Delaware and Raritan Canal

[[United States Genealogy|United State] [[Image:Gotoarrow.pn] [[United States Migration Internal|Migratio] [[Image:Gotoarrow.pn] [[US Migration Canals|Canal] [[Image:Gotoarrow.pn] [[New Jersey Genealogy|New Jerse] [[Image:Gotoarrow.pn] Delaware and Raritan Canal

This dam replaced a gate on a feeder canal to the Delaware and Raritan Canal (D&R Canal) in New Jersey.

The Delaware and Raritan Canal (D&R Canal) in [[New Jersey Genealogy|New Jerse] was a reliable, energy-efficient route between [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Philadephi] and [[New York City, New York|New York Cit] from 1834 to 1932. It also made a shorter route for boats from the anthracite coal fields of eastern [[Pennsylvania Genealogy|Pennsylvani] to reach [[New York City, New York|New York Cit]. The canal reached from the Raritan Rive at [[New Brunswick, New Jersey|New Brunswick, Middlesex, New Jerse to the Delaware Rive at Trenton, [[Mercer County, New Jersey Genealogy|Mercer, New Jerse, and then along the Delaware River to Bordentown, [[Burlington County, New Jersey Genealogy|Burlington, New Jerse]. One feeder canal stretched from Trenton northwest to Frenchtown, [[Hunterdon County, New Jersey Genealogy|Hunterdon, New Jerse]. The main canal from New Brunswick to Bordentown was 44 miles (71 km) long; with the feeder canals the total was 66 miles (107 km) long.

As canal developed in [[United States Genealogy|Americ settlers were attracted to nearby communities because the canals provided access to markets. They could sell their products at distant markets, and buy products made far away. If an ancestor settled near a canal, you may be able to trace back to a place of origin on a [[:Category:Migration Routes|connecting waterway or migration rout].

Historical Background

The construction of the Delaware and Raritan Canal in central [[New Jersey Genealogy|New Jerse] began in 1830 and was completed in 1834. It was dug mostly by Irish immigrants, and mostly by hand. Lock 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 spillway, marked by low spots on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Towpath towpath, drained excess water into the nearby river in times of flood.

A feeder canal was built starting near Frenchtow to supply water to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trenton,_New_Jersey Trento, the highest elevation on the canal. From the completion of the feeder canal, it also was used to carry cargo boats. The feeder canal was soon expanded to allow coal barges from [[Pennsylvania Genealogy|Pennsylvani canals into the system.

Barge were [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse-drawn_boat drawn by horse on a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Towpath towpath paved with crushed stone until around 1843, when steam powered barges were introduced. The peak usage years on the canal were the 1860s and 1870s when 80 percent of the cargo was coal on the way to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City New York Cit.

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 two concerns were eventually merged. In 1855 tracks also were laid near the feeder canal known as the 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&R Canal remained open until 1932. Following its closure to cargo traffic it was turned into one of [[New Jersey Genealogy|New Jerse]'s most beloved [http://www.dandrcanal.com/park_index.html park.

Canal Route

The Delaware and Raritan Canal connects Bordentow on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaware_River Delaware Rive to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Brunswick,_New_Jersey New Brunswick on the Raritan Rive in central [[New Jersey Genealogy|New Jerse. The main canal followed to the east side of the Delaware River from Bordentown to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trenton,_New_Jersey Trento. At Trenton the canal headed northeast to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princeton,_New_Jersey Princeto. The D&R Canal flowed northward from Princeton just to the east of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millstone_River Millstone Rive toward [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manville,_New_Jersey Manvill 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.

A feeder canal was built to supply water to the highest part of the canal at Trenton. The feeder canal started at Bull's Island, near [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frenchtown,_New_Jersey Frenchtow and followed to the east side of the Delaware River on its way southeast to Trenton.

Boats from [[Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania Genealogy|Philadelphia, Pennsylvani] crossed up the Delaware River to enter the D&R Canal at Bordentown, New Jersey. Barges carrying coal from Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvani down the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lehigh_Canal Lehigh Canal crossed down the Delaware River to get into the D&R feeder canal near Frenchtown, New Jersey. Vessels that reached New Brunswick, New Jersey could continue east into Arthur Kill, a tidal strait west of Staten Island, to Kill Van Kull north of Staten Island, and into [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upper_New_York_Bay Upper New York Ba to reach New York (Manhattan) County, New York as well as neighboring boroughs.

