Leesport Lock House facts for kids
The Leesport Lock House is a special old house next to a lock on the Schuylkill Canal in Leesport, Pennsylvania, USA. Locks are like water elevators that help boats move up or down a river or canal. This house was built in 1834 right by Locks #36 and #37. Its main job was to help canal barges travel faster along the canal.
The Leesport Lock House is an important historical building. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 9, 1977. In 1975, a group of teachers and school leaders bought the property. They formed the Leesport Lockhouse Foundation. After paying off their loan, they gave the property to Berks County. Today, the Leesport Lockhouse Foundation, Inc. still manages the house and its programs.
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Leesport Lock House
|
|
The Lock House during the flood of 2006.
Notice the water behind the house from the Schuylkill River. |
|
 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 27 E Wall St., Leesport, Pennsylvania |
|---|---|
| Built | 1840 |
| Architect | Lee, Samuel |
| Architectural style | English Farm House |
| NRHP reference No. | 77001123 |
| Added to NRHP | June 09, 1977 |
Contents
Where is the Leesport Lock House Located?
The Lock House is at 27 E Wall Street in Leesport, Pennsylvania. It sits on the east side of the Schuylkill River. For many years, a car wash was next to the Lock House. This car wash was actually built on top of part of the old lock. You can still see pieces of the lock walls just above the remaining lower section.
The Lock House is also across the street from the Union Fire Company #1 of Leesport. The ambulance station for Schuylkill Valley EMS is also nearby.
How the Lock House Helped History
The Schuylkill Canal was built to help transport coal from the Coal Region to Philadelphia. The Schuylkill Navigation Company started building the canal in 1815. The Lock House was built in 1834 to help manage the canal's operations.
For about 20 years, the Schuylkill Canal was the main way to move coal to Philadelphia. But then, the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad was finished in 1841. Just four years later, the railroad was already moving three times more coal than the canal!
The Canal's Decline
Even though the canal continued to carry a lot of coal until 1859, the railroad kept growing. By 1860, fewer and fewer boats used the canal. In 1869, several problems hit the canal hard. A coal miners' strike meant less coal to transport. A drought caused water levels to drop very low. Later, severe flooding damaged many parts of the canal.
The Schuylkill Navigation Company struggled to find money for repairs. So, in 1870, the Reading Railroad leased the canal. By 1890, the canal was carrying less than a tenth of the cargo it once did.
A Symbol of Growth
Even with the canal's decline, the Lock House remained important. It showed how much the Leesport area had grown. Both the canal and the railroad played a big part in developing Leesport's economy.
The Lock House Today
The Leesport Lock House and its surrounding area have been restored. They now look like they did between 1880 and 1910. The Leesport Lock House Foundation takes care of the property.
The Lock House also hosts a fun event every year. It's called the Strawberry and Heritage Festival. This festival takes place in early June.
If you want to see more items from the Schuylkill Canal, you can find some at Hoss's Restaurant. It's located just south of Leesport on Route 61.
See also
- Schuylkill Canal
- Philadelphia and Reading Railroad
- Schuylkill Canal Association
