Roebling's Delaware Aqueduct

Click on any photo to enlarge image.

(Aqueduct=An artificial channel or canal for conducting water from one place to another). This aqueduct is also located in Lackawaxen Pennsylvania less than a quarter mile from the Zane Grey Museum.

Now known as the Roebling bridge this is the oldest wire suspension bridge in the U.S. Begun in 1847 as one of 4 suspension aqueducts on the Delaware and Hudson Canal. It was designed and it's construction was supervised by John A. Roebling, who was also the engineer of the Brooklyn Bridge, among many other bridges. This aqueduct was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1968, and is also designated a National Civil Engineering Landmark. This is part of the Delaware and Hudson (D&H) canal and gravity railroad system. It was used as a transportation system between the coal fields of Northeastern Pennsylvania and markets on the Hudson river.

This is only one of 4 suspension aqueducts designed by John Roebling for the D&H Canal. There was once a ferry that crossed the Delaware here and caused many problems with timber that was being floated down the Delaware to Trenton and Philadelphia. One problem is it was a major bottleneck and there were also collisions with timber rafts so this aqueduct and three others were built to alleviate this problem.

It operated for 50 years and then was converted to a private toll bridge between Pennsylvania and New York.

In 1980 the National Park Service purchased the aqueduct and preserved it as part of the Delaware Scenic and Recreational River. The protrusions on the upper side of the bridge are ice breakers. You can either walk or drive across the bridge.

All of these photos are taken on the Pennsylvania side of the aqueduct, the opposite side is New York.

Zane Grey Museum

This museum is located in Lackawaxen, Pa. alongside the Delaware River. For information on driving directions and operating hours call 570-685-4871.

Zane Grey was born on January 31, 1872 in Zanesville, Ohio. He recieved a scholarship to the University of Pennsylvania earning a degree in Dentistry in 1896. He had his own Dental practice in New York City. Later he left Dentistry to persue writing full-time. Most people know Zane Grey for his western novels but he also published many other articles and books. This museum was once Zane Grey and his wife's house. It is now owned and operated by the National Park Service. Just down the road is the Roebling Delaware Aqueduct which I will highlight in my next posting. This area is very scenic and it is located in the far Northeastern region of Pennsylvania. In fact if you cross the Delaware river you are in New York State.