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.
An antique, rivet-studded iron boiler tank was carefully pulled out of the cellar of an old factory in Allentown on…
Happy Anthracite Mining Heritage Month!
Written by Wendi Blewett, DLNHC Collections Manager
Anthracite Mining Heritage Month (AMHM) is a regional observance dedicated…
Recognizing Stories Often Untold
Written By Dr. Rachel Lewis, DLNHC Diversity Research Historian
In December of 2021, the National Canal Museum received…
A Real "Lost Cemetery"
Special Thanks to Ken Raniere
Viewers of the seemingly infinite universe of cable network shows devoted to the…
Hexenkopf
Written by Martha Capwell Fox, D&L Historian
Hexenkopf—even the name is chilling. So is the atmosphere there—which some folks attribute to…
Terminuses of Endearment
Written by Wendi Blewett, D&L Collections Manager
It was well known that where a canal went, prosperity followed, and…
Jayne Mansfield: A Celtic “Blonde bombshell” with Pen Argyl Roots
Posted September 28, 2022 by Gianna CarusoJayne Mansfield: A Celtic “Blonde bombshell” with Pen Argyl Roots
Written by Martha Capwell Fox, D&L Historian
Every March and September here…
Celtic Influence on the Industrial Revolution
Written by Martha Capwell Fox, D&L Historian and Archives Coordinator
The industrialization of the United States…
