Morris Canal, Historic canal district in New Jersey, United States
The Morris Canal stretches 107 miles (172 km) across northern New Jersey, linking the Delaware River near Phillipsburg to Newark Bay close to Jersey City. Preserved sections, lockhouses, and remnants of water-powered installations now form an extended heritage district documenting this historic engineering achievement.
Construction began in 1824 and finished in 1831 to transport coal from Pennsylvania to industrial areas in northern New Jersey. The route lost ground after 1860 as railroads took over freight services and was finally shut down in 1924.
The name Morris comes from early landowner Robert Morris, who held property rights in this part of New Jersey. Along preserved sections, visitors can still see the characteristic lockhouses and some original mechanisms that show how water flow was controlled.
The Morris Canal Greenway provides walking and biking routes through several counties, linking preserved canal sections with public parks. Most access points are open freely and allow a day trip along the historic waterways and locks.
The system used 23 inclined planes with water-powered cable winches to lift boats over elevation changes of more than 900 feet (274 m). This method was unusual at the time and allowed vessels to climb steep slopes without long rows of locks.
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