Pennsylvania Canal (Delaware Division)
Encyclopedia
The Delaware Division of the Pennsylvania Canal, more commonly called the Delaware Canal, runs from the Lehigh River
at Easton
(home of The National Canal Museum) south to Bristol
. The canal is parallel to the Delaware River
, and generally within sight of the river.
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania built the Delaware canal as part of its Main Line of Internal Improvements
to carry anthracite coal
, limestone
, cement
, and lumber
from the northeastern reaches of Pennsylvania
to Philadelphia. The Pennsylvania Canal
system was spurred by the success of the Erie Canal
in New York State, which had opened in 1825.
The Delaware Canal originally was 60 miles (96.6 km) in length. Width is approximately 5 feet (1.5 m) and depth is approximately 3 feet (91.4 cm) Construction, which was done entirely with hand tools using primarily imported labor from Ireland
, started in 1829. The state sold the canal to the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company
in 1858.
But competition from the railroad led to a decline in barge traffic. By the 1920s, anthracite coal was waning as a source of fuel. The last commercial through traffic traveled the canal in October 1931 and the bankrupt Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company sold the canal back to the state for a nominal fee.
In 1933, a private group called The Delaware Valley Protective Association (DVPA) was founded to protect the canal as a historic asset. The DVPA persuaded the state to resume maintenance of the canal in 1940, when its towpath became Theodore Roosevelt State Park. The berms were restored and the canal was refilled with water.
Through the 1940s and 1950s, the canal was left mostly untouched. In the early 1960s, however, Pennsylvania officials explored plans to pave over the canal and create a road for cars. Local residents fought for the canal's protection. In 1964, Bucks County historian and DVPA member Willis M. Rivinus
wrote the first Guide to the Delaware Canal to call attention to the canal's value.
Through the 1960s and 1970s, the DVPA and other influential citizens sought to secure federal landmark status to protect the Canal. In 1974, the Canal was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
. In 1976, it was designated a National Historic Landmark
, helping to guarantee its preservation. The towpath itself was named an official National Recreation Trail.
In 1988, the U.S. government created the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor
, covering a 165-mile north-south swath of eastern Pennsylvania that includes the Delaware Canal. In 1989, Theodore Roosevelt State Park was renamed Delaware Canal State Park
.
However, public funding for the canal often has been inadequate and, as in other parts of the country, private non-profit groups have been created to fill the void. In 1983, Bucks County resident Betty Orlemann organized the Friends of the Delaware Canal (FODC), now the canal's largest fund-raising and volunteer group. (The DVPA no longer exists). Under long-time executive director Susan Taylor, the FODC also functions as a watchdog group, ensuring goals are to met to make the towpath trail walkable over its entire length and to eventually get the canal fully watered from Easton to Bristol.
Portions of the Delaware Canal towpath were washed away or damaged during successive floods in 2004, 2005 and 2006. A number of sections of the towpath were closed and impassable, including a long stretch north of Washington Crossing
and sections south of Riegelsville
. In February 2008, a section of the towpath collapsed and 23 miles of the Canal lost water.
Through funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency
, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
(PA DCNR) currently is refurbishing the washed out sections of the canal . As of October 2009, according to Delaware Canal State Park manager Rick Dalton, 75% of the towpath has been restored and it is expected to be fully walkable by summer of 2010.
north to a point about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) above Centre Bridge
, for a total one-way ride length of 4.5 miles (7.2 km). These private parties included weddings, company parties and birthday parties.
Tourist rides were also offered, however, they stopped in the vicinity of the Rabbit Run bridge, which carries PA 32 over the canal, about 1 miles (1.6 km) north of Lock #11, which was restored circa 2005. These rides were offered from approximately 1955 to 2004. Each boat could transport between 55–80 passengers and were pulled by two mules.
Four boats, the Americana (painted red, white & blue), the Independence (painted blue), the Liberty (painted red) and the Spirit of New Hope (painted orange) were used from the inauguration of the tourist ride until a change of concessionaires was made prior to the 1997 season, as the usual ten-year contract had expired. Each of the largest three boats, made of steel and wood, displaced approximately 15 short tons empty. The Spirit of New Hope was smaller than the other three boats and was used for small chartered parties.
Two new boats, the Molly Pitcher and the Myfanwy Jenkins , were built in the winter of 1996–97 to replace the four formerly used, as the old boats were not included in the transfer of the concession. They were made of aluminum and recycled plastic lumber, both painted red with black trim, and displaced approximately 3 short tons empty.
A musician who also told the history of the canal was often on board.
It is unlikely that these rides will return to the canal, as maintenance has been limited to areas not used for barge traffic by DCNR
, which is the state agency responsible for the operation of the canal. Barge ride employees jokingly referred to DCNR by two acronyms – the polite version being "Delaware Canal Needs Restoration". The "historically-authentic, canaller version" was "Damn Canal Needs Repair".
Also, since 1997, operation of the barges have been under onerous regulations by the U.S. Coast Guard (for example, steersmen on a 3 miles per hour (4.8 km/h) animal-drawn boat are required to obtain a Master Mariner's license
) and, if reopened, would face regulations imposed in 2009 on its sister operation on the Lehigh Canal
in Easton, PA
by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for crew members in "sensitive shipboard and dockside locations".
