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Union Canal (Pennsylvania)
Encyclopedia
The Union Canal was a towpath
canal
that existed in southeastern Pennsylvania
in the United States
during the 19th century. First proposed in 1690 to connect Philadelphia
with the Susquehanna River
, it ran approximately 75 mi (120 km) from Middletown
on the Susquehanna below Harrisburg
to Reading
on the Schuylkill River
. Although construction began in 1792 during the George Washington
Administration, financial difficulties delayed its completion until 1828. Called the "Golden Link," it provided a critical early transportation route for the shipment of anthracite coal
and lumber
eastward to Philadelphia. Although closed in the 1880s, remnants of the canal remain, most notably the Union Canal Tunnel, a hand-built engineering marvel that is the oldest existing transportation tunnel in the United States. The tunnel is listed in the National Register of Historic Places
.
, the founder of the Pennsylvania Colony
. Nearly a century passed before a route for the canal was surveyed by David Rittenhouse and William Smith between 1762 and 1770, the first canal ever surveyed in the U.S. Spurred by the 1791 discovery of anthracite in the upper Susquehanna Valley, the Pennsylvania General Assembly
chartered two companies to undertake the project: the Schuylkill and Susquehanna Canal Company and the Delaware and Schuylkill Canal Company. At the time of the initial construction in the early 1790s, Philadelphia was involved in an intense rivalry with Baltimore for the supremacy as a shipping port. The canal was backed by Philadelphia businessmen as a means to divert commercial traffic from following the Susquehanna downriver to the Chesapeake Bay
, its more natural destination.
From west to east, the route of the canal was to follow Swatara Creek
upstream from Middletown to Quittapahilla Creek
, which it then followed upstream past Lebanon
and Myerstown
to its headwaters. It then crossed overland to Clarks Run at the headwaters of Tulpehocken Creek
, following Tulpehocken Creek downstream to Reading on the Schuylkill River. It was to follow the Schuylkill downriver to the Delaware River
at Philadelphia.
, an experienced British
canal engineer. The first shovel of earth was turned by President George Washington
. By 1793, several miles of the canal were dug and five locks were built between Myerstown and Lebanon before financial difficulties caused the work to cease. In 1795 the Pennsylvania Legislature authorized a lottery
to raise funds for the canal's construction. The largest canal lottery in U.S. history, it held 50 drawings over the next two decades, awarding $33 million in prize money, with only $270,000 reaching the canal companies.
In 1811 the two canal companies were reorganized and merged as the Union Canal Company of Pennsylvania. Construction resumed in 1821. One of the principal challenges was the construction of a 729 feet (222.2 m) tunnel through the ridge separating the headwaters of Quittapahilla Creek and Clarks Run. The drilling of the tunnel was by hand, using gunpowder
to blast though argillaceous
slate
with veins of hard flinty limestone
80 feet (24 m) below the summit of the ridge. The progress of the tunnel was approximately 15 ft (4.5 m) per week, requiring over two years to complete. Another engineering difficulties was the continual resupply of water at the summit level, a task that was compounded by leakage and required an elaborate pumping mechanism.
Although the initial design called for the construction of a canal from the Susquehanna to the Delaware, the 1825 opening of the rival Schuylkill Navigation from Reading to Philadelphia prompted the Union Canal Company to focus solely on the Middletown-Reading portion of the canal.
The canal was completed in 1828 under the direction of Canvass White
, the preeminent canal engineer of the day. Upon its completion it was 8-1/2 ft (2.6 m) wide and had 93 locks. In 1832 a 22 miles (35.4 km) branch canal was constructed northward from the water works
along the Swatara Creek to Pine Grove
. The branch canal served as feeder for the summit level as well as allowing the transport of anthracite from the mountains, which became a principal revenue source for the canal operation.
and brought coal traffic to the canal. In 1844, the track was leased to the Swatara Railroad, which extensively refurbished the right-of-way
and began to operate it by steam locomotive
in about 1850.
s that were adopted for use on the Pennsylvania Main Line and Schuylkill Navigation. The existing width restricted barges to 25 short tons (23 MT). From 1841 to 1858, under the direction of chief engineer Loammi Baldwin, Jr.
, the canal was widened to 17 ft (5.2 m) to allow the passage of the larger boats carrying 75 short tons (68 MT) to 80 short tons (73 MT). In the process of the rebuilding, the tunnel through the summit ridge was shortened to 600 ft (180 m). The widening of the canal allowed for a brief period of prosperity in the late 1850s and early 1860s.
