway to overcome a difference in elevation of over 350 feet (107 m). A weigh lock
Weigh lock
A weigh lock is a specialized canal lock designed to determine the weight of barges in order to assess toll payments based upon the weight and value of the cargo carried. This requires that the unladen weight of the barge be known....
determined canal boat fees a half mile (1 km) south of Mauch Chunk. A connection across the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
to the Morris Canal
Morris Canal
The Morris Canal was an anthracite-carrying canal that incorporated a series of water-driven inclined planes in its course across northern New Jersey in the United States. It was in use for about a century — from the late 1820s to the 1920s....
through New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
allowed the coal from the Lehigh Canal to be shipped more directly to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
During the 1830s, an extension of 26 miles (42 km) to White Haven, Pennsylvania
White Haven, Pennsylvania
White Haven is a borough in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. White Haven was created in 1824 by industrialist Josiah White. It is located along the Lehigh River which connects White Haven to Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania. The population was 1,182 at the 2000 census...
, which included 20 dams and 29 locks, was constructed, covering a difference in elevation of over 600 feet (183 m) to Mauch Chunk.
In 1855, the canal reached its peak of more than one million tons of cargo. However, competition from railroads and the catastrophic flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
of June 4, 1862, were all steps towards the canal's demise. The canal was used as a means of transportation until the 1940s (about a decade after other similar canals ceased operations), making it the last fully functioning towpath
Towpath
A towpath is a road or trail on the bank of a river, canal, or other inland waterway. The purpose of a towpath is to allow a land vehicle, beasts of burden, or a team of human pullers to tow a boat, often a barge...
canal in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. In 1962, most of it was sold to private and public organizations for recreational use.
Several segments of the canal are listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. An 8-mile (13 km) segment of the canal towpath has been converted into a multi-use trail that runs from Freemansburg
Freemansburg, Pennsylvania
Freemansburg is a borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. Freemansburg is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state.The population of Freemansburg was 1,897 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
through Bethlehem
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Bethlehem is a city in Lehigh and Northampton Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 74,982, making it the seventh largest city in Pennsylvania, after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie,...
to Allentown
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
. The trail runs along the river and active railroad tracks. A section near Jim Thorpe
Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania
Jim Thorpe is a borough in Carbon County, Pennsylvania, USA. The population was 4,804 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Carbon County. The town has been called the "Switzerland of America" due to the picturesque scenery, mountainous location, and architecture; as well as the "Gateway to...
is accessible to recreational users. The final section in Easton
Easton, Pennsylvania
Easton is a city in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 26,800 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Northampton County....
is maintained and operated by the National Canal Museum
National Canal Museum
The National Canal Museum is a history and technology museum located in Easton, Pennsylvania.It is run by Hugh Moore Historical Park & Museum, Inc., which is also responsible for Hugh Moore Park, The Emrick Technology Center, Locktender's House Museum and the canal boat ride, Josiah White II.The...
. Other short sections are accessible, but there are parts of the canal towpath that have been worn by the elements and are not safe to access.
See also
- Pennsylvania Canal (Delaware Division)Pennsylvania Canal (Delaware Division)The Delaware Division of the Pennsylvania Canal, more commonly called the Delaware Canal, runs from the Lehigh River at Easton south to Bristol...
– A sister canal along the Delaware River that provided a connection to the Philadelphia markets via a link up in Easton. - Morris CanalMorris CanalThe Morris Canal was an anthracite-carrying canal that incorporated a series of water-driven inclined planes in its course across northern New Jersey in the United States. It was in use for about a century — from the late 1820s to the 1920s....
– A New Jersey canal that provided direct access to the New York City markets via a cross-Delaware River connection in Phillipsburg, New JerseyPhillipsburg, New JerseyPhillipsburg, known locally as P'burg, is a town in Warren County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of 2010 United States Census, the town's population was 14,950....
. - List of canals in the United States