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Alcatraz Island, San Francisco Bay

 

 

Rockefeller Center Skating Rink

Four Ducks in Delaware and Raritan Canal, New Jersey

Most of the D&R Canal system remains intact today and is a reminder of the days when
the delivery of freight depended upon a team of mules or steam tugboats. Thirty-six
miles of the main canal and 22 miles of the feeder canal still exist, with many
historic structures along its entire length.

During the early nineteenth century, when the United States entered into the industrial
revolution, canals were built as transportation routes to link resources,
manufacturing centers and markets. The D&R Canal was built across central New Jersey
to provide an efficient and safe route for transporting freight between
Philadelphia and New York. Since boats could navigate the Delaware River
to Bordentown and the Raritan River to New Brunswick, those two cities were
selected as the canal's two terminuses. To supply water to the main canal
at its highest elevation in Trenton, a feeder canal was dug from Bull's Island
on the Delaware River south to Trenton.

Construction of the D&R Canal began in 1830. Laborers - the majority of
whom are believed to have been migratory Irish immigrants - were hired to dig,
mostly by hand, the main canal and its feeder. The main canal was 44 miles
long, 75 feet wide and 7 feet deep. The feeder was 22 miles long, 50 feet wide
and 6 feet deep. The canal system was completed in 1834 at an estimated
cost of $2,830,000.

Although the feeder canal originally was designed to supply water to the main
canal, it was navigated by cargo vessels from the time of its completion.
Changes to the feeder canal were made to allow vessels from Pennsylvania's
Delaware Division Canal to lock into the feeder canal at Lambertville. Canal
boats and barges were pulled by mule teams at first. Steam-powered ships
were introduced on the canal around 1843.

For nearly a century after it opened, the D&R Canal was one of America's
busiest navigation canals. Its peak years were the 1860s and 1870s when
Pennsylvania coal was transported through the D&R Canal to feed the city of
New York's industrial boom. During this period, 80% of the total cargo
carried on the canal was coal. At the same time that construction began on
the canal, a railroad route through the central part of the state was also
under construction. One year later, in 1831, the canal company and the railroad
company merged forming "The Joint Companies." This merger provided
protection against competition for both the canal and the railroad. In 1855,
the Belvidere-Delaware Railroad completed the laying of track
alongside the feeder canal.

By the end of the 19th century, canal use was declining throughout the
country. The speed and power of the railroad overtook the romance of the canal
era. The D&R Canal's last year of operation at a profit was 1892, but is stayed
open through the 1932 shipping season. After the canal closed, the State
of New Jersey took it over and rehabilitated it to serve as a water supply
system - a purpose it still serves today. In 1973, the canal
and its remaining structures were entered on the National Register of Historic
Places. In 1974, over 60 miles of the canal and a narrow strip of land on both
banks were made a state park. A portion of the Belvidere-Delaware
Railroad corridor from Bull's Island to Frenchtown was added to the park in
the 1980s. The park's trail system was designated a National
Recreation Trail in 1992.
— Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park

Piscataway Tree Trunk

 

Huber Woods Park, Middletown, New Jersey

Enjoy a fabulous view of the Navesink River, and relax as you get away from it all on one of the trails.
Park features: 258 acres of forest and meadows. Other attractions include seven miles of multi-use trails,
and the Environmental Center with hands-on nature displays.

A visit to Huber Woods Park is the perfect opportunity to appreciate facets of nature that are often taken for granted. While you're at Huber Woods, take time amid the scenic beauty and panoramic views to observe small things -- sounds, smells, light and shadow, subtle hints of seasonal changes.

Relax in a meadow or take a walk along a wooded trail. Each experience will enhance your appreciation of the fascinating natural world around you.

Walkers, and equestrians all have favorite trails at Huber Woods. Short or long loops, steep inclines, and gentle grades offer something for everyone. (6 miles of trails)
— Monmouth County Parks

 

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