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...
at 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....
(home of The National Canal Museum) south to Bristol
Bristol, Pennsylvania
Bristol is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, northeast of Philadelphia opposite Burlington, N.J. on the Delaware River. Bristol was first incorporated in 1720. Although its charter was revised in 1905, the original charter remains in effect, making Bristol one of the older boroughs in...
. The canal is parallel 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 generally within sight of the river.
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania built the Delaware canal as part of its Main Line of Internal Improvements
Internal improvements
Internal improvements is the term used historically in the United States for public works from the end of the American Revolution through much of the 19th century, mainly for the creation of a transportation infrastructure: roads, turnpikes, canals, harbors and navigation improvements...
to carry anthracite coal
Anthracite coal
Anthracite is a hard, compact variety of mineral coal that has a high luster...
, limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
, cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
, and lumber
Lumber
Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
from the northeastern reaches of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
to Philadelphia. The Pennsylvania Canal
Pennsylvania Canal
Pennsylvania Canal refers generally to a complex system of canals, dams, locks, tow paths, aqueducts, and other infrastructure including, in some cases, railroads in Pennsylvania...
system was spurred by the success of the 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...
in New York State, which had opened in 1825.
The Delaware Canal originally was 60 miles (96.6 km) in length. Width is approximately 5 feet (1.5 m) and depth is approximately 3 feet (91.4 cm) Construction, which was done entirely with hand tools using primarily imported labor from Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, started in 1829. The state sold the canal to the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company
Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company
The Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company is an anthracite coal mining company headquartered in Pottsville, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., with operations in the areas of Tamaqua, Coaldale, and Lansford...
in 1858.
But competition from the railroad led to a decline in barge traffic. By the 1920s, anthracite coal was waning as a source of fuel. The last commercial through traffic traveled the canal in October 1931 and the bankrupt Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company sold the canal back to the state for a nominal fee.
In 1933, a private group called The Delaware Valley Protective Association (DVPA) was founded to protect the canal as a historic asset. The DVPA persuaded the state to resume maintenance of the canal in 1940, when its towpath became Theodore Roosevelt State Park. The berms were restored and the canal was refilled with water.
Through the 1940s and 1950s, the canal was left mostly untouched. In the early 1960s, however, Pennsylvania officials explored plans to pave over the canal and create a road for cars. Local residents fought for the canal's protection. In 1964, Bucks County historian and DVPA member Willis M. Rivinus
Willis M. Rivinus
Willis M. Rivinus is an author, preservation activist and historian whose interests center on the Delaware Canal and Bucks County, Pennsylvania.-Books:...
wrote the first Guide to the Delaware Canal to call attention to the canal's value.
Through the 1960s and 1970s, the DVPA and other influential citizens sought to secure federal landmark status to protect the Canal. In 1974, the Canal was placed 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...
. In 1976, it was designated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
, helping to guarantee its preservation. The towpath itself was named an official National Recreation Trail.
In 1988, the U.S. government created the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor
Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor
The Delaware & Lehigh Canal National and State Heritage Corridor stretches 165 miles across five counties and some hundred municipalities in eastern Pennsylvania, USA. It follows the historic routes of the Lehigh & Susquehanna Railroad, Lehigh Valley Railroad, the Lehigh Navigation, Lehigh Canal...
, covering a 165-mile north-south swath of eastern Pennsylvania that includes the Delaware Canal. In 1989, Theodore Roosevelt State Park was renamed Delaware Canal State Park
Delaware Canal State Park
Delaware Canal State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Bucks and Northampton Counties in Pennsylvania in the United States. The main attraction of the park is the Delaware Canal, which at is the only canal that remains fully intact from the towpath canal-building days of the 19th century...
.
However, public funding for the canal often has been inadequate and, as in other parts of the country, private non-profit groups have been created to fill the void. In 1983, Bucks County resident Betty Orlemann organized the Friends of the Delaware Canal (FODC), now the canal's largest fund-raising and volunteer group. (The DVPA no longer exists). Under long-time executive director Susan Taylor, the FODC also functions as a watchdog group, ensuring goals are to met to make the towpath trail walkable over its entire length and to eventually get the canal fully watered from Easton to Bristol.
Portions of the Delaware Canal towpath were washed away or damaged during successive floods in 2004, 2005 and 2006. A number of sections of the towpath were closed and impassable, including a long stretch north of Washington Crossing
Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania
Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania, is a small unincorporated village located in Upper Makefield Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, with a zip code of 18977. Formerly known as "Taylorsville," it is most famous for Washington's crossing of the Delaware River on Christmas of 1776 during the...
and sections south of Riegelsville
Riegelsville, Pennsylvania
Riegelsville is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 868 at the 2010 census.-History:Benjamin Riegel founded Riegelsville. The original, and now historic, that he built in 1838 still stands. This historic stone inn has offered food and lodging to Bucks County...
. In February 2008, a section of the towpath collapsed and 23 miles of the Canal lost water.
