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One of the township’s best historical treasures, the Schuylkill Canal’s Lock No. 60 will reopen in its original working condition, following a 10-year restoration project.
Built in 1846, the Lock connects the canal to a forebay, so that boats can access the river. In the 19th century, a Locktender operated the gates and maintained the correct level of water flow to “lock through” barges and boats.
The restoration project, paid for with more than $1 million in federal transportation grants, includes improvements to the forebay and guard wall, the lock’s sluice gates, miter gates, and truss bridge. The Locktender’s house has also been restored and transformed into the Schuylkill Canal Association’s (SCA) headquarters.
When the lock reopens this April, boaters can experience the lock firsthand and visitors can take a tour of the grounds through the Oakes Reach Interpretive Plan. The plan will feature anecdotes and artifacts from people who grew up playing along or living around the canal. To share your story with the SCA, call 610-917-0021 or view www.schuylkillcanal.com.
Gaining Grants for Preservation
The township participates in many preservation studies and applies for various state and federal grants to secure and protect open space and historical areas. Our successes include:
- Lock No. 60 restoration
- Black Rock Park expansion
- Anderson Farm Park development
- Hundreds of acres preserved
Attractions
- Black Rock Dam: a stone-filled timber crib structure surrounding a 3-mile dam pool that fishermen, boaters, and water skiers can all enjoy
- Lock No. 60: a "gateway" on the Schuylkill Canal that allows extra water to flood into a shallower area so that boats may float safely though it, dating back to 1839
- The Lock House: adjacent to Lock No. 60, the former residence of the lock tender, whose job it was to monitor the waterway and open the lock when necessary
- Friends Meeting House: located on Black Rock Road, a Quaker church dating back to 1740
- Far Away Farm: land purchased by William Penn’s sons with a house built on the land by Henry Ewalt in 1761
- Montclair: meaning "Clear Mountain," this house dates back to the mid-1800s and overlooks the river
- Broadview: a Victorian home with a view of the Schuylkill River
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