The Leiper Canal

~ Welcome ~

THIS VIEW OF THE LEIPER CANAL WAS TAKEN IN THE 1930'S, THE EXACT SITE IS UNKNOWN. PARTS OF THE CANAL COULD BE SEEN TILL THE 1980'S WHEN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BLUE ROUTE ERASED THE LAST PARTS OF THE CANAL.

THE LEIPER CANAL WAS BEGUN IN 1828 AND COMPLETED IN 1829, TO TAKE THE PLACE OF THE LEIPER RAILROAD {1809 TO 1828}. ALTHOUGH THE LEIPER RAILROAD WAS ENTIRELY IN NETHER PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP THE MAJOR PORTION OF THE CANAL WAS IN RIDLEY TOWNSHIP. THE LEIPER FAMILY OWNED SEVERAL QUARRIES IN BOTH RIDLEY AND NETHER PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIPS AND NEEDED TO TRANSPORT THE STONE DOWN TO WHERE THE CRUM CREEK WAS DEEP ENOUGH SO THE STONE COULD BE LOADED ONTO BOATS AND THEN TAKEN OUT TO THE DELAWARE RIVER. BUILDING STONE AND CURBSTONE WHERE THE MAIN PRODUCTS OF THE QUARRIES.

ALTHOUGH THE ORIGINAL CANAL WAS PLANNED TO BE BUILT IN 1790 BY THOMAS LEIPER {1745-1825} AND USE CRUM CREEK, THE STATE LEGISLATURE TURNED THE IDEA DOWN, REFUSING TO SUPPLY FUNDING. JOHN AND ISAAC MCILVAIN ALSO OBJECTED FEARING THE LOSS OF WATER WOULD EFFECT THEIR MILLS ON CRUM CREEK. THE IDEA FOR THE 1790 CANAL WAS ABANDONDED AND THE LEIPER RAILWAY BUILT IN 1809 TO TAKE IT¹S PLACE.

THOMAS¹S SON, GEORGE G. LEIPER REVIVED THE IDEA AFTER HIS FATHER¹S DEATH AND WORK BEGAN ON THE CANAL IN AUGUST OF 1828. ALTHOUGH THE RAILROAD HAD USED RIDLEY CREEK TO FLOAT THE STONE OUT, THE CROSBY FAMILY WHO OWNED BOTH SIDES OF RIDLEY CREEK IN RIDLEY TOWNSHIP OBJECTED TO THE CANAL FEARING IT WOULD TAKE TOO MUCH WATER FROM THE CREEK AND THAT THEIR WATER POWERED MILLS WOULDN¹T HAVE ENOUGH WATER OPERATE. THE CANAL TOOK JUST OVER A YEAR TO COMPLETE AND WAS OVER TWO MILES LONG.

AUGUST 1828 UPLAND UNION

"GEORGE G. LEIPER, OF RIDLEY TOWNSHIP, COMMENCED HIS CANAL ON MONDAY WEEK LAST, AND ONE LOCK IS NEARLY COMPLETED. THE LENGTH OF THE CANAL WILL BE NEAR A MILE, AND WILL BE OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO THIS SECTION OF OUR COUNTY. IT WILL BE CONNECTED WITH CRUM CREEK, WHICH EMPTIES INTO THE DELAWARE, AND WHEN COMPLETED (WHICH WILL BE DONE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE) WILL HAVE A TENDENCY TO ENHANCE THE VALUE OF PROPERTY IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, AS WELL AS OPEN A DIRECT WATER COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PHILADELPHIA AND THE STONE-QUARRIES BELONGING TO MR. LEIPER THERE ARE SEVERAL MILL-SITES NEAR ITS LOCATION."

OCTOBER 13, 1829 UPLAND UNION

"THE LEIPER CANAL CELECRATION,- ON THURSDAY LAST, THE 8TH INSTANT, THE GRAND CEREMONY OF NAVIGATING THE LEIPER CANAL TOOK PLACE. IT IS A LITTLE BETTER THAN A YEAR SINCE THE COMMENCEMENT OF THIS GREAT WORK OF INDIVIDUAL ENTERPRISE, AND ITS RAPID COMPLETION APPEARS ALMOST LIKE A DREAM TO ONE WHO WITNESSED THE LAYING OF THE CORNER STONE. THE ORIGINAL PROJECTOR OF THIS CANAL, IT IS WELL KNOWN, WAS THOMAS LEIPER (NOW DECEASED), WHO, OWING TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES IN THE YEAR 1790, WAS UNABLE TO CARRY HIS PLAN INTO OPERATION. THE PROJECT HAS, HOWEVER, BEEN SUCCESSFULLY CARRIED INTO EFFECT BY HIS ELDEST SON, GEORGE GRAY LEIPER, TO WHOM THE CITIZENS OF DELAWARE COUNTY ARE INDEBTED FOR ONE OF THE GREATEST WORKS OF INDIVIDUAL ENTERPRISE TO BE FOUND IN THE UNITED STATES."

