Montour AreaRecreation Commission
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To get more Canal information visit:
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๏http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/pa/indiana/areahistory/thepennsylvaniacanal.txt
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This site gives a nice snapshot of what it took to make a canal.
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๏http://www.colcohist-gensoc.org/Essays/berwickcanal.htm
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This site focuses on the Berwick area and how the North branch canal helped shape the history of that area.
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๏http://www.ironheritagefestival.net/
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Lots of information about all Danville history.
Get involved!
There are two ways to help:
1. Sign-up as a “friend of Recreation” CLICK HERE to send me an email with your name and contact information. Check back on this site often to see how you can help. We will post updates on the “blog-updates” page of this site. We will also contact you directly via email.
2. Send a donation - Sure we need bodies to fix the tow path, but we could also use some dollars. If you believe in the project and have more dollars than time, CLICK HERE to make a monetary donation to this project and others like it in Montour County, PA. Any size donation will be appreciated.
A little about the North Branch Tow path trail as it stands today...
Below are photos and a map of the proposed trail. The section of trail we are specifically interested in is represented by the orange line on the map. This trail will connect Danville with Bloomsburg and provide a venue for exercise, history, and economic opportunities for those interested in “ecotourism”.
In the early 1800’s, the Wikes-Barre area was a major proponent for a canal along the Susquehanna River, known as the North Branch Canal. After nearly four years of aggressive lobbying and political maneuvering, the legislature appropriated funds to start the construction of the canal that would run from Northumberland the New York border. Daniel Montgomery of Danville served as the President of the Board of Commissioners. It was at Berwick on July 4, 1818, that a ground-breaking ceremony took place on July 4, 1828, to start the construction of the canal.
“The Danville digs project”
Today the sprit of the original canal builders lives on... in you!
On July 14th, 2007 MARC joined with the Iron Heritage festival in an effort to recreate the spectacle of canal building 1800’s style!
Who says Americans today couldn’t hack it doing things the old fashioned way?
100 strong-backed, high-spirited people gathered to renovate the past for use in the future.
Heck, they did the hard work, we just fixed it up a bit so that people today and people long into the future can walk, run or bike the trail again and experience the river and the river canal path like people did hundreds of years ago. This grass roots effort was so important because taking a personal interest in this trail allows local people to retain control of this project. Using state and federal grant dollars is a great way to get a trail built, but often the money comes at the cost of the character of the project. PennDot funds projects like this, but PennDot also builds roads. We don’t want a road next to a road! This tow path trail has to capture the feel and history of the original tow path. An 8’ wide paved “road” will destroy the integrity of the path. We honor our forebearers and take this project on at a local level to get started.
Join the celebration!
Each year Danville, PA celebrates its rich and colorful history. Our two highly productive foundries made Danville a “boom town” in the 1800’s. One of the main products was “T-rail” train tracks which revolutionized train travel.
The Iron Heritage festival offers exhibits, vendors, food, fun, music and much, much more. To learn more, CLICK ON THE LOGO.
Runners enjoying one of the completed levy sections of the greenways trail
Cleared section of trail as it appeared last winter.
Here the footer for the old lock house can be clearly seen
A section of the lock. Over the years, some rocks have been removed and used for other buildings in the area.
Show below are some of the original canal builders. On July 14th, 2007 their spirt was honored by recreating their efforts and working hard to reestablish the Canal tow-path trail.
Present day canal workers. Can you tell the difference?
SOME OF THE WORK WE ACCOMPLISHED - included signage, fences, and one mile of new cleared trail!
