Lehigh River Facts
The Lehigh River originates with a series of glacial bogs and marshes in the area of Pocono Peak Lake (elevation 2,100 feet above sea level) near the town of Gouldsboro.
It takes about 24 hours for a drop of Lehigh River water to travel the 103 miles of its length.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Lehigh River was referred to as the “West Branch of the Delaware River”, and the area where it entered the Delaware River was called the “Forks of the Delaware”.
The name “Lehigh” is the anglicized version of the Lenni Lenape word “Lechewuekink” which means “Where there are forks.”
Between 1821 and 1966, the Lehigh River was owned by the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company, making it the only privately owned river in the United States. This private ownership continued until a local representative, Samuel Frank, promoted a bill to return control of the river to the state in 1967.’’
The 72 mile Lehigh Navigation Canal System was developed between 1827 and 1829 because of the proximity of the Lehigh River to Eastern Pennsylvania’s natural resources and its ability to link the resources to the marketplaces downstream.
The Lehigh Navigation Canal System was the longest-lasting towpath canal in American history. It remained in full operation until 1932.
The Lehigh River was once the site of several successful steamboat operations, including an excursion vessel that was based at Bethlehems Calypso Island.
The Lehigh River was once the site of several successful steamboat operations, including an excursion vessel that was based at Bethlehems Calypso Island.
Citation: https://ei.lehigh.edu/envirosci/watershed/fastfacts.html
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