Union Canal

Union Canal is a historic waterway that runs from Middletown to Reading and connects the Susquehanna River with the Schuylkill River. The route crosses Pennsylvania's landscape and includes a notable tunnel cut through solid rock.

Construction of the canal began in 1811 and was completed in 1828, with the tunnel portion built between 1825 and 1827. This connection enabled coal and timber to be transported out of Pennsylvania and goods delivered to Philadelphia.

The canal was a symbol of early American engineering and shows how Pennsylvania residents used water to connect trade and industry. Workers blasted and drilled through rock to make even the most difficult sections passable.

The canal can be visited daily from sunrise to sunset, with guided boat tours offered from June through October. Best orientation is found at the Tunnel Park, where paths along the water are easy to follow.

The 740-meter tunnel was hand-drilled and blasted, revealing the raw force that early workers applied to get through hard rock. This manual labor remains one of the most visible reminders of how construction happened in the 19th century.