Delaware and Lehigh Valleys Coal Iron Steel and Canals

The Coal Iron Steel and Canals of the Delaware and Lehigh Valleys

The Delaware & Lehigh five county region of Northeastern Pennsylvania developed in the late 18^th Century as a result of the anthracite mines, the iron and steel industries, and the canals built to reach Philadelphia .

Land People and History the Lenape of the Delaware Valley hunted deer, grew grains and vegetables, and caught seafood along the coast.  The Lehigh Valley was of great importance because it was one of their main east-west pathways, intersecting with major north-south aboriginal trails in the Delaware Valley. Despite its prominence as a crossroads, the Great Valley was the site of few permanent villages, although they often camped at the confluence of the Lehigh and Delaware rivers in what is now Easton.

  

 

Delaware and Lehigh Valley Local Native Plant Gardens, Family fishing in New Hope and Bristol Amish Market 
The first Europeans in the Lehigh Valley were Scots-Irish who followed the Saucon and Indian creeks and established settlements in today’s Northampton County. Large numbers of Germans came into the Lehigh Valley in the 1730s.  Among them were the Schwenkfelders from Saxony and Mennonites, known for their skills as craftsmen and millers, and for establishing schools.  Most of the Germans became known as Pennsylvania Dutch and grew maize, squash, wheat and livestock. At least 50 different nations and ethnic groups have been identified among the immigrants of the 1800s; many arrived at Ellis Island and traveled straight to the Lehigh Valley. Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton thrived by the late 19^th Century.
The Delaware and Lehigh Valleys played a major role during the American Revolution. George Washington’s crossed the Delaware River in 1776, the second reading of Declaration of Independence was held in Easton and the Liberty Bell was hidden from the British here.

The Discovery of Anthracite in 1791, Carbon County set the stage for America’s Industrial Revolution, the founding of small towns, the birth of industrial powerhouses such as Bethlehem Steel and the development of the Lehigh and Delaware Canals. Also known as stone coal because of its rock-like hardness, it appeared atop hills and under valleys in seams or veins up to 12 feet thick. Industries involving iron, steel, Portland cement and zinc processing flourished, followed by tanneries, silk and textile mills. These raw materials led to commercial, transportation and cultural opportunities along a 165-mile route through the Wyoming, Lehigh and Delaware Valleys.

Planning Your Trip assumes uniquely local dimensions wherever you go; the activities that you, the visitor – local, or global –  select and irrespective of the length of your stay, are unique of the community you are visiting and rooted into the local economy, history and traditions.

TEMA develops personalized travel itineraries based on client interests by leveraging an in-depth knowledge of your destination, superior client service in the planning stages and throughout the trip or event as well as logistics expertise to reduce accommodations and transport costs and transfer times.

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Transportation and Communications the Lehigh River carved a trail that would eventually become the backbone of future transportation routes. Footpaths along the river banks gave way to canals, then to railroads, and finally to modern-day highways. Nowhere is this more apparent than at Lehigh Gap, a dramatic landscape where the Lehigh River breaks through Blue Mountain, also known as Kittatiny Ridge, the final ridge in the Appalachian chain. The Delaware Canal was built during the early 19^th Century from Easton to Bristol on the Delaware River fostering development of textile mills such as the Grundy complex, steel mills like the Fairless Works and planned suburban community like Levittown. Completion of the Lehigh Canal further accelerated development of the Valley.

The 1862 floods destroyed all the dams, locks and canal boats and coal shipping shifted to railroads.  The Lehigh Valley Railroad, which ran through Easton and on to New York City, was the first rail line to have a significant impact. The Lehigh & Susquehanna Railroad and Reading & Pennsylvania Railroad created competition for shipping coal and other goods. The Delaware Canal was a transport link with limited industrial impact on the rural, farm region it flowed through.

Culture and The Environment in more recent times, the region has been in the forefront of land conservation, historic preservation and an arts movement that celebrates land and landscapes. The local culture draws from the Moravian settlements experience in which all men were equal, hence a unique and broad cultural environment in which music, art, education and religious tolerance flourished, as shown in the communal dwellings, churches and industrial structures in Bethlehem and Nazareth.

                                                 

Connect with Tema for Industry and Commerce Travel Itineraries in the Delaware & Lehigh Valleys of Pennsylvania

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Industry and Commerce Itineraries

Destinations where History is Still Being Made

Itineraries designed for American families and friends from abroad interested in experiencing the past, present and future of industrial and commercial development in key regions of the United States.