In June 1862 a flood on Swatara Creek damaged the western portion of the canal, completely destroying the Pine Grove feeder upon which the canal company depended for revenue. The flood prompted costly repairs that were compounded with continual water supply problems. The connecting railroad was leased to the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad on July 26, 1862, and sold outright in January 1866. The completion of the Lebanon Valley Railroad
in 1857 from Reading to Harrisburg cut into the canal revenues, forcing its closure in 1881.
Historical Society. The tunnel was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
on October 1, 1974. It was designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1970. On April 19, 1994, the tunnel was designated a National Historic Landmark
by the Secretary of the Interior
Bruce Babbitt
. The tunnel is open to visitors in the Union Canal Tunnel Park.
A restored portion of the canal along Tulpehocken Creek is maintained by the Berks County
Parks System at the Union Canal Towpath Park in Wyomissing
west of Reading. This portion contains several restored locks along a towpath now used as a recreational trail. A portion of the canal along Swatara Creek is also preserved at Swatara State Park
.
40°22′50"N 76°15′16"W
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
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
that existed in southeastern 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...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
during the 19th century. First proposed in 1690 to connect 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 Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
, it ran approximately 75 mi (120 km) from Middletown
Middletown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
Middletown is a borough in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, on the Susquehanna River, nine miles southeast of Harrisburg. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
on the Susquehanna below Harrisburg
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
to Reading
Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading is a city in southeastern Pennsylvania, USA, and seat of Berks County. Reading is the principal city of the Greater Reading Area and had a population of 88,082 as of the 2010 census, making it the fifth most populated city in the state after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Erie,...
on the Schuylkill River
Schuylkill River
The Schuylkill River is a river in Pennsylvania. It is a designated Pennsylvania Scenic River.The river is about long. Its watershed of about lies entirely within the state of Pennsylvania. The source of its eastern branch is in the Appalachian Mountains at Tuscarora Springs, near Tamaqua in...
. Although construction began in 1792 during the George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
Administration, financial difficulties delayed its completion until 1828. Called the "Golden Link," it provided a critical early transportation route for the shipment of anthracite coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
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....
eastward to Philadelphia. Although closed in the 1880s, remnants of the canal remain, most notably the Union Canal Tunnel, a hand-built engineering marvel that is the oldest existing transportation tunnel in the United States. The tunnel is listed in 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...
.
Proposal
A canal linking the Susquehanna and Delaware valleys in southestern Pennsylvania was first proposed in 1690 by William PennWilliam Penn
William Penn was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was an early champion of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations and successful...
, the founder of the Pennsylvania Colony
Province of Pennsylvania
The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as Pennsylvania Colony, was founded in British America by William Penn on March 4, 1681 as dictated in a royal charter granted by King Charles II...
. Nearly a century passed before a route for the canal was surveyed by David Rittenhouse and William Smith between 1762 and 1770, the first canal ever surveyed in the U.S. Spurred by the 1791 discovery of anthracite in the upper Susquehanna Valley, the Pennsylvania General Assembly
Pennsylvania General Assembly
The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times , the legislature was known as the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly. Since the Constitution of 1776, written by...
chartered two companies to undertake the project: the Schuylkill and Susquehanna Canal Company and the Delaware and Schuylkill Canal Company. At the time of the initial construction in the early 1790s, Philadelphia was involved in an intense rivalry with Baltimore for the supremacy as a shipping port. The canal was backed by Philadelphia businessmen as a means to divert commercial traffic from following the Susquehanna downriver to the Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The 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...
, its more natural destination.
From west to east, the route of the canal was to follow Swatara Creek
Swatara Creek
Swatara Creek is a tributary of the Susquehanna River in east central Pennsylvania in the United States. "Swatara" is an Indian word meaning "Where we feed on eels."...
upstream from Middletown to Quittapahilla Creek
Quittapahilla Creek
Quittapahilla Creek is a tributary of Swatara Creek in south-central Pennsylvania in the United States. The original Algonquian name for this waterway is Cuewe-Pehelle, which in English translates to "a stream that flows from the ground among the pines."Quittapahilla Creek rises in eastern...
, which it then followed upstream past Lebanon
Lebanon, Pennsylvania
Lebanon, formerly known as Steitztown, is a city in and the county seat of Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 25,477 at the 2010 census, a 4.2% increase from the 2000 count of 24,461...
and Myerstown
Myerstown, Pennsylvania
Myerstown is a borough located in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Lebanon, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the borough had a total population of 3,171...
to its headwaters. It then crossed overland to Clarks Run at the headwaters of Tulpehocken Creek
Tulpehocken Creek (Pennsylvania)
Tulpehocken Creek is a tributary of the Schuylkill River in southeastern Pennsylvania in the United States.An important transportation route in the early United States, the creek drains a limestone hill country area of Berks County south of the Appalachian Mountains and is considered one of the...
