Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal

Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal

Company type	Canal company
Industry	Transportation
Founded	1836
Defunct	1894
Fate	Ownership transferred to Philadelphia and Reading Railway Company in 1872; ceased operations in 1894
Headquarters	Wrightsville , United States
Area served	Pennsylvania, Maryland
Products	Canal transportation of coal, lumber, grain, iron

The Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal extended for , linking Wrightsville, Pennsylvania with Havre de Grace, Maryland at the head of Chesapeake Bay. Constructed between 1836 and 1840 along the western bank of the Susquehanna River, this canal served as a vital interstate transportation corridor, replacing an earlier canal on the river’s east side. Of its total length, lay within Pennsylvania and within Maryland. Although initial progress was hindered by competition between Philadelphia and Baltimore, the canal ultimately facilitated increased shipments of coal and other raw materials from Pennsylvania’s interior to both cities. Its decline began after 1855 due to the rise of railroad transport. Some original structures remain intact, including lock keeper’s residences in Maryland and locks 12 and 15 in Pennsylvania.

A detailed survey plan illustrating the canal’s infrastructure and land ownership was contributed by Safe Harbor Water Power Corporation to Millersville University’s archives. This undated document spans 67 pages, though the final section covering the lock at Havre de Grace is missing. A counterpart copy is preserved in the Safe Harbor Dam Archives (Brookfield Renewable), but it too lacks completeness.

The survey was finalized in 1875 following the canal’s lease transfer to the Reading Railroad on January 1, 1872. It does not show buildings constructed after that year, such as the John Bair Warehouse (built in 1879), yet it includes remnants like the York Furnace Bridge wrecked in 1856—indicating a completion timeframe between these dates. This is corroborated by William H. Dechant’s biography; as a Reading Railroad surveyor, he completed the canal mapping from Columbia, Pennsylvania to Havre de Grace in 1875.

Rivalry

During the 1820s, Baltimore interests advocated for a canal along the lower Susquehanna River to connect Chesapeake Bay with Pennsylvania’s Main Line of Public Works at Columbia, Pennsylvania, intending to tap interior resources and enhance trade. Philadelphia opposed this initiative out of concern for losing commerce. The 1829 opening of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal near Philadelphia shortened water travel between Havre de Grace and Philadelphia to , which remained only longer than the distance to Baltimore, benefiting both cities. In 1835, the Susquehanna Canal Company of Pennsylvania and Maryland’s Tidewater Canal Company jointly financed construction, which occurred from 1836 through 1840.

Financial challenges

Although toll revenues increased from $42,000 in its first year to roughly $168,000 by 1850, financial difficulties persisted. Building the canal cost $3.5 million compared to an initial capital of $1.25 million, resulting in significant borrowing and debt burdens. After 1855, income from tolls decreased due to flood damage, competition from railroads, and disruptions caused by the Civil War. In 1872, ownership transferred to the Philadelphia and Reading Railway Company, which utilized the canal for coal transportation until 1894 during its initial receivership following the Panic of 1893. Additionally, in 1877, the Pennsylvania Railroad inaugurated the Columbia and Port Deposit Railroad on the opposite riverbank.

Canal features and freight

The canal incorporated 29 locks that managed a total elevation change of . At Wrightsville and near the Columbia–Wrightsville canal basin, it linked with the Eastern Division of Pennsylvania Canal’s Main Line of Public Works. Its primary cargoes included coal, lumber, grain, and iron destined mainly for Baltimore or Philadelphia markets. Vessels paid tolls at a weigh lock located at York Furnace. Boats were drawn by mules walking along towpaths; a distinctive two-level wooden bridge at Columbia allowed mules to cross the Susquehanna River simultaneously in opposite directions. From Havre de Grace onward, tugboats pulled vessels toward Baltimore or other ports; mules on boats heading to Baltimore were replaced there for return trips, whereas those bound for Philadelphia retained their mules for use on connecting canals.

Earlier canal

Prior to the establishment of the Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal, the Maryland legislature granted a charter in 1783 for the Susquehanna Canal to create a commercial waterway along the lower Susquehanna River. The initiative, overseen by Chief Engineer James Brindley (1745–1820), encountered delays by 1786 due to insufficient funding. By 1802, the Proprietors of the Susquehanna Canal had completed a 9-mile stretch of canal running along the river’s east bank, connecting Chesapeake Bay to the border with Pennsylvania. They petitioned Pennsylvania for permission to extend the canal, but no authorization was granted for construction below Columbia until after the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal debuted in 1829, which boosted Philadelphia’s commercial prospects. Financial difficulties, engineering challenges, and poor revenue compelled the Proprietors to sell the canal at a loss in 1817; it was ultimately abandoned in 1840 following the opening of the Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal on the river’s opposite shore. This canal was also referred to as the Port Deposit Canal or Conowingo Canal, and should not be confused with the upstream Conewago Canal near York Haven.

Remnants

Visible remains of this canal can be found within Susquehanna State Park in Harford County, Maryland, located roughly 3 miles northwest of Havre de Grace. This area is part of the Southern Terminal, Susquehanna and Tidewater Canal historic district, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Susquehanna Museum in Havre de Grace has restored the lock house and associated structures at the canal’s southern endpoint. In Pennsylvania, Lock #12 is preserved by PPL near Pennsylvania Route 372 at the southern approach to the Norman Wood Bridge. A pedestrian trail from Lock 12 passes beneath Route 372 to reach the remains of Locks 13; Lock 14 no longer exists. Lock 15 is reachable by vehicle about 1.5 miles south of Lock 12 along River Road and includes educational signage explaining canal operations. Lock 11 was once situated at the Holtwood Dam spillway but has since been removed.

Corporate successor

The corporate entity titled The Proprietors of the Susquehanna Canal continues to exist today. It was acquired by Philadelphia Electric Company and currently falls under ownership of its successor, Exelon. Maintaining its status as a Maryland corporation since 1783 facilitated involvement in constructing the Conowingo Dam.

Points of interest

Feature	Coordinates	Description
Columbia		Borough marking the western endpoint of the Philadelphia and Columbia Railroad and southern end of the Eastern Division Canal
Peach Bottom		Village situated near the canal’s central section
Havre de Grace		City located at the southern terminus

See also

• List of canals in the United States

External links

• Pennsylvania Canal Society
• American Canal Society
• National Canal Museum