D & H Canal Park at Lock 31

< USE ARROWS ON PHOTO ABOVE TO MOVE THROUGH SLIDES >

The D&H Canal Park at Lock 31 has 16 beautiful acres to explore. The site features the historic Daniels Farmhouse (circa 1820s), the D&H Canal, and Canal lock 31. Throughout the park you can read the many interpretive signs giving a brief history of the site. A walk along the towpath reveals many local tree varieties (some rare!), scenic views and many species of wildlife living along the Lackawaxen River. The newly built ADA accessible pavilion in the bed of the canal features a life sized exhibit of the interior of a canal boat cabin. The pavilion is available for rental. Call (570) 253-3240 for further information.

The park is open dawn to dusk.

The Delaware & Hudson Canal is a 108-mile-long civil engineering achievement, built over three years largely by hand. The D&H Canal was conceived by the Wurts brothers as a means to transport anthracite coal from their Pennsylvania mines to the Hudson River at Kingston, New York, from where it was shipped downriver to New York City. This 108-lock waterway operated from 1828 until 1898. After 70 years of operation it no longer was practical to transport the coal and other materials on the canal when compared to using the railroads. In 1898 the last coal boat made the trip from Honesdale to Kingston. After the canal was closed it was drained and the canal land was sold and split up.

Click here for park history page.

If you would like more information on the park and its events, please contact the Wayne County Historical Society (570-253-3240) or scroll down this page for out latest park newsletter and upcoming events.

2021 Calendar of Events

April 17, 9 AM, sign in - Tree Harvest. Eighteen dead or dying ash trees along the Towpath Trail will be professionally taken down prior. If you can safely operate a chain saw or assist those doing so, we can really use your help. Those who do, are welcome to any of the wood.

May 1, 9 AM sign in to noon - Spring Clean-up. Barbeque lunch will be provided to those who help pick up trash, rack the grass, weed the flower beds, clear trails & more.

May 15, 10 AM & 2 PM – Spring Guided Walk, $15.00/person, due time of registration via www.WayneHistoryPA.org, 25 person limit/walk

August 21 10 AM – 4PM – 8th Annual Canal Festival Help make this popular event possible by donating two hours or becoming a sponsor.

October 9, 10 AM & 2 PM - Fall Guided Walk, $15.00/person, due at time of registration via www.WayneHistoryPA.org, 25 person limit/walk

October 9, 4:30 – Annual Friends of Canal Park Appreciation Dinner & Meeting – You’re a friend of the park if you donated your time and/or financially supported one of its many projects.

Spring 2021 Newsletter

by Sally Talaga, Canal Park Committee Secretary, sltalaga@gmail.com

Pavilion’s canal “boat” cabin and details
Before winter arrived, volunteers enclosed most of the north end of the pavilion, providing secure storage for grounds maintenance equipment. Donated rider and push mowers were then moved inside. A replica of an interior of a canal boat cabin is now viewable through a large window from the south side of the enclosure. Electric service to the building and canal “boat” details will soon be added by professional contractors. Click here for slideshow of pavilion progress and projected completion.

Lock House Restoration – Last fall volunteers installed additional supports from the basement to two dance hall ‘s sagging beams, bringing the building closer to obtaining its Certificate of Occupancy.

Electrical Plan - its approval and installation has not yet been accomplished.

Plaster repairs - will hopefully still be done this year by professional restorers.

Six over six window sashes - Salvaged from a soon to be demolished Honesdale home, eighteen six over six window sashes are now ready to replace non-original two over two sashes, in nine of first floor windows. Volunteers were able to reuse most of the original glass panes after layers of paint were removed from the frames. Hopefully, we will soon be able to do the same to the remaining sashes, thereby restoring the lock house’s exterior to its original appearance.

