Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor |
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Location of Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor in Pennsylvania
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| Location | Pennsylvania, United States |
| Length | 165 mi (266 km), North–South |
| Max. elevation | Mountain Top |
| Min. elevation | Bristol |
| Established | 1988 |
| Visitors | 282,796 (in 2012) |
| Governing body | Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor Commission |
The Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor (D&L) is a special area in eastern Pennsylvania, United States. It stretches for 165-mile (266 km) from north to south. This corridor follows old routes of railroads and canals. It goes from Bristol near Philadelphia all the way to Wilkes-Barre in the state's northeast.
The main part of the Corridor is the 165-mile (266 km) D&L Trail. The D&L's main goal is to protect history and save green spaces. These areas are for everyone to enjoy in five Pennsylvania counties: Bucks, Northampton, Lehigh, Carbon, and Luzerne. The D&L also runs the National Canal Museum in Hugh Moore Historical Park & Museums.
Contents
What is the D&L Corridor?
The D&L Corridor is a long, connected area in eastern Pennsylvania. It includes five counties: Luzerne, Lehigh, Carbon, Bucks, and Northampton. Big rivers like the Susquehanna, Delaware, and Lehigh flow through it.
Cities in the Corridor
Many important cities are part of the D&L Corridor. These cities have played a big role in the area's history and offer many things to see and do.
Fun Activities in the Corridor
The D&L Corridor wants to make communities better. It does this by protecting natural places and history. Today, you can do many fun things there. These include hiking, boating, camping, biking, and fishing.
The Delaware & Lehigh also runs the National Canal Museum in Easton, Pennsylvania. At the museum, you can visit the Emrick Technology Center and the Locktender's House Museum. You can even take a ride on a canal boat called the Josiah White II.
The Corridor has always connected people and places. This is still a big goal today. The D&L Trail helps link different communities. Each community has its own special nature and history. The Corridor helps save these features and lets people learn about and enjoy nature.
Explore the D&L Trail
The D&L Trail is a 165-mile (266 km) path for many uses. You can walk, hike, or bike on it. The trail follows the old paths where anthracite coal was once moved from mines to markets. It goes through mountains and along the Lehigh and Delaware rivers. You'll see parts of old canals and railroads. This path lets you discover Pennsylvania's wildflowers, waterfalls, and wildlife.
About 135 miles (217 km) of the trail are finished. The trail starts in Bristol in the south. It ends in Mountain Top in the north. Work is being done to extend the trail even further.
Different parts of the trail have local names:
- From Mountain Top to White Haven, it's called the Black Diamond Trail.
- From White Haven to Jim Thorpe, it's the 26-mile (42 km) Lehigh Gorge Trail. This part runs next to the Lehigh River in Lehigh Gorge State Park.
- From Easton to Bristol, it's the 60-mile (97 km) Delaware Canal towpath. This section is entirely within Delaware Canal State Park. It's even a special National Recreation Trail.
The highest point on the trail is 1,785 ft (544 m) in Mountain Top. The lowest point is 20 ft (6.1 m) in Bristol.
Outdoor Recreation
The Corridor has over 100,000 acres (40,000 ha) of public land for outdoor fun. This includes many state, county, and local parks.
Learn About History
The Corridor has hundreds of historical places. These sites tell stories about many things:
- Early Native American groups like the Leni Lenape.
- The anthracite coal mining days and labor movements like the Molly Maguires.
- The Industrial Revolution and big companies like Bethlehem Steel.
- How canals (like the Lehigh and Delaware Canals) and rail transportation (like the Lehigh Valley Railroad) were built.
- The start of nature conservation efforts.
These places also show ideas that became part of the American Constitution. These include religious freedom and equality.
In 2017, the D&L joined with the National Canal Museum. Now, the D&L runs the museum. They share information about how canals were built and used. They also have a collection of important items from the canal era and the Industrial Revolution. This helps the D&L keep the history of the canals alive. They even plan to create traveling exhibits to share the museum's stories with communities along the Corridor.
History of the Corridor
Old Trading Routes
The Corridor has always been a busy place. Long ago, Native American tribes like the Susquehannock, Iroquois, and Leni Lenape traveled through the northern part of the area. The Delaware Canal follows some of these old trading routes. Many Native American villages grew here. Later, European settlers came to these areas looking for new chances.
Coal Mining and Transportation (1700s-1900s)
In 1791, a man named Philip Grinder found anthracite coal in what is now Summit Hill, Carbon County. This "stone coal" was very hard, like rock. It formed over millions of years from squashed plant material. Coal helped the region grow and was important for America's iron and steel industries. The D&L Corridor follows the path this coal took from the mines to the markets.
In the early 1800s, a large system of locks, canals, and towpaths was built. This helped ship anthracite coal and made the mining industry bigger. The Lehigh Canal system led to many new industries and towns. These included sawmills, steel mills, and tanneries. The Delaware Canal helped ship goods and create trade. Both canals together formed a huge transportation system. It stretched from the Appalachian Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean.
In 1862, a big flood destroyed many dams, locks, and canal boats. This caused coal shipping to move more towards railroads.
Railroads also helped move goods and develop the region. Asa Packer's Lehigh Valley Railroad was one of the first important rail lines. It ran from Mauch Chunk to Easton and then to New York City. Other railroads like the Lehigh & Susquehanna, Reading Railroad, and Pennsylvania Railroad also came to the area. They all competed to ship coal and other goods.
The canals and railroads that form the backbone of the Corridor once carried coal, lumber, iron, and steel. They helped power the Industrial Revolution for over a hundred years. Of all the businesses that grew from coal and transportation, none was as big as Bethlehem Steel, known as "The Steel."
A National Heritage Area
In 1988, the U.S. Congress named the Corridor a nationally important area. This was because it has nine National Historic Landmarks, six National Recreation Trails, two National Natural Landmarks, and hundreds of sites listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
A National Heritage Area is a region recognized by the United States Congress. It has special natural, cultural, historical, and recreational features. These features have shaped a unique landscape. The D&L Corridor is one of 49 such areas in the United States.
Heritage areas allow local communities to work together. They protect important resources. This teamwork helps to celebrate America's special places.
The D&L Trail Grows
In 2013, 10 miles of trail were finished from White Haven to Mountain Top. This part is called the Black Diamond Trail. It's the first section of the trail that leaves the Lehigh River. It uses old railroad paths. A new trailhead and parking lot were also built near Mountain Top. This project was funded by a $1.2 million grant.
Other gaps in the trail were also filled. One gap was at State Route 13 in Levittown. Another was between Riverview Park in Palmer Township and Hugh Moore Park in Easton.
Joining with the National Canal Museum
In 2013, the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor started managing the National Canal Museum. This was the beginning of a three-year plan to combine the two groups. By 2017, they officially merged. Now, the D&L is the main organization, and the museum is its main program. The museum is located in the Emrick Technology Center in Easton, Pennsylvania.
Special Connections
In 2017, the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor became connected with the Smithsonian Institution. It was the first National Heritage Area to be recognized as a Smithsonian Affiliate.
