1904 - Adams Island and Lehigh Canal with CRRNJ tracs

The Lehigh Canal and the building of Dam #7, which became the Hamilton Street Dam changed the character of Allentown and the Lehigh Valley from an agricultural area to an industrial one in 1829. The Canal was first used to bring Anthracite coal down from Mach Chunk (now Jim Thorpe) to Easton, where it went south to Philadelphia on the Delaware River. The railroads reached Allentown in the 1850s, and became direct competitors with the canal. The Lehigh Valley Railroad was built on the west side of the Lehigh River and the Central Railroad of New Jersey on the east side. This photo from about 1904 shows Haymakers (now Adams) Island on the east side of the river, and the canal. An abandoned canal boat is visible on the shore of Adams Island. The CNJRR tracks are visible on the eastern shore of the canal.