Fall 2021 Newsletter

by Sally Talaga, Canal Park Committee Secretary, sltalaga@gmail.com

8th Annual Canal Festival on August 21st - fell on a weather “window” with heavy rain just prior to setting up and after tear down. 1,760 people attended setting a record! New this year was the popular PA WoodMobile, which was provided free by the PA Hardwoods Development Council of the PA Department of Agriculture. This traveling exhibit, house in a 34-foot trailer, provided information on the state’s Forest resources and the state’s forest products industry.

Name the Park’s Mule Mascot Contest - was conducted during this event with e-mail submissions accepted prior to the Canal Park Committee’s meeting and voting on September 12th. Danial (aka Dan) to go along with the lock house’s name, was the winner submitted by Alan Kehoe.
Thanks to the following volunteers which made this successful event possible: Kelly Alogna, Betty LaTournous Barnes, Kay Bates, Peter Becker, Karen Burk, Joe & Sue Bouselli, Sarah & Elizabeth Canfield, Margi Coccodrilli, Tom Colbert, Emilia DeMaio, Don Drewett, Carol Dunn, Mike & Kim Fisch, Terry Grant, Roger Hermans, Sharon Herzog, Alan Kehoe, Dorothy Kieff, Erika Kuta, Ed & Jane McNulty, Linda Malakin,Fred Murray, Lisa Ohliger, Renee & Chris Palmer, Noah Parry, Peg Pearsall, Jorge Perez, Estella Rojas, Joan Russo, Connor Simons, Joy Simons, Jason Smith, Roxanne Smith, Sally Talaga, Jim VanOrden, Frank Ward, Rod Werner & four of his grandchildren
Thanks also to the following sponsors - David Katz Foundation, AM Skier Insurance, Pioneer Construction, Grimm Construction Inc., REMAX Wayne, Wayne Memorial Hospital, Blue Ridge Communications, Spencer Printing, Wayne Bank, Woodloch, Honesdale National Bank, Dirlam Brothers Lumber, FNCB Bank, The Dime Bank, Watson Bros. Inc., Jennie’s Chapel Street Salon, Jane Varcoe, Lewis J. Dunn, Doris Rogers, Billie Ann Garbe, Alvin & Nancy Swingle, Leroy and Pat Spoor, C. Howard Teeple, Ron Brill, Doug & Kate Hayes.
This event was also made possible by a grant from the Wayne County Hotel Tax Fund, in- kind donations from Hunt Signs and Alan Kehoe, equipment loans from the National Park Service and Wayne County Public Library.

Annual Friends of the Canal Park Thank You Dinner & Meeting - was held on Saturday, October 9th at 4:30 PM. You are a friend of the park if you have ever donated your time, money and/or in-kind materials or services. Friends potluck was shared under the new canal Pavillion utilizing the new tables and chairs, now availble for events.

Projects

Daniels’ Farmhouse Restoration - A PA licensed electrical is needed ASAP to move forward on obtaining the lock house's Certificate of Occupancy for a public building. This work needs to be completed prior to restoration of the building's plaster, funded 50% by a PHMC Keystone grant, which expires September 31, 2022. Please contact me at the above e-mail or by calling the main museum at 570 253-3240 for a copy of the architect's electrical plans if interested in doing the work.

Canal “Boat” Pavilion – “Boat’ details and electrical service to it are on hold until spring. The existing structure is available for event rentals. An application is posted on www.WayneHistoryPA.com or by calling the main museum and leaving a message for Executive Director Carol Dunn.

If you like what is happening at the D & H Canal Park at Lock 31, please consider joining our committee. We meet monthly, January through October, usually on the third Sunday of the month.

If you now have an e-mail address or if you no longer wish to receive these newsletters please let me know, so we can save on the ever increasing cost of postage.

CLICK HERE FOR PARK RULES / PHOTOGRAPHY RULES / PAVILLION RENTAL RULES AND FORM

Accessibility Notes

Canal Park has handicap-accessible parking and ADA approved blue stone side walks leading to the Daniel's Farmhouse. Foot bridge over Lock 31 and towpath are wheelchair accessible.