1. Delaware and Hudson Canal High Falls, New York: A Case Study Photos by Shaun Boyce

2. The D&H Goal: Link coal mines owned by William and Maurice Wurts to transport anthracite coal from PA to the Hudson River and NYC. It opened in 1828 and closed in 1898. Other canals had been built: Erie (NY), Morris (NJ).

3. Source: Jim Irwin (2010) Wikipedia

4. The first 16 miles A Gravity railroad from Carbondale to Honesdale. Designed by John B. Jervis, the D&H chief engineer. Used steam engines, incl. the Stourbridge Lion and inclines to cart coal. The coal crossed the Hoosic Mtns.

5. From Honesdale, PA to the Rondout (Kingston) 108 miles and 108 locks The canal itself was 32’ at the top, 20’ at bottom, depth of 4’. Locks were 76’ x 10’, and canal boats carried 20- 30 tons of coal. Speed was 1-3 mph. Pulled by mules, it was a 7-10 day roundtrip In later years the canal was widened and deepened so boats could carry 140 to

6. Locks 16-20 High Falls, NY

7. Family Life Italian and Irish immigrants labored to build the canal. Families lived aboard the canal barges. Everyone worked. Orphaned children called hoagies would work 15- 20 hour days. D&H policy was to save a mule before a child if both fell into the water. Villages sprang up along the canal as industries were created along the route.

8. Results of Canals on Hudson Valley Direct: – The economy in the valley expanded as the cost of transporting goods dropped by 90%. – Canal fees kept taxes. Indirect: – NYS became the financial capital of the world. – Upstate settlement led NYS to be the most populous state. – The Hudson became part of a national transportation network.