The Morris Canal of New Jersey: the Preservation of a Dry Canal
A brief history of the mountain-climbing canal of New Jersey, followed by a description of current efforts to create a greenway along the original route of the Morris Canal.
Length of main canal: 102 mi / Pompton Feeder 4+ miles 23 planes / 23 lift locks / 11 guard locks Elevation gain: 754 ft + 912 ft Original canal: 32 ft wide on top, 20 ft wide at bottom, 4 ft deep Enlarged canal: 40 ft wide on top, 25 ft wide at bottom, 5 ft deep Power source: 2 mules / 5 days for one-way trip Original locks: 9x75 ft / Enlarged locks 11x90 ft Original boats: 10-25 ton 1845 section boats: 44 ton 1860 section boats: 70 ton
Morris Canal Greenway • NJTPA (North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority) • Warren County • Morris County • Passaic County • Essex County • Jersey City • CSNJ (Canal Society of New Jersey) • Other Stakeholders