Charlie’s Photo of the Week Puts Spotlight on Hidden Gem

This week’s Photo is of the Morris Canal Arch, the western end/beginning of the Morris Canal along the shoreline of the Delaware River in Phillipsburg.

The Morris Canal Arch, which I believe you will agree, is a most impressive architectural structure, however, it has been ‘lost’ over the years, literally hidden and overshadowed amid the many large railroad bridges and their huge stone support structures!!

AN OBSERVATION: Now that you are Aware of the Arch, I would like to add to my earlier description concerning the Photo of the Week, where I used the words ‘end/beginning.’ Please also add ‘INTRODUCTION/GATEWAY’! Think in terms of PAST & PRESENT: Historically speaking, the description of western end/beginning was accurate, it just depended on the direction you were traveling!! Presently, I like the wording introduction/gateway, as it’s an introduction to a World Famous Engineering Marvel AND a gateway to many recreational adventures along that canal!! (Please refer to the links below!!)

The view of the arch from across the Delaware River in Easton, Pa. Photo by Charlie Fineran.

A second gateway to consider is the entrance into the many wonderful sites/sights throughout Phillipsburg! A transportation hub, besides the interesting parks and remnants of the Morris Canal, you may also enjoy the everlasting presence of railroads, past and present! Traveling throughout the town, you can enjoy the large stone structures that supported the many railroad bridges and viaducts and tamed the steep hills. Don’t forget to walk along the waterfront section of P’Burg with its many activities!

INTRODUCTION TO THE MORRIS CANAL

From Warren Parks, warrenparks.com/morris-canal-greenway/:

“In the early 1800’s, canals became an alternative transportation route to the rut-ridden, mud-mired highways. New Jersey’s Morris Canal was different from all the other canals. Unique, this canal defied the terrain, literally climbing mountains by way of inclined planes, as it challenged what seemed like an insurmountable elevation, a total of 1,674 feet of elevation changes. The route contained 23 lift locks and 23 inclined planes; seven of each were in Warren County.

“George P. McCulloch, a businessman from Morristown, envisioned an artificial waterway stretching across northern New Jersey as a means of bringing Pennsylvania coal to the fuel starved furnaces of the east and distributing raw materials to the industrialized areas of the state. The Morris Canal was chartered on December 31, 1824 ‘to form an artificial navigation between the Passaic and Delaware rivers.’

“In 1831, the Morris Canal was opened to through traffic from Phillipsburg to Newark. By 1836 it reached Jersey City for a total of 102 miles. Lake Hopatcong was the main source of water and near the summit of elevation change. The technology used on the Morris Canal was simple but innovative. Flat bottomed canal boats were steered with a tiller while the boat was pulled by two mules guided by a young mule driver. The boats traveled through locks and over inclined planes.

“It was the water from the canal entering the powerhouse that set the water powered turbines into motion to raise or lower cradled boats on the inclined plane by means of a cable. This operation was unique to the Morris Canal. With the advent of the faster, more efficient railroads, business on the canal declined. By 1924, despite all efforts, the canal was abandoned, drained, and all but forgotten.”

Curious what the east end of the Canal looks like? This is where it comes out in Jersey City. Photo by Charlie Fineran.

We certainly live in a beautiful and interesting area with many wonderful Natural and Historic Open Space Lands!! It is my hope that your introduction to the Morris Canal Arch serves as a Historic Gateway into a chapter of our Economic Past AND as a Recreational Gateway, creating many wonderful adventures and journeys for you, as you discover these many wonderful sites, both “InsideWarren” and where ever you may roam!!

Link to the Canal Society of NJ: https://canalsocietynj.org/canal-history/morris-canal/

Link to Morris Canal Greenway website: http://morriscanal.org/

Link to Skylands Visitor: http://www.njskylands.com/hsmorriscanal

Link to Colgate Clock, interesting article with nice map showing eastern terminus of the Morris Canal today: https://www.travelagenciesfinder.com/US/Jersey-City/142967722383184/Colgate-Clock-%28Jersey-City%29

Enjoy Your Open Space

Charlie Fineran

Director Open Space
Allamuchy Township Environmental Commission – Chairman
Allamuchy Historical Society – President