Commerce and Canals: The
Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor
The Setting
There are more than 20 National Heritage Areas
in the United States today, each created by an
individual act of Congress. Heritage Areas
provide a mechanism to link communities
and sites based on geographical or thematic
connections, thus providing a way to work across
traditional political boundaries to protect, enhance, and promote
a region. In the eastern portion of Pennsylvania, the Delaware & Lehigh
National Heritage
Corridor has served as a conduit for locally driven
preservation and tourism efforts for nearly 10 years.
In the 1820s, entrepreneurs in eastern Pennsylvania began developing
a series of canals to work in tandem with the Lehigh and Delaware
rivers to transport anthracite coal from the region’s coal
mines to major markets such as New York City and Philadelphia.
In the early days, these canals offered an efficient and cost-effective
mode of transportation. Before the Civil War, mule-drawn boats
carrying tons of coal, lumber, building stone, lime, and produce
steadily plied the canals and lock systems of the Delaware Division
of the Pennsylvania Canal and the Lehigh Coal and Navigation
System.
Communities grew around the canals to serve its workers and
travelers. Canalers and community
residents traded goods and services. In time, larger support
industries developed around these young towns, including Bethlehem
Iron Company (later, Bethlehem Steel Corporation).
Immigrants, mostly from Europe, flocked into the region to seek
their fortunes, and hamlets became towns and businesses flourished—for
a time. But with the advent of railroads, canal transportation
became less cost effective and business on and around the canals
began to decline. On October 17, 1931, the last paid mule-drawn
boat traversed the Delaware Canal while privately owned boats
continued along the Lehigh for a few more years.
Thereafter, the lower canal corridor became known as the Delaware
Canal and Roosevelt State Park and the Lehigh system disappeared
almost entirely. Throughout the next few decades, as canal waters
turned stagnant or dried up altogether, so did business on and
near the canal. Although the park received an annual operating
budget, it didn’t have a constant income to maintain the
locks, canal walls, and towpath. The canal system
deteriorated, became a dumping ground in some places, and was
literally built over with roads in others and, in Bristol, even
a school. Seeking employment, residents of the northern coal
region migrated south to Levittown—the famed planned suburban
community —and Fairless Hills, or commuted over an hour
each way into the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton region.
Thus, the canal corridor, which stretches from Wilkes-Barre
in the northeast to the tidewaters of Bristol in the southeast—a
region that once contained abundant natural resources, a region
steeped in history with structures representing human grown and
habitation for 6,000 years, a region of bucolic countryside,
rugged mountains, lush valleys, and communities that should be
thriving— suffered continual losses of people and industry over the last
half century.
Remaining residents watched as the backbone of their communities
eroded and decayed. Some of them knew that action had to
be taken to prevent total reclamation of a once thriving commercial
and transportation route by the forces of nature, and they began
to rally around the canals.
“It is the purpose of this act
to provide a management framework to assist…in developing
and
implementing integrated cultural historical and natural resource
policies and programs that will
preserve and interpret for the educational and inspirational
benefit of present and future generations
the unique and significant contributions to our national
heritage of certain historic and cultural lands, waterways,
and structures within and surrounding the Delaware and Lehigh
Navigation Canal in
the Commonwealth.” — from U.S. Public Law 100-692
What Happened Next
Betty Orlmann was one of those people who saw a need and took
action. She organized neighbors and other residents and started
the Friends of the Delaware Canal in October 1982. Using the
impetus of the canal’s designation as a National Historic
Landmark in 1978, the friends were able to rally interest among
citizens to try to save or restore the essence of the historic
canal. In early 1983, the friends incorporated, and in 1987,
with a $50,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Commerce,
devised a Master Plan for the corridor’s rehabilitation.
With guidance from Northampton County Parks Director Bill Mineo,
Steve Humpfrey, and Lance Metz of Easton’s Canal Museum,
the Friends were able to interest local U.S. Congressmen in preserving
the two canals and their stories.
In November 1988, a bipartisan bill moved through the United
States Congress establishing the Delaware & Lehigh National
Heritage Corridor in order to
celebrate the history of anthracite mining, its transportation
routes, and the industries it spawned. Congress appointed a federal
commission to administer funds and
to coordinate the development of the region as a National Heritage
Corridor. Commission and partnership funding brought $53,882,065
to the heritage
corridor over a 13-year span. These monies helped accomplish
management plan goals and expansion of corridor territory. Today
the corridor encompasses five counties
in eastern Pennsylvania: Luzerne, Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton,
and Bucks.
