Schuylkill Navigation Canal, Oakes Reach Section

Watered canal section running about 5.1 miles between the Route 113 bridge near Black Rock Dam and Lock #61 on the Schuylkill River, with locks, a dam, lockhouses and a dry-dock site. Construction of the Schuylkill Navigation system began in 1816, and this section operated from 1824 to 1887 as part of a network that carried anthracite coal and merchandise to Philadelphia. The canal was widened to 60 feet in 1846, and Lock #60 dates to 1838-39, with its lockhouse dated 1839. Black Rock Dam, built in 1840, impounds a pool of about 95 acres. The section is considered significant for its role in moving raw materials and finished goods, and for supporting the growth of the Phoenix Iron Company and nearby villages such as Port Providence and Mont Clare. It is one of only two sections of the Schuylkill Canal still maintained with a controlled flow of river water, making it a rare surviving example of the system.