Pennsylvania Canal Tunnel Explained

Pennsylvania Canal Tunnel
Waterway:(Pennsylvania) Main Line of Public Works
Location:Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Start:Pittsburgh turning basin of the Western Division of the Pennsylvania canal
End:Monongahela River at Suke's Run
Engineer:Meloy and M'Alvey[1]
Length:810 feet
Construction:cut and cover
Opened:November 10, 1829
Closed:1857
Status:abandoned

The Pennsylvania Canal Tunnel was the Pittsburgh terminus of the Pennsylvania Main Line of Public Works, a transportation system that involved other early tunnels.[2] [3] [4]

History

Construction was authorized February 8, 1827,[5] and the tunnel was completed November 10, 1829.[6] The canal crossed the Allegheny River on a covered bridge aqueduct, later replaced by John A. Roebling's first suspension bridge, the Allegheny Aqueduct.,[7] the canal traveled underground through most of downtown Pittsburgh, under Grant's Hill, to end in a lock leading to the Monongahela River.[8] [9]

The original plan was to connect with the C&O canal at the Monongahela River, but that canal never reached its expected western end, and the tunnel's main use was to allow overflow from the canal to enter the Monongahela.[10] Only one or two canal boats ever went through the tunnel and lock.[11] The tunnel was made obsolete by the arrival of the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1852.

The canal tunnel was uncovered during the construction of the U.S. Steel Tower in 1967, and later during the construction of the subway system, which used part of the tunnel on the south side.

Photographs

40.4414°N -79.9947°W

External links

References

Notes and References

  1. Book: Hazard . Samuel . Register of Pennsylvania . 27 December 2009 . 1828 . 2 . W.F. Geddes. Philadelphia . 1751903 . 338 .
  2. Miller, Ralph. "Tunnel Unearthed, City Past Floats Back." Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: The Pittsburgh Press, December 10, 1967, p. 29 (subscription required).
  3. "Pennsylvania Canal, Marvel of Its Age, Swelled City's Trade." Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: The Pittsburgh Press, January 18, 1959, p. 96 (subscription required).
  4. Fleming, George T. "Slow Canal Travel Marked a Long Step in Pennsylvania's Progress." Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, September 23, 1917, p. 33 (subscription required).
  5. Book: Baer. Christopher T. . Christopher T. Baer. A GENERAL CHRONOLOGY OF THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD COMPANY ITS PREDECESSORS AND SUCCESSORS AND ITS HISTORICAL CONTEXT. April 2005 . April 2005 . 1827 .
  6. News: Past 25 years have seen much progress in preservation of local history. Robert B. . Van Atta . . Pittsburgh . 21 April 2002 . 28 December 2009 .
  7. News: The canal that made Pittsburgh great . Robert J.. Feikema . Pittsburgh Post Gazette . May 16, 1999 .
  8. Book: Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh . Pittsburgh, 1758-2008 . Images of America . 2008 . Arcadia . Charleston, SC . 18 . it continued to the Monongahela River, partly through a short-lived tunnel under Grant's Hill. .
  9. Book: Nicklin . Philip Holbrook . A pleasant peregrination through the prettiest parts of Pennsylvania . digitized book . 1836 . Grigg and Elliott. Philadelphia . 106 .
  10. News: Two Canals . . 15 October 1904.
  11. Book: Pennsylvania Supreme Court . Pennsylvania state reports . https://books.google.com/books?id=agBAAAAAYAAJ&q=%22Suke%27s+run&pg=PA365 . 40 . 1862. 364–372 . Munn and Barton versus The Mayor, &c, of Pittsburgh .

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