Delaware and Raritan Canal: Difference between revisions

The construction of the Delaware and Raritan Canal in central [[New Jersey Genealogy|New Jersey]] began in 1830 and was completed in 1834. It was dug mostly by [[Ireland|Irish]] immigrants, and mostly by hand. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canal_lock Locks] were built to help boats up and down the elevation changes along the canal. The upper gate of each lock was replaced with a dam and outlet gate after the canal closed. Canal [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spillway spillways], marked by low spots on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Towpath towpath], drained excess water into the nearby river in times of flood.<ref name="D&RC">"Delaware and Raritan Canal History" in ''Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park'' at http://www.dandrcanal.com/history.html (accessed 1 December 2011).</ref>  

In 1830 construction of a railroad was started in the same area as the canal. To prevent competition of the canal and railroad from driving each other out of business the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_New_Jersey_Railroad_and_Canal_Company two concerns were eventually merged]. In 1855 tracks also were laid near the feeder canal known as the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belvidere_Delaware_Railroad Belvidere-Delaware Railroad]. In time the faster railroads took business from the canal. The last profitable year for the canal was 1892. However, the D&amp;R Canal remained open until 1932. Following its closure to cargo traffic it was turned into one of [[New Jersey Genealogy|New Jersey]]'s most beloved [http://www.dandrcanal.com/park_index.html parks].<ref name="D&RC" />  

[[Image:Delaware and Raritan Canal Map.png|right|310px]]The '''Delaware and Raritan Canal''' connects [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bordentown,_New_Jersey Bordentown] on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaware_River Delaware River] to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Brunswick,_New_Jersey New Brunswick] on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raritan_River Raritan River] in central [[New Jersey Genealogy|New Jersey]]. The main canal followed to the east side of the Delaware River from Bordentown to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trenton,_New_Jersey Trenton]. At Trenton the canal headed northeast to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princeton,_New_Jersey Princeton]. The D&amp;R Canal flowed northward from Princeton just to the east of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millstone_River Millstone River] toward [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manville,_New_Jersey Manville] in the Raritan River Valley. At Manville the canal turned eastward following to the south side of the Raritan River on its way toward New Brunswick.<br><br>  

:*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaware_River Delaware River] a pre-historic pathway serving as the border between [[New Jersey Genealogy|New Jersey]] and [[Pennsylvania Genealogy|Pennsylvania]] rises in [[Schoharie County, New York|Schoharie County, New York]] and flows by the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lehigh_Canal Lehigh Canal] in Pennsylvania, [[Frenchtown, New Jersey|Frenchtown]], [[Trenton, New Jersey|Trenton]]&nbsp;where river meets tidewater, and past [[Bordentown, New Jersey|Bordentown]] in New Jersey, [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Philadelphia]] in Pennsylvania to empty into the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_Ocean North Atlantic Ocean].  

The '''Delaware and Raritan Canal''' was built after most of central [[New Jersey Genealogy|New Jersey]] was already settled. It improved transportation between [[New York City|New York City]] and [[Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania|Philadelphia]] and contributed to the development of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lehigh_Valley Lehigh Valley] in Pennsylvania. The canal resulted in additional jobs in towns along the route. Because most of the laborers who built the canal were [[Ireland|Irish]] immigrants, a few of these laborers may have settled in the area.  

No complete list of settlers in [[New Jersey Genealogy|New Jersey]], [[New York|New York]], or [[Pennsylvania Genealogy|Pennsylvania]] who used the '''Delaware and Raritan Canal''' is known to exist.