"AT ONE O¹CLOCK THE LADIES WERE ESCORED TO THE CANAL BOAT ŒWILLIAM STICKLAND¹, A BEAUTIFUL BOAT ABOUT FIFTY-FIVE FEET IN LENGTH, AND NAMED AFTER THAT DISTINGUISHED ENGINEER. IN THE STERN OF THE BOAT WAS STATIONED A BAND OF MUSIC, WHICH PLAYED DURING THE PASSAGE OF THE BOAT UP TO THE QUARRIES, A DISTANCE OF NEARLY TWO MILES, SOME OF THE MOST FASHIONABLE AND PATRIOTIC AIRS. ATTACHED TO THE BOAT WERE TWO HANDSOME FULL-BLOODED WILD-FLOWER COLTS, NEARLY DECORATED WITH COVERS, AND TRIMMED WITH RIBBONS. AT HALF-PAST ONE O¹CLOCK THE SIGNAL WAS GI VEN, AND THE PROCESSION MOVED ON IN CARRIAGES, GIGS, AND GENTLEMEN ON HORSEBACK ACCOMPANIED THE BOAT AAS SHE SMOOTHLY GLIDED THROUGH THE UNRUFFLED STEAM TO HER PLACE OF DISTINATION. THE SIGHT, AS MANYWELL BE IMAGINED, WAS TRULY GRAND AND IMPOSING. WHEN THE ŒWILLIAM STRICKLAND¹ ENTERED THE FIRST LOCK (THE ELIZABETH LEIPER LOCK, NAMED AFTER THE WIFE OF THE VENERABLE PROJECTOR), THREE CHEERS WERE GI VEN. IN A FEW MINUTES AFTER SHE ENTERED THE THOMAS LEIPER LOCK, WHICH FOR BEAUTY OF STONE AND SUPERIOR WORKMANSHIP IN UNRIVALED IN THE UNITED STATES. SUCH IS THE OPINION OF THE MESSRS. STRICKLAND AND STRUTHERS, OF PHILADELPHIA AND MAJOR BENDER".

"ON THE THOMAS LEIPER LOCK THE DELAWARE COUNTY VOLUNTEER BATTALION, UNDER THE COMMAND OF LIEUT-COL. HENRY MYERS, WERE POSTED, AND AS SOON AS THE BOAT PASSED THROUGH IT A NATIONAL SALUTE WAS FIRED BY THE PENNSYLVANIA ARTILLERISTS, ACCOMPANIED WITH MUSKETRY. THE BOAT WAS PRECISELY ONE HALF-HOUR FROM THE TIME SHE LEFT THE GREAT SOUTHERN RD. UNTIL SHE ARRIVED AT THE MANSION OF HON. GEORGE G. LEIPER. THE LADIES WERE THEN LANDED, AND THE BOAT PRECEEDED ON HER PASSAGE UP TO THE QUARRIES WITHOUT ANY ACCIDENT HAVING OCCURRED TO IMPEDE HER PROGRESS.

"THE TROOPS THEN PARADED IN FRONT OF THE MANSION OF MR. LEIPER, AND WERE ADDRESSED BY HIM IN A VERY HANDSOME AND APPROPIATE MANNER. ON THIS AS ON ALL OTHER OCCASIONS THE HOSPITABLE DWELLING OF MR. LEIPER WAS THROWN OPEN, WHERE THOSE WHO FELT DEPOSED TO REFRESH THEMSELVES WERE KINDLY INVITED."

"THERE WERE AT LEAST ONE THOUSAND PERSONS PRESENT AT THE CELEBRATION, AND HAD THE WEATHER BEEN MORE FAVORABLE WE BELIEVE THERE WOILD HAVE BEEN A MUCH GREATER NUMBER. WE ARE HAPPY TO SAY, ADMIST ALL THE BUSTLE INCIDENT TO SUCH A PARADE, NO SERIOUS ACCIDENT HAPPENED TO MAR THE PLEASURES OF THE DAY."

