I’m pretty sure that all my followers know that I enjoy photographing historic places & structures in or close by my area. For this one, I returned to the ole’ Leesport Lock House that is located about a 20 min. drive from my home. I did this because I found out that the Leesport Historical Society has decorated the outside of the house for the holiday season. Wanted to see what it looked like.
The weather when I took these pics was nice & sunny, but it was cold with a little wind blowing. That was ok for me because I dressed for it. However, I still don’t like cold. This old Lockhouse was built around 1840 to give some travelers who went up & down the Schuylkill Canal a place to stay over-night and maybe have something to eat. The House has 3 rooms on the 1st floor with décor as close as possible to the original furniture as could be. On the left of the House is where the Sitting Room or Parlor is. In the center was part of the kitchen. The last area was where meals were made for those who wanted to eat. Up-stairs on the 2nd floor were 3 bedrooms for over-night guests. The house was heated via fire place that is in the center. No air-conditioning back then!
This is the ole’ Lock #31 that was off to the right of the above picture. Of course, it is no longer here. Only part of it remains to this day.
Taken from the Internet this is what the Lock used to look like with a Canal barge. The barges carried Coal, wood, and other products up & down the Canal when it was a very popular method of transportation. There are very, very few of these barge’s left over. Most of them are gone to history. I know of none. When the barge was approaching the Lock, he had to blow a hand held horn to notify the Lock tender. I’m told that one of these exact horns is on display in the House museum. The tender then opened the large doors, after the barge lowered to another level and let the boat travel on it’s way to Philadelphia. The Lock worked in reverse when traveling up the Canal.
Present day. This is all that remains of the Lock after more than 150 yrs. have passed. The Canal was to the right of the Lock, but has since been filled in. Where the huge Lock doors were attached to the Lock face are still visible. Weather it’s true or not, I’ve been told that in the closing hrs. when the Lockhouse is locked up, there have been voices heard from no-ware inside the house. Is it?
Thanks for stopping by.
Les
PHOTOJOURNAL OF CORKER2 
This is interesting to me. A couple of years ago we visited Lock 60 park in Mont Clare. It’s sort of still set up ( there’s gates and water but it’s not connected really). I have always been fascinated by how locks work though I never saw one in action which I would love to do.
There are very few Locks left around here. The is only 1 left in working condition down near Philadelphia. The Locks of yesterday work the same as the ones as today, but more modern. Thanks for your comment.