Port Mercer Canal House, Historic canal house museum in Lawrence Township, New Jersey.
Port Mercer Canal House sits next to the Delaware and Raritan Canal in Lawrence Township. The house dates from the 1830s and displays period architecture with original features including a basement fireplace and an attached kitchen.
The house was built in the 1830s as a residence for the bridgetender who operated the swing bridge for canal boats. It served as home for bridgetender families until 1934.
The Lawrence Historical Society maintains exhibits showcasing the daily life of canal workers and their families during the nineteenth century transportation network.
The house is located near the canal with good access to walking paths along the waterway. The best time to visit is during warmer months when the canal and surrounding landscape are most pleasant.
John Arrowsmith, the final bridgetender, raised a family of eight children here while managing canal operations. His household shows how work and family life intertwined in those early industrial years.
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