Counties south to north along the route:

• [[Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania Genealogy|Philadelphia, Pennsylvani] connected via the Delaware River
• [[Lehigh County, Pennsylvania Genealogy|Lehigh County, Pennsylvani] on the Lehigh Canal
• [[Northampton County, Pennsylvania Genealogy|Northampton County, Pennsylvani] on the Lehigh Canal connected via the Delaware River

• [[Burlington County, New Jersey Genealogy|Burlington, New Jerse] on the D&R Canal
• [[Mercer County, New Jersey Genealogy|Mercer County, New Jerse] on the D&R Canal, and feeder canal
• [[Hunterdon County, New Jersey Genealogy|Hunterdon County, New Jerse] on the D&R feeder canal
• [[Somerset County, New Jersey Genealogy|Somerset County, New Jerse] on the D&R Canal
• [[Middlesex County, New Jersey Genealogy|Middlesex County, New Jerse] on the D&R Canal

• Richmond (Staten Island), New York connected via the Raritan River, and Arthur Kill
• New York (Manhattan), New York connected via the Raritan River, Arthur Kill, Kill Van Kull, and Upper New York Bay

Connecting trails. The Delaware and Raritan Canal linked to other migration routes at each end.

The migration routes connected at the southeast end of the Delaware and Raritan Canal in [[Philadelphia County, Pennsylvani] included:

• the Atlantic Ocea, and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaware_Bay Delaware Ba connected [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Philadelphi with [[:Category:Europe|Europ], [[:Category:Africa|Afric], the [[:Category:Caribbean|Caribbea], and [[:Category:South America|South Americ]
• Delaware Rive a pre-historic pathway serving as the border between [[New Jersey Genealogy|New Jerse and [[Pennsylvania Genealogy|Pennsylvani] rises in Schoharie County, New York and flows by the Lehigh Canal in Pennsylvania, [[Frenchtown, New Jersey|Frenchtow], [[Trenton, New Jersey|Trento] where river meets tidewater, and past [[Bordentown, New Jersey|Bordentow] in New Jersey, [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Philadelphi] in Pennsylvania to empty into the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_Ocean North Atlantic Ocea.
• Minsi Path a pre-historic American Indian trail from [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Philadelphia, Pennsylvani] to Kingston, New York.
• [[King's Highwa] 1673 connected [[Boston, Massachusett] to [[Charleston, South Carolin] and many coastal cities between
• Great Valley Road an ancient American Indian trail that served as the border to Indian land until 1744 and then became one of the most important westward migration routes from [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Philadelphia, Pennsylvani] to [[Knoxville Knox County Tennessee|Knoxville, Tennesse] including a south fork from [[Roanoke, Virginia|Roanoke, Virgini] to [[Augusta, Georgia|Augusta, Georgi].
• Forbes Road built during the French and Indian Wa in 1758 to help the British army attack French forces by reaching from [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Philadelphi to Fort Duquesn ([[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania|Pittsburgh, Pennsylvani).
• Delaware and Raritan Canal 1834 connected [[New Brunswick, New Jerse] on the Raritan River (and NY City) to [[Bordontown, New Jerse] on the Delaware Rive and parts of [[Pennsylvania Genealogy|Pennsylvani

The migration pathways connected at the northeast end of the Delaware and Raritan Canal in [[New York City, New York|New York Cit] included:

• the Atlantic Ocea, and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Island_Sound Long Island Sound connected [[New York City, New York|New York Cit] with [[:Category:Europe|Europ], [[:Category:Africa|Afric], the [[:Category:Caribbean|Caribbea], and [[:Category:South America|South Americ]
• Hudson Rive a navigable river stretching from north of [[Albany, New York|Alban then flowing south to empty into the Atlantic Ocea at [[New York City, New York|New York Cit
• Raritan Rive a navigable river which rises in [[Morris County, New Jersey Genealogy|Morris Count and flows through central New Jersey past [[Manville, New Jersey|Manvill] to New Brunswick where it meets the tide.
• Great Shamokin Path a pre-historic Indian path from Long Island to Lake Eri mostly in [[Pennsylvania Genealogy|Pennsylvani
• Port of [[New York City, New York|New York Cit] 1624 where ships from around the world brought immigrants, and boats could go up the Hudson River
• Albany Post Road (or Queen's Road, or King's Road) 1669
• [[King's Highwa] (or Boston Post Road) 1673 connected [[Boston, Massachusett] to [[Charleston, South Carolin] and many coastal cities between
• Morris Canal 1831 connected [[Jersey City, New Jerse] (and NY City) to [[Philipsburg, New Jerse] on the Delaware Rive and part of [[Pennsylvania Genealogy|Pennsylvani
• Delaware and Raritan Canal 1834 connected [[New Brunswick, New Jerse] on the Raritan Rive (and NY City) to [[Bordontown, New Jerse on the Delaware Rive and parts of [[Pennsylvania Genealogy|Pennsylvani

Also, the [[King's Highwa] crossed over the middle of the Delaware and Raritan Canal at Trenton, Princeton, and New Brunswick in New Jersey.

Settlers and Records

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

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

External Links

• Delaware and Raritan Canal in Wikipedia discusses the route, abandoned sections, locks and spillways, construction, the state park, associated rivers, National Register of Historic Places, and external links.
• The Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park blog, history, maps, program, camping, nature areas, points of interest.
• The Delaware and Raritan Canal history at the National Canal Museum Internet site.

Sources

[[Category:New_Jerse] [[Category:Pennsylvani] [[Category:US_Migration_Canal] [[Category:Migration_Route]