Pennsylvania Canal Tunnel
Encyclopedia
The Pennsylvania Canal Tunnel was the Pittsburgh terminus
of the Pennsylvania
Main Line of Public Works
, a transportation system that involved other early tunnels. Construction was authorized February 8, 1827, and the tunnel was completed November 10, 1829. The canal crossed the Allegheny River
on a covered bridge
aqueduct
, later replaced by John A. Roebling
's first suspension bridge, the Allegheny Aqueduct
., the canal traveled underground through most of downtown Pittsburgh, under Grant's Hill, to end in a lock leading to the Monongahela River
. The original plan was to connect with the C&O canal at the Monongahela River, but that canal never reached its expected western end, and the tunnel's main use was to allow overflow from the canal to enter the Monongahela. Only one or two canal boats ever went through the tunnel and lock. The tunnel was made obsolete by the arrival of the Pennsylvania Railroad
in 1852.
The canal tunnel was uncovered during the construction of the USX Tower in 1967.
of the 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...
Main Line of Public Works
Main Line of Public Works
The Main Line of Public Works was a railroad and canal system built by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the 19th century. It ran from Philadelphia west through Harrisburg and across the state to Pittsburgh and connected with other divisions of the Pennsylvania Canal...
, a transportation system that involved other early tunnels. Construction was authorized February 8, 1827, and the tunnel was completed November 10, 1829. The canal crossed the Allegheny River
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River is a principal tributary of the Ohio River; it is located in the Eastern United States. The Allegheny River joins with the Monongahela River to form the Ohio River at the "Point" of Point State Park in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
on a covered bridge
Covered bridge
A covered bridge is a bridge with enclosed sides and a roof, often accommodating only a single lane of traffic. Most covered bridges are wooden; some newer ones are concrete or metal with glass sides...
aqueduct
Aqueduct
An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water. In modern engineering, the term is used for any system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and other structures used for this purpose....
, later replaced by John A. Roebling
John A. Roebling
John Augustus Roebling was a German-born American civil engineer. He is famous for his wire rope suspension bridge designs, in particular, the design of the Brooklyn Bridge.-Early life:...
's first suspension bridge, the Allegheny Aqueduct
Allegheny Aqueduct (Pittsburgh)
The Allegheny Aqueduct was John A. Roebling's first wire cable suspension bridge. It was built in 1844 by as a replacement for a wooden covered bridge aqueduct over the Allegheny River in Pittsburgh, part of the Pennsylvania Canal....
., the canal traveled underground through most of downtown Pittsburgh, under Grant's Hill, to end in a lock leading to the Monongahela River
Monongahela River
The Monongahela River is a river on the Allegheny Plateau in north-central West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania in the United States...
. The original plan was to connect with the C&O canal at the Monongahela River, but that canal never reached its expected western end, and the tunnel's main use was to allow overflow from the canal to enter the Monongahela. Only one or two canal boats ever went through the tunnel and lock. The tunnel was made obsolete by the arrival of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Main Line (Pennsylvania Railroad)
The Main Line of the Pennsylvania Railroad was a rail line in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, connecting Philadelphia with Pittsburgh via Harrisburg...
in 1852.
The canal tunnel was uncovered during the construction of the USX Tower in 1967.