Commission members traveled throughout the corridor, talked
to residents, and got their ideas for improving their communities
and telling their stories accurately. The results of these meetings
came together in 1993 in a 10-year Management Action Plan. That
plan, almost a decade later,
continues to serve the communities and residents who helped formulate
it by focusing on four main elements identified as key at the
outset. The first is “navigation,” to help visitors
and residents move through the corridor. When creating or enhancing
places with potential to become tourism destinations, planners
must address questions of accessibility and ease of location
through clearly marked road signs. Linking communities together
through driving routes, walking trails, and water pathways completes
the navigation strategy.
The second element is accurate and effective interpretation
of the stories and ways to link local stories within the corridor.
Corridor staff works with community
leaders, local historical societies, and nature preserves to
further their goals, sometimes even assisting with entire site
or community comprehensive planning projects. “For example,
retired miners wanted to open one of the deep mines
in Lansford to tourists,” explains Sue M. Pridemore, chief
of Visitor Services. “We worked with them and the surrounding
communities to develop a site plan they can implement in increments,
while also encouraging local and regional support.”
The third element blends preservation and conservation as key
aspects of all corridor projects. Residents feel strongly that
their towns remain viable places to live. They want clean air,
good drinking water, an attractive community, and a strong neighborhood.
Therefore, they concentrate on improvements that stand on their
own merits as valuable to daily life as well as being of historical
significance or recreational importance. In many cases, these
issues come together. When Luzerne County officials consulted
with the Army Corps of Engineers about raising the Wyoming Valley
levee to protect against the threat of devastating floods, they
found an opportunity to also provide recreational opportunities
by placing a trail along the top of the levee. Through exhibit
signs placed along four sections of the levee, the stories of
the river, the levee, and the people —their histories,
evolution, lifestyles, and architecture—are told through
pictures and prose for the enjoyment of walkers, cyclists, and
joggers along the levee trail.
The fourth element is economic opportunity. Every resident places
importance on a good job and a great place to live. To that end,
corridor partners work together to incorporate quality of life
improvements within many economic decisions. They also look farther
ahead than the next election by evaluating the long-term sustainability
and viability of each decision.
The corridor receives limited annual federal funding for a small
staff and the supplies and materials needed to implement the
master plan’s actions. Therefore, it has been the development
of federal, state, and local partnerships, financial support
of local businesses and civic organizations, and the will of
the residents that have brought out the stories of coal mines,
steel mills, and canal trade along with the communities surrounding
them.
The Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor Commission
and their many
federal, state, local, and nonprofit partners would have not
have accomplished what they have so far without their national
and state designation, one tool among many that local organizations
can use to attain their goals.
“The corridor designation requires, however, that individuals
and elected officials think globally while working locally, build
regional constituents as well as local support, and be inclusive
instead of exclusive,” says Pridemore. Becoming a National
Heritage area in and of itself does not
guarantee success. Citizens, organizations, and governments also
must come together on their own to work on common goals.
Making the Most of Opportunities
Collaborate: Every
project and initiative within the corridor is identified and
implemented by the partners, typically including
two or more governmental levels, one or more communities and
at least one nonprofit. An example is
the “Audubon’s Lehigh Auto Tour,” which is
a result of a collaboration between the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency’s Wetlands Division, the Pennsylvania Department
of Community Affairs Bureau of State Parks, Carbon County, and
the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor Commission,
with the help of high school and college teams from the Student
Conservation Association. The project celebrates the life, travels,
paintings, and conservation and preservation impacts of renowned
naturalist John James Audubon. The groups came together over
a two-year period of research and development, producing books
and tapes available at various locations along the route.
Find
the Fit between the Community and Tourism: By actively
participating in locally based stakeholder forums, the commission
is able to respond to needs and concerns while facilitating sustainable
solutions to heritage tourism and development issues. This is
equally important in urban communities like Easton and Bethlehem
that embrace tourism development and adapt easily to Heritage
Corridor initiatives as well
as in small, rural communities that have limited access to the
expertise necessary to enhance their cultural and historical
resources. The commission created the position of Heritage Development
Specialist to concentrate on the undeniable connection between
small-town economic and heritage tourism issues, and conservation
and preservation.
