The Morris Canal (1829–1924) enabled anthracite coal from northeast Pennsylvania to flow to the New York City metropolitan area, helping spur growth and the Industrial Revolution in northern New Jersey and the Big Apple.
On Newark Avenue west of Berkeley Avenue when traveling west.
At this location the canal crossed Second River on a wooden aqueduct. The aqueduct and canal's five-foot depth made this a popular summer diving and swimming spot for Bloomfield's youth. — — Map (db m47151) HM
On Hudson Street at Essex Street, on the right when traveling south on Hudson Street.
In 1822 George P McCulloh, a Morristown businessman conceived the idea for the Morris Canal.
The canal would cross the State of New Jersey from the Hudson River at Jersey City to the Delaware River at Phillipsburg.
Rising a total of 914 . . . — — Map (db m239442) HM
Near Greene Street, 0.1 miles south of Essex Street, on the left when traveling south.
Still existing today are the remnants of the Morris Canal, an artificial waterway constructed in the 19th century to connect the New Jersey counties between the Hudson and Delaware Rivers.
You Can Still See
The Sugar House, located just . . . — — Map (db m239444) HM
Near Washington Street, 0.1 miles south of Dudley Street, on the right when traveling north.
The building standing on the other side of the Morris Canal Big Basin is the Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal. Built in 1889, the complex represented the greatest concentration of rail facilities in the New York Harbor area during that . . . — — Map (db m239445) HM
On Van Vorst Street at Essex Street, on the right when traveling south on Van Vorst Street. Reported unreadable.
The Morris Canal was an engineering marvel. Created by manual labor, it was mainly intended to transport coal from Pennsylvania's anthracite coal fields to northern New Jersey's industries.
In 1831, the canal operated from Phillipsburg on . . . — — Map (db m239391) HM
Near Washington Street, 0.1 miles south of Dudley Street, on the left when traveling south.
By the late 1850s, the original canal basin (the "Little Basin") proved to small to handle the growing canal traffic. To the south of it, the Big Basin was constructed in 1859. Canal traffic continued to increase during the Civil War years and . . . — — Map (db m239451) HM
Near Washington Street, 0.1 miles south of Dudley Street, on the right when traveling north. Reported unreadable.
The Morris Canal's original shipping basin was constructed here after the 102-mile-long canal reached Jersey City in 1836. The canal, built between 1825 and 1836 and from Phillipsburg on the Delaware River to Jersey City, transported chiefly . . . — — Map (db m239449) HM
On Main Street (County Route 624) at Plane Street, on the left when traveling west on Main Street.
Near this location, over 100 years ago, canal boats heavily laden with Pennsylvania coal were approaching the summit of Morris Canal Plane 7 East.
Much like a canal “lock”, an inclined plane is a simple machine which allows boats . . . — — Map (db m88949) HM
On Powerville Road (Route 618) at Old Denville Road, on the right when traveling north on Powerville Road.
Morris Canal
1824-1924
National Register Landmark
Information
Lock Nos. 9 & 10-East
Stone abutment supported mule bridge. Boats were pulled across river in slack water behind dam.
Morris County — — Map (db m88953) HM
19th Century store on Morris Canal, lock 8 east. Catered to canal boatmen and their families. Property purchased by Samuel Peer in 1852. E.C. Peer served as lock tender 1862-1915. — — Map (db m91610) HM
Near Lakeside Blvd. (County Route 602) south of Brooklyn-Stanhope Road, on the left when traveling south.
Circa 1825 Gatekeeper's House for Lock 67 through which boats entered and left Lake Hopatcong on feeder connecting lake with main canal at Landing. Site of Pre-Revolutionary Brookland Iron Forge nearby. — — Map (db m157242) HM
On Canal Street, on the right when traveling west.
