The Morris Canal

As a child, I grew up near the old bed of the Morris Canal here in NJ. The canal was built in the early 1800's to transport coal from Pennsylvania to the New York area. The western part of the canal started in Philipsburgh and ended in Jersey City, NJ. Through a series of locks and inclined planes, it traversed the mountainous northern portion of NJ.

I became interested in the canal years ago. Bits and pieces of it are still relatively intact. Most of it though has been filled in, the right of way has been taken up by roads and rail. My office is actually located on top of the canal. A sanitary sewer line runs below us, on the bed of the old canal.

The state has put up signs along the route of the canal with a brief description and points of interest.

Fact sheet can be found here...

http://www.canalsocietynj.org/morrisfact1.pdf

and more detailed info and old photos here...

http://www.canalsocietynj.org/