Through funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency
Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially created by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1978 and implemented by two Executive Orders...
, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources , established on July 1, 1995, is the agency in the U.S. State of Pennsylvania responsible for maintaining and preserving the state's 117 state parks and 20 state forests; providing information on the state's natural resources; and...
(PA DCNR) currently is refurbishing the washed out sections of the canal . As of October 2009, according to Delaware Canal State Park manager Rick Dalton, 75% of the towpath has been restored and it is expected to be fully walkable by summer of 2010.
Mule barge tourist ride
Mule-drawn barges, operated by several private concessionaires over the years, provided rides for chartered private parties running from a landing at Lock #11 at New HopeNew Hope, Pennsylvania
New Hope, formerly known as Coryell's Ferry, is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA. The population was 2,528 at the 2010 census. The borough lies on the west bank of the Delaware River at its confluence with Aquetong Creek. A two-lane bridge carries automobile and foot traffic across the...
north to a point about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) above Centre Bridge
Centre Bridge, Pennsylvania
Centre Bridge is an unincorporated community on the Delaware River in Solebury Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. Located at the crossroads of River Road and 263), it lies north of New Hope...
, for a total one-way ride length of 4.5 miles (7.2 km). These private parties included weddings, company parties and birthday parties.
Tourist rides were also offered, however, they stopped in the vicinity of the Rabbit Run bridge, which carries PA 32 over the canal, about 1 miles (1.6 km) north of Lock #11, which was restored circa 2005. These rides were offered from approximately 1955 to 2004. Each boat could transport between 55–80 passengers and were pulled by two mules.
Four boats, the Americana (painted red, white & blue), the Independence (painted blue), the Liberty (painted red) and the Spirit of New Hope (painted orange) were used from the inauguration of the tourist ride until a change of concessionaires was made prior to the 1997 season, as the usual ten-year contract had expired. Each of the largest three boats, made of steel and wood, displaced approximately 15 short tons empty. The Spirit of New Hope was smaller than the other three boats and was used for small chartered parties.
Two new boats, the Molly Pitcher and the Myfanwy Jenkins , were built in the winter of 1996–97 to replace the four formerly used, as the old boats were not included in the transfer of the concession. They were made of aluminum and recycled plastic lumber, both painted red with black trim, and displaced approximately 3 short tons empty.
A musician who also told the history of the canal was often on board.
It is unlikely that these rides will return to the canal, as maintenance has been limited to areas not used for barge traffic by DCNR
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources , established on July 1, 1995, is the agency in the U.S. State of Pennsylvania responsible for maintaining and preserving the state's 117 state parks and 20 state forests; providing information on the state's natural resources; and...
, which is the state agency responsible for the operation of the canal. Barge ride employees jokingly referred to DCNR by two acronyms – the polite version being "Delaware Canal Needs Restoration". The "historically-authentic, canaller version" was "Damn Canal Needs Repair".
Also, since 1997, operation of the barges have been under onerous regulations by the U.S. Coast Guard (for example, steersmen on a 3 miles per hour (4.8 km/h) animal-drawn boat are required to obtain a Master Mariner's license
Captain (nautical)
A sea captain is a licensed mariner in ultimate command of the vessel. The captain is responsible for its safe and efficient operation, including cargo operations, navigation, crew management and ensuring that the vessel complies with local and international laws, as well as company and flag...
) and, if reopened, would face regulations imposed in 2009 on its sister operation on the Lehigh Canal
Lehigh Canal
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...
in Easton, PA
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....
by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for crew members in "sensitive shipboard and dockside locations".
See also
- Lehigh CanalLehigh CanalThe 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...
– A sister canal in the Lehigh Valley that fed coal traffic to the Delaware Canal via a connection in Easton, PennsylvaniaEaston, PennsylvaniaEaston 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....
. - Delaware and Raritan CanalDelaware and Raritan CanalThe Delaware and Raritan Canal is a canal in central New Jersey, United States, built in the 1830s that served to connect the Delaware River to the Raritan River. It was intended as an efficient and reliable means of transportation of freight between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and New York City,...
– A New Jersey canal connection to the New York market across the Delaware River. - Chesapeake and Delaware CanalChesapeake and Delaware CanalThe Chesapeake and Delaware Canal is a 14-mile long, 450-foot wide and 40-foot deep ship canal that cuts across the states of Maryland and Delaware, in the United States. It connects the waters of the Delaware River with those of the Chesapeake Bay and the Port of Baltimore...
– A canal crossing the Delmarva PeninsulaDelmarva PeninsulaThe Delmarva Peninsula is a large peninsula on the East Coast of the United States, occupied by most of Delaware and portions of Maryland and Virginia...
in the states of DelawareDelawareDelaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
and MarylandMarylandMaryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, connecting the Chesapeake BayChesapeake BayThe Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
with the Delaware BayDelaware BayDelaware Bay is a major estuary outlet of the Delaware River on the Northeast seaboard of the United States whose fresh water mixes for many miles with the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. It is in area. The bay is bordered by the State of New Jersey and the State of Delaware...
.