Make
Sites and Programs Come Alive: Visitors along the
canal corridor can indulge in everything from recreational
activities
like skiing and white-water
rafting to festivals celebrating music, the arts, and heritage.
Eckley Miners’ Village, the Bethlehem Steel complex, and
a
historic Moravian community offer insights to the array of cultures
that
have helped form the corridor. Mule-driven canal boat rides are
available
at Hugh Moore Park and walking in famous footsteps is an option
at Washington Crossing Historic Park where, on Christmas Eve,
1776, General George Washington lead 2,400 troops across the
ice-choked Delaware to
attack the Hessian soldiers garrisoned
in Trenton, New Jersey.
Focus
on Quality and Authenticity: In the late 20th century,
the canal and river towns in the center of the corridor turned
their backs on waterways and railroads, choosing instead improved,
modern transportation routes like highways and airports. Until
recently, they felt their futures depended on looking modern
and “with it.” Now, they are looking to their roots,
relearning why they existed in the first place, and uncovering
the authentic heritage of their communities —the elements
that make them unique. These communities now understand the role
of their past in their future and they are dusting off their
front porches and downtowns, looking back toward historic transportation
routes and realizing that their past is their future.
Preserve
and Protect Resources: “We have served as a
catalyst for multitudes of
renovation projects throughout the
corridor by either placing the first
matchable dollar on the table or un-
covering their amazing story,” explains Pridemore. The
Corridor Commission’s first successful renovation project
was
the IceHouse in Bethlehem. One could presume that the old canalside
structure was the repository of ice gathered from the river,
but the true story is that the structure was an artificial ice
production and storage facility. Facing possible
demolition, the building was saved
and rehabilitated and is now used as
a successful performing arts facility.
Results
In 1993, the Corridor Commission oversaw the completion
of the Corridor Visitors Center at Two Rivers Landing in Easton.
This facility provided just the right impetus for Binney and
Smith to place their Crayola Factory in the downtown and pushed
through
a local decision to develop the National Canal Museum in the
same building. Within the first year, more than 100 new businesses
opened in the community and preservation of
the downtown continues with enthusiasm.
The success of the National Heritage Corridor concept
has prompted national heritage area designation of two other
state parks: the Lackawanna Valley Heritage Area and Schuylkill
River Heritage Area.
Heritage area designation has directly or indirectly
helped the Delaware & Lehigh attract almost $54 million to
the corridor over thirteen years. This includes more than $13
million from the Transportation Enhancement Act, $9 million from
private sources, $9.9 million from local governments, $4.9 million
from the Pennsylvania Heritage Park Program, $3.8 million from
the National Park Service, and $16.8 million from other state
sources.
In the 1820s, entrepreneurs in eastern Pennsylvania began developing
a series of canals to work in tandem with the Lehigh and Delaware
rivers to transport anthracite coal from the region’s coal
mines to major markets such as New York City and Philadelphia.
In the early days, these canals offered an efficient and cost-effective
mode of transportation. Before the Civil War, mule-drawn boats
carrying tons of coal, lumber, building stone, lime, and produce
steadily plied the canals and lock systems of the Delaware Division
of the Pennsylvania Canal and the Lehigh Coal and Navigation
System. 
Thereafter, the lower canal corridor became known as the Delaware
Canal and Roosevelt State Park and the Lehigh system disappeared
almost entirely. Throughout the next few decades, as canal waters
turned stagnant or dried up altogether, so did business on and
near the canal. Although the park received an annual operating
budget, it didn’t have a constant income to maintain the
locks, canal walls, and towpath. The canal system
deteriorated, became a dumping ground in some places, and was
literally built over with roads in others and, in Bristol, even
a school. Seeking employment, residents of the northern coal
region migrated south to Levittown—the famed planned suburban
community —and Fairless Hills, or commuted over an hour
each way into the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton region. 
In November 1988, a bipartisan bill moved through the United
States Congress establishing the Delaware & Lehigh National
Heritage Corridor in order to
celebrate the history of anthracite mining, its transportation
routes, and the industries it spawned. Congress appointed a federal
commission to administer funds and
to coordinate the development of the region as a National Heritage
Corridor. Commission and partnership funding brought $53,882,065
to the heritage
corridor over a 13-year span. These monies helped accomplish
management plan goals and expansion of corridor territory. Today
the corridor encompasses five counties
in eastern Pennsylvania: Luzerne, Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton,
and Bucks.
