The History Girl

Barges, Bridges, and Mules: The Story of the Delaware & Raritan Canal Written by NJ Historian New Jersey’s longest state park it is an expansive water and trail network that provides visitors with access to natural beauty, history, and recreation. However, less than 100 years ago, the Delaware and Raritan Canal was a bustling enterprise, employing hundreds and transporting goods and materials between New York and Philadelphia, aiding in the economic growth of the United States during and after the Industrial Revolution. Bridge Tender's home in Griggstown. The Delaware and Raritan Canal was formed in order to provide a water route from the Delaware River to the Raritan River, connecting Philadelphia and New York. Once built, ships would no longer need to sail down the Delaware River into the Delaware Bay and up the Jersey coast to reach ports in New York City. The canal start and end points were chosen to be at Bordentown and New Brunswick, as these were the two cit...