Carbon County Section of the Lehigh Canal
Also known as: Upper Canal Lock #1 to Lower Canal Dam #3
Why it's listed
Along the Lehigh River between Locks 1 and 18 near Weissport, this canal carried anthracite coal to market. Construction began in 1816, with Canvass White serving as chief civil engineer, and through navigation opened in 1829. The valley route includes eighteen locks, two guard locks, two guard dams, remnants of eight lock keeper houses, and about twelve miles of towpath. Mule-drawn boats of roughly 16 by 35 feet, often linked in pairs, hauled coal, slate, flagstone and timber. Mills, boat yards, coal docks and furnaces grew along the banks because of the water route. Floods in 1841 and 1862 damaged the system, and railroad competition reduced traffic. Regular commercial traffic ended in 1931. Its engineering and industrial remains, including archaeological ruins and intact lock structures, are still visible today.
Significance in brief: The canal carried anthracite coal to market and helped develop industry and settlement along the Lehigh River. The nomination also points to the engineering quality of the system and to the surviving ruins and lock structures, which can still be studied.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 79002179, listed August 10, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Along Lehigh River, Weissport and Vicinity |
|---|---|
| County | Carbon County |
| Listed | August 10, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002179 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 1829-1931 |
| Architect / builder | Canvass White (chief civil engineer) |
| Areas of significance | Transportation |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Commercial shipping on the canal stopped in 1931; the Carbon County section is described as in good condition, with a small portion altered by road construction. |
| Coordinates | 40.82952, -75.67755 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 79002179.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.