Although fascinating, canal history remains one of the hidden stories of America's past. Yet canals were integral to the country's growth, providing the first long-distance "highways" that penetrated America's interior. Their importance was short-lived but came at a time when the United States was establishing itself as an industrial power. Without canals and their ability to transfer natural resources, manufactured products, and thousands of immigrants seeking a new life, America's transition from a farm-based economy to one based on heavy industry would have been delayed by several decades.
50th Anniversary Reflections: 20 Years of Canal Festivals
Posted October 7, 2020 by Daphne MayerOn June 29, 1980, a conch horn blast by former mule boy, boat captain and locktender Ted Sherman opened the…
The dam on the Lehigh River near the Locktender's House in Hugh Moore Park is undoubtedly picturesque, but why is…
The hunt for the site of Delaware Canal Lock 1
The Delaware Canal is the longest towpath canal still in existence,…
What did Canal Mothers and Daughters Think about Voting?
We Don’t Know—they were too busy working
The eighteen hours a day, six…
50th Anniversary Reflections: The Early Days of Canal Museums
Posted July 22, 2020 by Gianna CarusoBlog by: Martha Capwell Fox, Historian and Archives Coordinator
Until well into the 1920s, people who lived in the cities, towns,…
Independence and Industry: A 4th of July Canal Milestone
Posted July 4, 2020 by Gianna CarusoBlog post by: Martha Capwell Fox, Historian and Archives Coordinator
This Fourth of July is the 180th anniversary of the birth…
Welcome Back!
We're thrilled to announce that the National Canal Museum and Welcome Center will be reopening next week!
Beginning with a…
50th Anniversary Reflections: Putting Down Roots
Posted June 19, 2020 by Gianna CarusoBlog post by: Martha Capwell Fox, Historian and Archives Coordinator
June 21, 1970 was a rainy day. But it didn’t dampen…