From the mid-1800's to the 1920's, this site named for the prominent King family is where canal boats docked while waiting to transit two inclined planes or a nearby lock. The boatmen bought goods and supplies from local stores, which helped fuel . . . — — Map (db m161747) HM
Pre-Revolutionary salt box dwelling least altered on the Suckasunny Plains. Built by Captain Silas Riggs, who operated three boats on nearby Morris Canal. Moved to present site 1962 — — Map (db m91420) HM
On Washington St. at Schuyler Place, on the right when traveling south on Washington St..
★ The site of two Revolutionary War winter encampments for the Continental Army.
★ One of the nation's major iron-producing centers of the 18th and 19th centuries.
★ Know for construction of the Morris Canal, . . . — — Map (db m176851) HM
On Ladgewood Avenue (New Jersey Route 183) at Main Street, on the right when traveling north on Ladgewood Avenue.
Created in 1846 as the Morris Canal’s Stanhope Reservoir. This lake supplied water that filled the canal and powered local industries. Mules treading an earthen causeway across the lake pulled boats loaded with coal, iron ore, or freight along a . . . — — Map (db m37927) HM
On W. Main Street at Lakeside Drive, on the left when traveling east on W. Main Street.
The Morris Canal and Banking Co. built this circa 1826 culvert to allow the passage over Fox's Brook of canal boats hauling anthracite coal, iron ore and manufactured goods between Pennsylvania and New York. The site remains among the . . . — — Map (db m157531) HM
Near Emmans Road at Canal Street, on the left when traveling north.
The Morris Canal was an engineering marvel of its time. A system of 23 lift locks and 23 inclined planes enabled the canal to overcome more elevation change than any other transportation canal ever built. Large changes in elevation were . . . — — Map (db m33270) HM
On Landing Road south of Lakeside Blvd., on the right when traveling north.
Constructed of native stone by the Lackawanna Railroad, the station was a key link for resort visitors and residents from 1911 into the 1950s. Lackawanna Trains, The Morris Canal, Lake Steamboats, and Morris County Traction Company Trolleys . . . — — Map (db m149142) HM
On U.S. 202, 0.1 miles east of Barney Lane, on the right when traveling east.
Industrial transportation route
extending from Phillipsburg to
Jersey City. The canal, an engineering feat of locks and inclined
planes, revitalized the iron
industry in Morris County.
New Jersey Register of Historic Places
National . . . — — Map (db m41900) HM
Settlement, established as port on Morris Canal and Depot on Morris and Essex Railroad. Fostered development of Wharton Furnace. Borough name changed to Wharton in 1902. — — Map (db m91510) HM
This waterway, conceived in the 1820's, linked Pennsylvania's coal fields, New Jersey's iron industry and New York's commercial markets. For 100 years it flowed between the Delaware and Hudson Rivers.
Gloria J. Kolodziej, Mayor, City of Clifton . . . — — Map (db m64208) HM
On Hamburg Turnpike at Hemlock Road, on the right when traveling north on Hamburg Turnpike.
The sandstone abutment and raceway located on the north side of Hemlock Road are the remnants of the furnace and ironworks that supplied cannonballs to the Continental Army in 1776-1777. Was an active source of supplies during the War of 1812 and . . . — — Map (db m190747) HM
Near Waterloo Valley Road west of Hermitage Road, on the right when traveling east.
Waterloo Village had a unique combination of canal features, found at no other location. The village boasted an inclined plane, a combined guard lock/aqueduct, two mule bridges, a dam, a blacksmith shop, a canal store, and workers' housing. . . . — — Map (db m231652) HM
Near Waterloo Valley Road, on the right when traveling east.
Two hundred years ago, here at Andover Forge, and throughout the State of New Jersey, the Irish settlers, who formed one third of Washington’s army, fulfilled their vision of freedom through their participation in the Revolutionary War. . . . — — Map (db m99031) HM
On Main Street at County Route 601 on Main Street.
Stanhope was a major port of commerce on the Morris Canal in Sussex County, enabling the expansion of the ironworks industry. The Morris Canal, a man-made engineering achievement, operated 1831-1924, and linked the Hudson and Delaware Rivers, . . . — — Map (db m27299) HM
Near Waterloo Valley Road, on the right when traveling east.