, following Tulpehocken Creek downstream to Reading on the Schuylkill River. It was to follow the Schuylkill downriver 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...
at Philadelphia.
Initial construction
Construction began in 1792 under the direction of William WestonWilliam Weston (engineer)
William Weston was a civil engineer who worked in England and the United States of America.-Career:William Weston is first noticed with his work on Trent Bridge, Gainsborough between 1787 and 1791....
, an experienced British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
canal engineer. The first shovel of earth was turned by President George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
. By 1793, several miles of the canal were dug and five locks were built between Myerstown and Lebanon before financial difficulties caused the work to cease. In 1795 the Pennsylvania Legislature authorized a lottery
Lottery
A lottery is a form of gambling which involves the drawing of lots for a prize.Lottery is outlawed by some governments, while others endorse it to the extent of organizing a national or state lottery. It is common to find some degree of regulation of lottery by governments...
to raise funds for the canal's construction. The largest canal lottery in U.S. history, it held 50 drawings over the next two decades, awarding $33 million in prize money, with only $270,000 reaching the canal companies.
In 1811 the two canal companies were reorganized and merged as the Union Canal Company of Pennsylvania. Construction resumed in 1821. One of the principal challenges was the construction of a 729 feet (222.2 m) tunnel through the ridge separating the headwaters of Quittapahilla Creek and Clarks Run. The drilling of the tunnel was by hand, using gunpowder
Gunpowder
Gunpowder, also known since in the late 19th century as black powder, was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid 1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate - with the sulfur and charcoal acting as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer...
to blast though argillaceous
Argillaceous minerals
Argillaceous minerals may appear silvery upon optical reflection and are minerals containing substantial amounts of clay-like components . Argillaceous components are fine-grained aluminosilicates, and more particularly clay minerals such as kaolinite, montmorillonite-smectite, illite, and...
slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
with veins of hard flinty 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....
80 feet (24 m) below the summit of the ridge. The progress of the tunnel was approximately 15 ft (4.5 m) per week, requiring over two years to complete. Another engineering difficulties was the continual resupply of water at the summit level, a task that was compounded by leakage and required an elaborate pumping mechanism.
Although the initial design called for the construction of a canal from the Susquehanna to the Delaware, the 1825 opening of the rival Schuylkill Navigation from Reading to Philadelphia prompted the Union Canal Company to focus solely on the Middletown-Reading portion of the canal.
The canal was completed in 1828 under the direction of Canvass White
Canvass 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...
, the preeminent canal engineer of the day. Upon its completion it was 8-1/2 ft (2.6 m) wide and had 93 locks. In 1832 a 22 miles (35.4 km) branch canal was constructed northward from the water works
Union Water Works, Pennsylvania
Union Water Works, commonly known as Water Works, is an unincorporated community in North Annville Township, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, United States.The community was originally called Alger, located at a crossing of the Swatara Creek...
along the Swatara Creek to Pine Grove
Pine Grove, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania
Pine Grove is a borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the borough population was 2,154.-Geography:Pine Grove is located at ....
. The branch canal served as feeder for the summit level as well as allowing the transport of anthracite from the mountains, which became a principal revenue source for the canal operation.
Railroad
The charter of the canal company allowed it to build lateral railroad lines from the canal to reach coal mines. It built a 3.5 miles (5.6 km) line from the end of the branch canal to Lorberry Junction in 1830, which was operated by horse power. This connected it to the Lorberry Creek RailroadLorberry Creek Railroad
The Lorberry Creek Railroad was an early railroad in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, USA intended to feed coal shipments to the Union Canal ....
and brought coal traffic to the canal. In 1844, the track was leased to the Swatara Railroad, which extensively refurbished the right-of-way
Right-of-way (railroad)
A right-of-way is a strip of land that is granted, through an easement or other mechanism, for transportation purposes, such as for a trail, driveway, rail line or highway. A right-of-way is reserved for the purposes of maintenance or expansion of existing services with the right-of-way...
and began to operate it by steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
in about 1850.
Operation and expansion
By the 1840s the narrow size of the canal locks prevented the passage of the larger bargeBarge
A barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats or pushed by towboats...
s that were adopted for use on the Pennsylvania Main Line and Schuylkill Navigation. The existing width restricted barges to 25 short tons (23 MT). From 1841 to 1858, under the direction of chief engineer Loammi Baldwin, Jr.
