A PHOTOGRAPHY BLOG & SNOOPING AROUND HISTORICAL PLACES
This is the “favorite place” that I like to go most all the time. At any time of the year, Spring, Summer, Fall or Winter, it always has something to photograph. Here I’m standing on the cement bridge that cross’s over the River. Old Grings Mill is one the left.
You never know what’s around the next bend.
Later in the morning, I went to my favorite place for some photo’s. The Union Canal Towpath is to the left of the Image. The problem here was I was “bit up” by misquotes! The air was filled with the smell of perfume from the Lady walkers that went by me. Their perfume predominated the air around me. The smell was a bit strong. This is probably why I got “bit up”. Got a number of bites on me. Next time, I will remember to wear some Bug Repellent.
While down at the Union Canal Tunnel Park, I came across this Holding Pond that was once used to hold Canal Barges until it was their turn to go into the Lock that is on the other end of this Image. As you can see, I could go no further. It say’s “Keep Out.”
What is around the next bend? You never know what could be there. Walk soft & quiet.
Built in the year 1879, the Union Canal Tunnel, was the first of it’s kind around the Lebanon County area. Located just outside Lebanon, PA the old Tunnel still stands the test of time from long ago when Canal transportation was a main means of transporting goods from one place to another.
The Canal and Tunnel were all dug & built by Irish immigrants looking for work to support their Family’s. The Tunnel had to be dug thru Limestone rock and each stone was put in place by hand. The Tunnel is 647 ft. long and 20 ft. wide. It took 3 yrs. to build. The first Canal Barge to pass thru the Tunnel was the Alexia, on November 3, 1882.
Back in those day’s there were no gas powered motor’s to power the Barge thru the water. All of them had to be pulled along via Horse or Mule attached via long rope to the Barge. When entering the Tunnel, the horse or mule had to be disconnected from the Barge and then led up a path to the other end where they were connected back again. The Barge had to be “pushed” thru the Tunnel via long poles that were held against the over-head in the Tunnel. They also used the sides to help push the Barge thru.
Over time the Railroad was beginning to be a better and faster way to transport goods from one place to another thus creating the down-fall of the Canal system. The last barge to pass thru was in April of 1903.
Looking down at the Tunnel from the other end.
Thanks for stopping by.
Les
Greetings to all my followers, if I still have any left.
I know that I have not posted anything for about 2 months now, but to tell the truth I always seem to run out of subjects to post about, and there are times that I just don’t have the interest to blog about anything. So, with that all in mind, I hope that you can accept this. Oh yes, there is one other thing. I did have some trouble with my Laptop here, and had to take it for repair. I’ve got it back now, as you can see. Hope that I don’t have to do that again. Get’s a bit expensive.
Well, as I had stated in a previous blog, I had purchased Lightroom CC & Photoshop CC to try and do better with my Images of Historical places that I visit. The above Images is one of them. A few weeks back I had taken a trip down into Lancaster County to see the old Union Canal Historical Park. I had shot a number of Images, but I thought what I’d like to do is try and show what the old Canal used to be used for more than 200 yrs. ago. The old Canal is still here, as you can see, but I added a additional feature to it. I got a hold of a picture from a web-site and placed it in the Canal to show how it might have looked long ago. The above picture took me a few day’s to get it the way I wanted it. It was very frustrating, at times, to learn how to do this using Photoshop CC.
Here is another view of the Canal, as it looked when I was here. The Canal is a extension of the old Union Canal that is up here around my area that I’ve shown before. This Canal was once the major transportation method to carry coal and other goods from as far North as Pottsville, PA and as far South as Philadelphia. Once the Railroad Industry got moving, it basically destroyed the Canal and it’s use. All the Canal’s started fading into History. What you see now, is all that remains from long ago.
This is the same view, but without the Boat that I placed in it. The Canal is about 6ft deep, at places, so the draft of the Barges going up and down here would clear the bottom. I walked around this area for a good 2 hrs. or more. I was a bit warm that day, so I was glad to get back in my car for so cool air. I will return to this area again to see the real Canal Barges that are preserved for all to ride and see. The old Towpath is on the right side of this Image.
Thanks for stopping by
Les
FLANK SPEED (Navy term for full speed). Steady as she goes, Captain!