The Morris Canal was an engineering marvel of its time. A system of 23 lift locks and 23 inclined planes enabled the canal to overcome more elevation change than any other transportation canal ever built. Large changes in elevation were . . . — — Map (db m99051) HM
Near Waterloo Valley Road, on the right when traveling east.
The inclined planes of the Morris Canal solved a major engineering problem. The canal route had to overcome 1,674 feet of elevation change across New Jersey. The route was chosen for access to the state’s iron industry and to utilize the . . . — — Map (db m99054) HM
Near Waterloo Valley Road, on the right when traveling east.
Peter Smith was a man of vision. Knowing the Morris Canal was about to build a lock and an inclined plane at the Old Andover Forge site, Smith moved his family to the village and built a general store right on the canal. He and his extended . . . — — Map (db m99034) HM
Near Waterloo Valley Road, on the right when traveling east.
Waterloo has been a transportation hub since 1760 when wagons brought pig iron from nearby Andover Furnace to the village’s iron forge. When the Morris Canal opened in 1831, horse-drawn wagons brought iron ore to the docks where it was loaded . . . — — Map (db m99053) HM
On South Main Street (New Jersey Route 122) 0.1 miles south of Sawmill Street, on the left when traveling north.
Early industry started along Lopatcong Creek between South Main Street and the Delaware River. Water, that was readily available from the creek, powered grist and sawmills. The unused water was returned to the creek which then emptied into the . . . — — Map (db m157211) HM
On South Main Street (New Jersey Route 122) 0.1 miles north of Kent Street, on the left when traveling north.
James Campbell (Camel) was born January 16, 1856. He and his wife, Hanna K. Anderson were married on October 9, 1878 and had eight children; four boys and four girls.
James was a "free" born African American who could both read and write. At . . . — — Map (db m157218) HM
On S. Main Street near Carpentersville Road, on the right when traveling west.
Lock 10 West was situated on the N.W. side of S. Main St. with the Lopatcong Creek channel paralleling it. This lock had a lift of 9 ft. It's 3 ft. thick stone walls were 120 ft. long and it's chamber was 11 ft. wide.
A canal store operated . . . — — Map (db m30503) HM
On S. Main Street at Carpentersville Road, on the right when traveling west on S. Main Street.
This bridge marks the western limit of Morris Canal property acquired by the state under agreement, November 29th 1922. The canal was chartered December 31st 1824, and opened for business in 1831. Two miles west of this point, at the Delaware River, . . . — — Map (db m30505) HM
On South Main Street (New Jersey Route 122) 0.1 miles north of Kent Street, on the left when traveling north.
The Successful completion of New York's Erie Canal in 1825 demonstrated to the new nation that improved transportation infrastructure was the key to unlocking the country's great wealth of national resources. The discovery of anthracite coal in . . . — — Map (db m157210) HM
On U.S. 22 at North Main Street, on the right when traveling east on U.S. 22.
"Chintewink," Indian village, 1654. Incorporated, 1861. Terminus of Morris Canal, 1832, and Central Railroad of New Jersey, 1852. — — Map (db m157234) HM
On Main Street at Canal Lane, on the right when traveling south on Main Street.
National Register Landmark
Inclined Plane
No. 5 West
Nearby informational marker (see photo #2):
Main Street canal store sits on the N.W. bank of the canal. Reputedly built by Moore Furan in 1836. Notice the loft openings (center . . . — — Map (db m19145) HM
On Uniontown Road (County Road 519 at milepost 29.4).
Upper Marker:
Inclined Plane
One of the 23 Inclined Planes
used to raise and lower
boats of the Morris Canal,
built in 1831. Phillipsburg
was the western terminus.
Lower Marker:
Morris Canal
1824-1924
National . . . — — Map (db m33604) HM