Loammi Baldwin, Jr.
Loammi Baldwin, Jr. was an American civil engineer. His father was Col. Loammi Baldwin a prominent civil engineer.-Biography:...
, the canal was widened to 17 ft (5.2 m) to allow the passage of the larger boats carrying 75 short tons (68 MT) to 80 short tons (73 MT). In the process of the rebuilding, the tunnel through the summit ridge was shortened to 600 ft (180 m). The widening of the canal allowed for a brief period of prosperity in the late 1850s and early 1860s.
In June 1862 a flood on Swatara Creek damaged the western portion of the canal, completely destroying the Pine Grove feeder upon which the canal company depended for revenue. The flood prompted costly repairs that were compounded with continual water supply problems. The connecting railroad was leased to the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad on July 26, 1862, and sold outright in January 1866. The completion of the Lebanon Valley Railroad
Lebanon Valley Railroad
The Lebanon Valley Railroad is a railroad line between Harrisburg and Reading in Pennsylvania, USA. The line opened on 18 January 1858.The road was acquired by the Reading Railroad on 20 March 1858, which put them in direct competition with the Pennsylvania Railroad for the Philadelphia to...
in 1857 from Reading to Harrisburg cut into the canal revenues, forcing its closure in 1881.
Preservation
In April 1950, the Union Canal Tunnel was purchased by the Lebanon CountyLebanon County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 120,327 people and 32,771 families residing in the county. The population density was 332 people per square mile . There were 49,320 housing units at an average density of 136 per square mile...
Historical Society. The tunnel 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...
on October 1, 1974. It was designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1970. On April 19, 1994, the tunnel 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...
by the Secretary of the Interior
United States Secretary of the Interior
The United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior.The US Department of the Interior should not be confused with the concept of Ministries of the Interior as used in other countries...
Bruce Babbitt
Bruce Babbitt
Bruce Edward Babbitt , a Democrat, served as United States Secretary of the Interior and as the 16th governor of Arizona, from 1978 to 1987.-Biography:...
. The tunnel is open to visitors in the Union Canal Tunnel Park.
A restored portion of the canal along Tulpehocken Creek is maintained by the Berks County
Berks County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 373,638 people, 141,570 households, and 98,532 families residing in the county. The population density was 435 people per square mile . There were 150,222 housing units at an average density of 175 per square mile...
Parks System at the Union Canal Towpath Park in Wyomissing
Wyomissing, Pennsylvania
Wyomissing is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States, established on July 2, 1906. The population was 8,587 at the 2000 census, but after the January, 2002 merger with neighboring Wyomissing Hills, the combined 2000 Census estimate was 11,155 making it the most populous borough in...
west of Reading. This portion contains several restored locks along a towpath now used as a recreational trail. A portion of the canal along Swatara Creek is also preserved at Swatara State Park
Swatara State Park
Swatara State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Bethel, Swatara and Union Townships, Lebanon and Pine Grove Township, Schuylkill Counties in Pennsylvania in the United States. of Swatara Creek lie within the park's boundaries, which are roughly formed by Pennsylvania Route 443 to the north and...
.
Points of interest
| Feature | Coordinates | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Reading, Pennsylvania Reading is a city in southeastern Pennsylvania, USA, and seat of Berks County. Reading is the principal city of the Greater Reading Area and had a population of 88,082 as of the 2010 census, making it the fifth most populated city in the state after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Erie,... |
40°20′08"N 75°55′37"W | City at the eastern terminus |
| Pine Grove Pine Grove, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania Pine Grove is a borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the borough population was 2,154.-Geography:Pine Grove is located at .... |
40°32′54"N 76°23′05"W | Borough Borough A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely.... at the northern terminus of the feeder canal |
| Lebanon Lebanon, Pennsylvania Lebanon, formerly known as Steitztown, is a city in and the county seat of Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 25,477 at the 2010 census, a 4.2% increase from the 2000 count of 24,461... |
40°20′27"N 76°24′41"W | City near the mid-point of the canal |
| Middletown Middletown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania Middletown is a borough in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, on the Susquehanna River, nine miles southeast of Harrisburg. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:... |
40°11′59"N 76°43′52"W | Borough at the western terminus |
External links
- Lebanon County Historical Society: Union Canal Tunnel
- Swatara State Park
- Pennsylvania Canal Society
- American Canal Society
- National Canal Museum
- Lebanon, PA Union Canal Tunnel Park Photos
40°22′50"N 76°15′16"W