Lehigh River & Canal at Jim Thorpe, PA

Chapter 4 - The Lehigh Canal

Originally, coal was barged down the Lehigh River. The Lehigh River was a rugged and unpredictable body of water. In the spring, it would flood and in the summer, it would become too shallow for barges.

The Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company went before the Pennsylvania legislature and proposed to develop the Lehigh River for shipping. The LC&N headed by Josiah White and Erskine Hazard, received a lease for 10,000 acres at Mauch Chunk (currently Jim Thorpe) for one ear of corn per year.

Josiah White constructed a series of channels and Bear Trap locks to provide a sufficient water level for summer barge traffic. This succeeded in getting ten of thousands of tons of coal to Philadelphia and developing a market for anthracite.

Why was the Lehigh Canal Built?

The Lehigh River had limitations as a shipping route. Under the best of conditions, it required great skill to steer the barges on the river and keep them off of rocks and out of shallows. Getting a barge to Philadelphia was often a matter of luck and many unsuccessful barges became stranded or ripped apart.

When the freshets came in the spring, the river became too swift to barge coal. In addition, the power of the water would damage the locks, sometimes totally destroying them.

The river's power made it impossible for a return trip. One way travel created a constant demand for new barges which, in turn, continued destroying the remaining forest.

Describe the Lehigh Canal.

The first phase of the Lehigh Canal ran from Mauch Chunk to Easton. The canal measured 45-feet wide at the bottom, 60 feet at the top and drew 5 to 6 feet of water. The locks were 22-feet wide by 100 feet long. The locks were designed to handle two barges traveling in opposite directions with each weighing up to 150 tons. The canal boats were pulled by horses or mules and traveled between 1-1/2 and 3 miles per hour.

This original section of the canal dropped 353.2 feet in 46.2 miles. In several places, where slack water navigation was possible, the canal connected to the Lehigh River . It was made up of 10 miles of slack water pools, 34.5 miles of canals and 52 locks stretching 1.6 miles. It began operation in 1829.

During construction of the canal, Josiah White discovered a source of hydraulic lime. He used the hydraulic lime to make waterproof joints in the canal lock masonry. This discovery started the cement industry in the Lehigh Valley.

The second section of the Lehigh Canal connected Mauch Chunk to White Haven (after Josiah White). It dropped almost 600 feet over 26 miles. This upper section consisted of 20.5 miles of slack water pools, 4.7 miles of canals and 29 locks stretching 0.85 miles. This section was destroyed by the flood of 1862.

A third section of the canal was constructed from White Haven to Stoddardsville At Easton, the Lehigh Canal connected to the Delaware and Morris Canals.

Further information is available by visiting the Hugh Moore Historical Park and Museum, 200 S. Delaware Drive, PO Box 877, Easton, PA 18044-0877.

Why did the Lehigh Canal stop operations?

When the railroads came to the Mauch Chunk area, the Lehigh Canal began to lose business. Railroads ran faster than canal boats and were able to operate during the winter when the canal was frozen.

What became of the Lehigh Canal?

After the 1850's, the number of shipments on the Lehigh Canal continued to dwindle until the canal closed about 1930. The last canal boat captain on the Lehigh Canal was Alan Strohl who hauled coal dirt to the New Jersey Zinc Company in Palmerton. These shipments stopped after the 1942 flood.

In 1953, property was leased in Walnutport from Lehigh Coal and Navigation for the purpose of improving fishing and restoring the canal. In 1955, a flood destroyed 3.5 miles of this restored section of the canal.

In 1964, LC&N offered the canal property to the municipalities along the route. The Lehigh Canal has been significantly restored in Weissport, Walnutport, Freemansburg, Easton and between Allentown and Bethlehem.

In 1988, the United States Congress designated that the pathways of colonial development in eastern Pennsylvania be listed as a National Heritage Corridor. The Corridor follows the railroad right of way beginning at Wilkes-Barre, meets with and continues along the Lehigh Canal to Easton and follows the Delaware Canal to its termination at Bristol.

The Delaware & Lehigh Canal National Heritage Corridor Commission has been charged with helping towns along the Corridor develop plans to maintain, restore and improve the lands , waterways and buildings. Further information may be obtained by contacting: The Delaware & Lehigh Canal National Heritage Corridor Commission 10 East Church Street, Room P 208, Bethlehem, PA 18108.

Continued: Lehigh River & Canal - Chapter 5 - Asa Packer