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Pennsylvania Canal (Susquehanna Division) facts for kids

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Susquehanna Division, Pennsylvania Canal
A network of east-west canals and connecting railroads spanned Pennsylvania from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh. North-south canals connecting with this east-west canal ran between West Virginia and Lake Erie on the west, Maryland and New York in the center, and along the border with Delaware and New Jersey on the east. Many shorter canals connected cities such as York, Port Carbon, and Franklin to the larger network.
Map of historic Pennsylvania canals
Specifications
Locks 12
Status Historic, abandoned
History
Original owner Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Construction began 1827
Date completed 1831
Geography
Start point Northumberland
End point Duncan's Island at the mouth of the Juniata River
Branch(es) Susquehanna Division
Branch of Pennsylvania Canal
Connects to North Branch Division, West Branch Division, Juniata Division Canal, Eastern Division Canal, Wiconisco Canal
Map of Pennsylvania NA
Compare this map with its major roads of today and its terrains with the above canal system map.

The Susquehanna Canal was an important part of the Pennsylvania Canal system. It was built during America's "canal age," a time when canals were the main way to transport goods. This canal helped cut travel time between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh from almost a month to just four days!

The Susquehanna Canal was a special waterway 41 miles (66 km) long. It ran along the west side of the Susquehanna River. Boats on the canal were pulled by mules. The canal connected the town of Northumberland to the mouth of the Juniata River.

At Northumberland, the Susquehanna Canal met two other canals: the West Branch Canal and the North Branch Canal. This made it a key link between canals further north and the main east-west canal route, known as the Main Line of Public Works. This larger system aimed to connect Philadelphia to Pittsburgh and even to Lake Erie.

Building the Susquehanna Canal

Building the Susquehanna Canal was not as hard as some other canal projects. It started in 1827 and was finished by 1831. This allowed it to connect with other important transportation routes. These included the Union Canal and the Allegheny Portage Railroad. The Portage Railroad was a special system that lifted canal boats over the Allegheny Plateau mountains.

Overcoming Challenges at Duncan's Island

Engineers faced a tricky problem at the southern end of the Susquehanna Canal. Here, it met the Juniata Division Canal and the Eastern Division Canal at a place called Duncan's Island. Boats needed to cross the Susquehanna River to get from one canal to another.

To solve this, engineers built a long dam, about 1,998 feet (609 m) long and 8.5 feet (2.6 m) high. This dam created a calm pool of water. Boats could then be pulled across this pool using a wooden bridge with a special path for the mules. Two locks at Duncan's Island helped boats move between the dam's pool and the other canals.

Key Locations Along the Canal

Feature Description
Northumberland This town was at the northern end of the canal.
Duncan's Island This island was at the southern end of the canal.
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