Saturday, July 10, 2010

Allegheny Aqueduct

In the small town of Birdsboro, Pennsylvania, sits an architectural marvel with astounding natural beauty. The aqueduct was built in 1824 by the Schuylkill Navigation Company under the direction of engineer Ephriam Beech. The aqueduct is essentially a bridge for boats. Mules or horses would pull the boats across the aqueduct into the next part of the Schuylkill canal system. The aqueduct spans roughly 112 feet and is comprised of five arches made from red sandstone and brownstone, incorporating a keystone theme. In 1983 the aqueduct was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today the aqueduct is maintained by the county of Berks and is still in great shape.

1 comment:

Mark M. said...

There is a much smaller and less interesting aqueduct about three or four miles down river closer to Birdboro

Mark