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Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational RiverSchool students learn about the Delaware and Hudson Canal during Canal Days
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Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River
History & Culture

history & culture includes:

People
Places
Stories
 
 
In the mid-1800s, removing bluestone was backbreaking and dangerous. 
Basket Historical Society of the Upper Delaware Valley
Quarries could be found throughout the bluestone belt of northeastern Pennsylvania and the Catskill Mountains of New York. Piles of leftover stone reveal where a once-vibrant industry existed.
 

The story of the Upper Delaware is much more than just a collection of beautiful pictures.  Joseph Brandt, John Roebling, and Zane Grey lend a texture to the landscape that helps tell the tale of frontier life and the rapid growth of America during the 1800’s.  The Upper Delaware Valley is rich in structures and sites that reflect its history and cultural development. 

 

 
Zane Grey sitting on a fence post
Zane Grey
Prolific western author Zane Grey began his writing career relating stories of the Delaware River
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Life on a canal boat was a family bussiness.
Delaware & Hudson Canal
The D&H Canal was built to carry anthracite coat to markets along the Hudson River.
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The Roebling bridge is the oldest existing wire cable suspension bridge in the United States.
Roebling's Delaware Aqueduct
The Delaware Aqueduct improved efficiency by carrying the D&H Canal over the Delaware River
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Bluestone in Hancock  

Did You Know?
Known as “The Gateway to the Delaware River”, Hancock, New York, is famous for its bluestone and timber industries. Louisville Slugger baseball bats were made from Hancock timber for over 85 and years and its bluestone was used in building the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty.

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Last Updated: July 25, 2006 at 00:31 EST