Juniata Division Canal
The Juniata Division of the Pennsylvania Canal was one of the five sections of the Pennsylvania Main Line of Public Works. It ran from the Eastern Division canal basin at Duncan's Island, 127 miles to the west to Hollidaysburg, where it met the Allegheny Portage Railroad. Completed in 1832, it was sold to the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1857. The railroad continued to operate it until 1872.
Construction
Work began on the first 40 mile stretch west from Duncan's Island in 1827. Shortly thereafter the rest of the length was authorized. 86 locks were needed to handle the vertical lift of 584 feet from end to end. It had 25 aqueducts to cross tributaries of the Juniata River. In Hollidaysburg, three reservoirs were created to feed the canal with water. The canal basin at Hollidaysburg was 6 feet deep, 120 feet wide and 2 miles long.[1]
Construction was completed in 1832, and the first boat traveled on the canal between Huntingdon and Hollidaysburg on November 27, 1832. However, problems with the construction of the west end were found, and several bridges and aqueducts had to rebuilt before reopening in 1833.[2]
Ownership by the Railroad
The state sold the entire Main Line to the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1857. The railroad continued to operate the canal until a flood destroyed its banks in 1889.[3]
A 1.5 mile section of canal has been restored and watered in Lewistown, Granville Township.[4] The canal basin in Hollidaysburg was renovated and opened as the Canal Basin Park in April 2002.[5]
References
- ↑ Historical Markers: Hollidaysburg Canal Basin
- ↑ William H. Shank, P.E. (2001) The Amazing Pennsylvania Canals ISBN 0933788371
- ↑ The Juniata River Valley Visitors Bureau
- ↑ The Locust Campground
- ↑ Hollidaysburg: Canal Basin Park
External Links
- American Canal Society (The Pennsylvania Canals Index Page has summaries of the divisions taken from The Amazing Pennsylvania Canals, which it published)