From Farming and Manufacturing to Services and Sustainability

Several American Communities are transitioning from traditional industrial and commercial activities to technologically innovative ones; in some instances, they are also able to re-establish their traditional economic activities with a successful application of the so called knowledge economy and, in the process, becoming once again competitive in the world marketplace.

Communications Training Small Business and Entrepreneurship

There are several reasons why a community’s traditional economy can succeed in a post-industrial environment. Among them are: the utilization of modern communications technology, updating existing industrial infrastructure, training of the local workforce and the participation of small businesses with the support of local government that often leads to new entrepreneurial opportunities as well.

Preserving and Divulging a Community Cultural Heritage with Local Museums

The travel services industry often plays a key role in generating economic multipliers in a community and Local Museums contribute to local economic development and are a key point of reference in telling the local story that links the past with the future:

Baltimore was the first and remains among the most successful efforts at redeveloping a downtown area. The Inner Harbor is a major travel destination and home to a unique museum made up of historic ships that have served the local community and the nation over time.

Nearby, Maryland’s Capital of Annapolis is a great example of a small town with a tourism vocation as demonstrated by museums that tell us about colonial America and life on the Chesapeake Bay.

In Hershey, the Antique Automobile Club of America Museum traces America’s love affair with the automobile and its cultural and economic contributions, ranging from drive-in movies, to gas stations, diners, shopping malls and long distance business and vacation travel.

In Chicago the Central Manufacturing District CMD a logistics and business incubator that focuses on advanced food production methods energy efficient off-grid and resilient neighborhoods

And out West, museums in Colorado Springs help define a thriving arts and culture scene and retrace for us the many industrial activities, from mining to construction and the Gold Rush, along with a compelling story of transportation, from horses to rail – local and intercity – to air and space.

Local Food Wineries Breweries and a Travel Economy

There are several fascinating examples throughout America of a resurgence in farming that cater to an ever increasing demand for local, quality and sustainable food, wine and ale consumption:

 

In the Washington, DC area, both in the US capital city and its suburban communities, a unique local economy driven by government spending has also fueled the development of downtown and neighborhood construction. This in turn has spawned a demand for nightlife and weekend amenities for both a highly educated and environmentally conscious local population and out of town visitors.

In the Maryland suburbs, the community of Silver Spring has undergone such a transformation and is excellent base from which travelers can take in the sights and monuments of the capital as well as the Potomac River Trails and the coastal communities along Chesapeake Bay.

Similar experiences that provide a uniquely local eno-gastronomical atmosphere with historical and sustainable attractions are present in Southeastern Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia Neighborhoods and Hershey Harrisburg and the Susquehanna River Valley.

Arts Culture and the Environment

Some communities have been in the forefront of land conservation, historic preservation, arts movements that celebrates land and landscapes and water resources management initiatives: 

In the Lehigh Valley, the local culture draws from the Moravian settlements experience in which all men were equal; a broad cultural environment in which music, art, education and religious tolerance flourished, as evidenced by the communal dwellings, churches and industrial structures.

The Brandywine Valley, facing an industrial development that would impact a largely rural community, focused on Development & Conservancy Issues, including floodplain areas that threatened to devastate water supplies in parts of the Delaware River Valley. Local residents bought endangered land and initiated conservation easements that now protect five and one-half miles along the Brandywine River. 

In the city of Philadelphia, the waterfront is now a 6 mile walking and biking destination. Trail features include streetscape improvements along the entire waterfront trail, a bi-directional bikeway, pedestrian walkway and rain gardens that collect the first inch of storm water, relieving the city sewer system during major weather events, as well as benches, bike racks, decorative street pavers and innovative solar trail lighting. Center City offers a thriving culture and entertainment scene as well as contemporary arts museum with training programs and study tours for students, aspiring artists and family traveling.   

Dallas is the first ISO 14001 certified city in the US - the international environmental standard which sets environmental goals for organizations and communities – and among the first to adopt a green building program that now boasts 5 LEED Gold, 1 LEED-EB Silver and 2 certified buildings. New projects in the city include pedestrian-friendly parks such as Main Street Garden, Belo Garden and the Klyde Warren Park. Dallas also is home to the Trinity River Audubon Center, a LEED certified building with many sustainable features: a vegetated roof, rainwater collection system, energy efficient systems and recycled materials.