THE CANAL BEGAN UNDER WHAT IS NOW THE SPROUL BRIDGE ON RT. 320 IN SWARTHMORE. THE AREA UNDER THE BRIDGE WAS KNOWN AS "AVONDALE" THE SITE OF GEORGE LEIPER¹S LARGEST QUARRY. THE QUARRY CLOSED IN 1942 AND FOR SEVERAL YEARS AFTER A LARGE STONE CUTTING MILL STOOD AND IT WAS HERE THAT THE CANAL BEGAN. THERE WAS A LARGE DAM HERE TO SUPPLY WATER AND A TOTAL OF FOUR DAMS WERE USED TO OPERATE THE CANAL. THE CANAL FOLLOWED THE ACTUAL BED OF CRUM CREEK TO ABOUT 100 YARDS NORTH OF TODAY¹S BULLENS LANE. HERE AT THE HOME OF GEORGE G. LEIPER THE CANAL SEPERATED FROM THE CREEK GOING ON THE WEST SIDE OF CRUM CREEK. AT THE GEORGE LEIPER MANSION WAS THE THOMAS LEIPER LOCK FOR THE CANAL. A SECOND LOCK THE ELIZABETH LEIPER LOCK WAS ABOUT 100 FEET SOUTH OF BULLENS LANE.

THIS AREA WAS KNOWN AS "LAPIDEA" AND WAS THE SITE OF A SMALL VILLAGE OF STONE CUTTERS AND WORKERS FOR LEIPER¹S QUARRIES. A STONE MILL SOUTH OF BULLENS LANE STOOD TILL THE 1980¹S.

JUST SOUTH OF BULLENS LANE LOOKING TOWARD MACDADE BLVD. ONE CAN STILL SEE THE FILLED IN REMANETS OF THE LEIPER CANAL. SOUTH OF BULLEN¹S LANE THE CANAL AGAIN BECAME PART OF CRUM CREEK FOR ABOUT 100 YARDS. IN THE AREA OF TODAY¹S JEFFERSON AVE. THE CANAL SEPERATED FROM CRUM CREEK FOR THE LAST HALF MILE THIS TIME GOING ON THE EAST SIDE OF CRUM CREEK. THE CANAL ENDED ABOUT 100 YARDS SOUTH OF TODAY¹S CHESTER PIKE ABOUT WHERE THE BALDWIN TOWERS OFFICE BUILDING IS TODAY.

THE ASH MAP OF 1848 SHOWS THE CANAL WHEN IT WAS STILL IN OPERATION AND THAT MAP WILL BE ON MY SITE LATER THIS YEAR.

THIS PICTURE SHOWS THE REMAINS OF THE THOMAS LEIPER LOCK WHICH STOOD NEAR THE HOME OF GEORGE G. LEIPER. THE LEIPER HOME STOOD ABOUT 100 FEET OF TODAYS BULLENS LANE, JUST EAST OF I476, THE BLUE ROUTE. THIS PICTURE IS LOOKING SOUTH.

(LEIPER LOCK & LEIPER MANSION) WATER ENTERING THE REMAINS OF THE THOMAS LEIPER LOCK ABOUT 1900. THIS VIEW IS LOOKING NORTH TOWARD RT. 320. THE GEORGE LEIPER MANSION IS JUST BEHIND THE TREES ON THE LEFT.

A RARE SIDE VIEW OF THE ELIZABETH LEIPER LOCK FROM ABOUT 1900. THE WOODEN GATE THAT WAS ONCE USED CAN ALSO BE SEEN. THIS LOCK STOOD JUST SOUTH OF TODAYS BULLENS LANE.

THIS POSTCARD FROM ABOUT 1906 SHOWS THAT THE CANAL WAS STILL IN GOOD SHAPE DESPITE BEING ALMOST 80 YEARS OLD. THE CANAL WAS ONLY ABOUT 8 FOOT WIDE. THIS VIEW WAS TAKEN JUST SOUTH OF BULLENS LANE. THE VIEW IS NORTH AND THE BRIDGE IN THE BACKGROUND IS BULLENS LANE.

~ Site Map ~