Delaware and Hudson Canal Company Office facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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D & H Canal Co. Office
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| Location | Lackawaxen, PA |
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| Nearest city | Port Jervis, NY |
| Built | 1855 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| MPS | Historic and Architectural Resources of the Upper Delaware Valley |
| NRHP reference No. | 93000715 |
| Added to NRHP | 1993 |
The D&H Canal Co. Office, also known as the Roebling Inn, is a historic building in Lackawaxen, Pennsylvania. It's a wooden house built in 1855. The building shows off the Greek Revival style, which was popular back then.
This house was originally the local office for the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company. This company ran the nearby Delaware and Hudson Canal. In 1898, the canal closed down, and the building was sold. It then became a boarding house, a private home, and now it's a bed and breakfast. The building still looks much like it did when it was first built. In 1993, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places because of its historical importance.
Contents
What the Property Looks Like
The Roebling Inn sits on about one acre of land. It's located along Scenic Drive, not far from PA 590. The property is close to some other interesting spots. Just a short walk north is the Zane Grey Museum. A little to the south, you'll find Roebling's Delaware Aqueduct. This aqueduct is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States.
The lawn of the property gently slopes down towards the Delaware River. This river is to the east of the house. Tall trees line the property, giving it some privacy from other homes nearby. You can also see parts of the old canal that have been filled in. Much of the land around here is owned by the National Park Service. It's part of the Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River area.
The Main House
The main building is made of wood. Its outside walls are covered with overlapping boards called clapboard. The roof has a pointed shape, which is known as a gable roof. The house is two and a half stories tall. It sits on a strong foundation made of stone.
The front of the house has five sections, called bays, and the sides have two. You can see Greek Revival details on the house. For example, there's a decorative band called a frieze right below the roof. The main front door is in the middle. It has a small window above it, called a transom. There are also tall, narrow windows on each side of the door, known as sidelights. On the south side of the house, a two-story bay window sticks out.
A smaller part of the house, called a kitchen wing, was added later. This wing is one and a half stories tall. It has similar details to the main house. On its south side, there's a small porch. This porch has a gently sloped roof held up by four square wooden columns. The house has only one chimney, which is made of cinder blocks. It rises on the west side of the building.
Inside the House
Inside, the house still has its original layout. It has a central hallway with rooms on either side. This layout has been changed only a little for its current use. Many of the rooms still have their original plaster walls. Even the attic has plaster walls and a ceiling, which was quite unusual for houses built in that time period. There are no fireplaces in the house. However, a decorative wooden mantel (the shelf above a fireplace) is still in the dining room.
Other Buildings
There are two other buildings on the property. One is a carriage house, which was used to store carriages and horses. The other is a small cottage. Both of these buildings are made of similar materials and have a similar design to the main house. However, they were built after the canal company owned the property. Because of this, they are not considered part of the original historic listing on the National Register.
History of the Roebling Inn
Local records show that the D&H Canal Company owned this land as early as 1852. This was shortly after an important canal manager, Thomas Tracey, passed away. His duties then needed several employees to handle them. The company started to grow, setting up offices and homes for local managers along the canal.
There isn't an official company paper saying this specific house was the regional office. But maps, company rules, and local stories all suggest it was. This part of the canal often had problems like washouts. It was also near the Delaware and Lackawaxen aqueducts, which needed regular repairs. So, a regional manager would have found this a perfect spot. It also helped them keep an eye on the Lackawaxen Dam, which the company no longer used but was still a concern.
The original house, built in 1855, was just the main block. The kitchen wing was added later, around 1870.
Life as a Company Office
One company official who lived here was Thomas Ridgway. He was a former judge and the regional manager from 1876 until he died in 1888. Records from his time show that he counted lumber rafts. These rafts floated over the dam and under the aqueduct. This helped the company deal with claims from people whose rafts were damaged. Like other managers, Ridgway used the building as both his home and his office. The finished attic likely provided lodging for workers. These workers would come in during busy times when a lot of maintenance was needed.
From Office to Inn
In 1898, the D&H Canal Company stopped using the canal. They became more interested in railroads. At this time, a man named C.W. Shannon bought the building. He turned it into a boarding house. He could host up to 20 guests each week. His son, who was a doctor, also ran his medical practice from here. The son built the small cottage in the back to see his patients. He also built the carriage house.
As boarding houses became less common, the building became a private home. In 1985, the current owners bought it. They then turned it into the bed and breakfast it is today.