The third element blends preservation and conservation as key
aspects of all corridor projects. Residents feel strongly that
their towns remain viable places to live. They want clean air,
good drinking water, an attractive community, and a strong neighborhood.
Therefore, they concentrate on improvements that stand on their
own merits as valuable to daily life as well as being of historical
significance or recreational importance. In many cases, these
issues come together. When Luzerne County officials consulted
with the Army Corps of Engineers about raising the Wyoming Valley
levee to protect against the threat of devastating floods, they
found an opportunity to also provide recreational opportunities
by placing a trail along the top of the levee. Through exhibit
signs placed along four sections of the levee, the stories of
the river, the levee, and the people —their histories,
evolution, lifestyles, and architecture—are told through
pictures and prose for the enjoyment of walkers, cyclists, and
joggers along the levee trail.
The fourth element is economic opportunity. Every resident places
importance on a good job and a great place to live. To that end,
corridor partners work together to incorporate quality of life
improvements within many economic decisions. They also look farther
ahead than the next election by evaluating the long-term sustainability
and viability of each decision. 
Collaborate: Every
project and initiative within the corridor is identified and
implemented by the partners, typically including
two or more governmental levels, one or more communities and
at least one nonprofit. An example is
the “Audubon’s Lehigh Auto Tour,” which is
a result of a collaboration between the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency’s Wetlands Division, the Pennsylvania Department
of Community Affairs Bureau of State Parks, Carbon County, and
the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor Commission,
with the help of high school and college teams from the Student
Conservation Association. The project celebrates the life, travels,
paintings, and conservation and preservation impacts of renowned
naturalist John James Audubon. The groups came together over
a two-year period of research and development, producing books
and tapes available at various locations along the route.
Find
the Fit between the Community and Tourism: By actively
participating in locally based stakeholder forums, the commission
is able to respond to needs and concerns while facilitating sustainable
solutions to heritage tourism and development issues. This is
equally important in urban communities like Easton and Bethlehem
that embrace tourism development and adapt easily to Heritage
Corridor initiatives as well
as in small, rural communities that have limited access to the
expertise necessary to enhance their cultural and historical
resources. The commission created the position of Heritage Development
Specialist to concentrate on the undeniable connection between
small-town economic and heritage tourism issues, and conservation
and preservation. 
Make
Sites and Programs Come Alive: Visitors along the
canal corridor can indulge in everything from recreational
activities
like skiing and white-water
rafting to festivals celebrating music, the arts, and heritage.
Eckley Miners’ Village, the Bethlehem Steel complex, and
a
historic Moravian community offer insights to the array of cultures
that
have helped form the corridor. Mule-driven canal boat rides are
available
at Hugh Moore Park and walking in famous footsteps is an option
at Washington Crossing Historic Park where, on Christmas Eve,
1776, General George Washington lead 2,400 troops across the
ice-choked Delaware to
attack the Hessian soldiers garrisoned
in Trenton, New Jersey.
Focus
on Quality and Authenticity: In the late 20th century,
the canal and river towns in the center of the corridor turned
their backs on waterways and railroads, choosing instead improved,
modern transportation routes like highways and airports. Until
recently, they felt their futures depended on looking modern
and “with it.” Now, they are looking to their roots,
relearning why they existed in the first place, and uncovering
the authentic heritage of their communities —the elements
that make them unique. These communities now understand the role
of their past in their future and they are dusting off their
front porches and downtowns, looking back toward historic transportation
routes and realizing that their past is their future.
Preserve
and Protect Resources: “We have served as a
catalyst for multitudes of
renovation projects throughout the
corridor by either placing the first
matchable dollar on the table or un-
covering their amazing story,” explains Pridemore. The
Corridor Commission’s first successful renovation project
was
the IceHouse in Bethlehem. One could presume that the old canalside
structure was the repository of ice gathered from the river,
but the true story is that the structure was an artificial ice
production and storage facility. Facing possible
demolition, the building was saved
and rehabilitated and is now used as
a successful performing arts facility.
In 1993, the Corridor Commission oversaw the completion
of the Corridor Visitors Center at Two Rivers Landing in Easton.
This facility provided just the right impetus for Binney and
Smith to place their Crayola Factory in the downtown and pushed
through
a local decision to develop the National Canal Museum in the
same building. Within the first year, more than 100 new businesses
opened in the community and preservation of
the downtown continues with enthusiasm.
