Whether you are a painter or photographer, no matter the medium, the canal inspires artists, and it has done so for nearly two centuries. As long as the canal has flowed through this region, artists have interpreted the natural beauty of this scenic waterway.

The completion of the Delaware Canal in 1832 fueled growth along its path. Mills of all kinds began to flourish along with quarries, farms, and foundries. Activity peaked during the Civil War, however many people drawn here by industry came to cherish the beauty of the local area.

By the turn of the century, New Hope and other river towns began to grow a colony of artists. These new settlers included William Lathrop, and Edward Redfield, who were joined later by Daniel Garber, Fern Coppedge, and William Taylor. They all tended to be impressionistic in style, with later artists becoming bolder in their use of color and form. Here is a brief synopsis of some of the body of work left behind for all to enjoy today.

William Langston Lathrop (1859-1938) is considered the founder of the New Hope Art Colony. He came to the hamlet of Phillips Mill in 1899 and established an art school, often taking his students on his canal boat, Sunshine, for en plein air landscaping painting excursions. Lathrop mentored many aspiring painters and was credited with attracting many artists to the area, including Daniel Garber and Morgan Colt, both members of what became known as the New Hope Group.

Along with his love of teaching, Lathrop was an avid sailor. He hand-built a sailboat named The Widge in his backyard along the Canal. It launched in 1930, and Lathrop spent a considerable amount of time sailing up and down the east coast. At the age of 79, he was sailing off the coast of Long Island when a hurricane approached. Although he sheltered in a nearby bay, he didn’t survive the storm. The Widge was found intact, however Lathrop’s body wasn’t recovered until a month later.

Edward Redfield (1869-1965) was one of the most notable American Impressionists of his time. He studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, spent time in France, met his wife, and returned to Bucks County to settle in New Hope. Redfield is often considered the “co-founder” of the New Hope Art Colony and one of the preeminent Pennsylvania Impressionists.
While many other artists were looking to European painters for inspiration, Redfield and many of his contemporaries created a new, distinctly American style. One critic Nilsen Lurvik noted that Redfield’s style of American Landscape Painting had a “veracity and force that is astonishing the eyes of the Old World.”

Fern Coppedge (1883-1951) At a very early age, Fern Coppedge displayed an exuberant use of color in landscapes often seen as drab and dull. Born in the mid-west, Coppedge studied at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Art Students League of New York with William Merritt Chase, and with Daniel Garber at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.

Coppedge and her husband settled in Lumberville, Bucks County in 1920, and later built a home on the river in New Hope. She was known to brave the elements, preferring plein air painting to studio work. On cold and windy days, Coppedge could be seen painting on a canvas lashed to a tree to keep it from blowing away. She is well-known for her winter snowscapes and vibrant river scenes.

Women in art had difficulty getting their work shown in galleries and exhibitions, so in response, Coppedge and a group of other female artists founded a group called “The Philadelphia Ten.” This group, which had up to 30 members at one time, shunned social norms by working and exhibiting together.

Today, Coppedge is considered a member of the Pennsylvania Impressionist School. She created approximately 1200 paintings during her lifetime; many are now housed in museums and private collections. She died in New Hope in 1951 at the age of 67.

ARTISTIC INSPIRATION TODAY
Bucks County continues to inspire many talented people. Painters, photographers, and sculptors all make their homes in our region. We are grateful to these artists, who often share their talents with us.  And while we can’t make a note of them all, we took some time to speak with two working artists and Friends members, who love the canal and the artistic inspiration it provides.

Sue Ann Rainey
As Sue Ann will tell you, “I have to create every day.” This multi-faceted artist trained at The Tyler School of Art and Architecture in Graphic Arts and Photography.

During her career, Sue Ann worked as a graphic artist in publishing, owned a graphic design business, and taught evening school while raising her family. Then she decided to go back to school to become a pastry chef. She continued to paint while working as a pastry Chef for some well-known restaurants in the area.

Sue Ann is not a studio artist preferring the spontaneity of working directly from nature. When asked about her inspiration she says, “I’m drawn to the water. The canal and towpath have their own unique charms. The light filters through the trees and reflects on the water. There are so many different greens with blue sky peeking through the branches. For a person who paints outdoors, shade is also an important factor.”

Sue Ann wants to capture the river valley features and farmsteads that may not be here forever. Cuttalossa is a favorite spot, along with Stover Mill. The meandering creeks and river scenes inspire her creativity.

The Rainey family have been lifelong residents of Bucks County. She shared a charming memory of the Canal, the towpath, and her brother. When he was 15, her brother worked for the mule barge rides. He finished his shift around 1:00 in the morning and would walk the mules up the hill on Windy Bush Road to the farm where they were stabled. In the early morning hours, her mom would pick him up to bring him home.

Today, you can find Sue Ann’s works online at The Upstairs Gallery of Bucks County at theupstairsgallery.com.

Shirley Mersky
When asked what inspires her to paint a scene, Shirley says, “As a painter of light, I am particularly drawn to the canal and the river. The sparkling water and the reflections in the water inspire me. They create beautiful shapes and colors.”

A graduate of Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts Shirley moved to this area nearly 40 years ago. She and her husband enjoyed the outdoors and began to hike in the area. “We’ve always been hikers and went to the canal early on.” Shirley and her husband also participated in many canal walks led by then Executive Director Susan Taylor. “I love the outdoors and the history of the canal. Just being there inspires me. The landscape is different all along the canal. I often paint in Yardley and Washington Crossing due to proximity, but I love Riegelsville and Raubsville. They are unique. The canal is different wherever you go.”

Shirley continued, “I also want to emphasize how important the preservation of the towpath and the canal is to me, and I am sure to the other artists who paint it. So much farmland has been lost. It is important that we preserve the towpath and canal in their natural state. They are priceless sources of inspiration.”
While she raised a family, Shirley continued to paint. However, for the last 20 years, she has been painting full-time. At PAFA, Shirley focused on portrait and still-life painting, but the lessons learned there translate to her current work.

Today Shirley works primarily in oil and is a plein air painter. She will also use reference photos to complete the artwork in her home studio. Shirley is a member of a plein-air painting group, but often works on her own, seeking out an ideal location and the perfect light. “There is a lot of talent in this area and a lot of camaraderie,” says Shirley, and she enjoys being a part of the Bucks County artist community. It is not surprising the beauty of our area is an inspiration to many.
You can view Shirley’s artwork at shirleymersky.com.

We know there are many talented members who use the canal and its surroundings for artistic inspiration. If you are a working artist and a member of the Friends of the Delaware Canal, please let us know. We would love to hear from you.

When you work in a Locktender’s House, you are constantly reminded of the people who once lived here and worked the lock so many years ago. We know from first-person accounts that lock tending was a demanding, low-wage job. One main benefit was free housing. And back in the day, “free” didn’t get you much.

There were 23 locks along the Delaware Canal, and 17 Locktenders were initially employed to ensure the canal boats could travel through the locks as efficiently as possible. Several sections of the Canal required adjacent locks to accommodate the drop in elevation. In those instances, a Locktender was responsible for two closely situated locks.

An example of this could be found in New Hope, where Locks 8 & 9, along with a guard lock were the responsibility of one Locktender. The same was true of Locks 10 and 11. In New Hope, you will find three Locktenders’ houses within less than ½ mile.

The original list of Locktenders included*:

• John Hibbs – Lock 1 and the Tide Lock
• Elias Gilkyson – Locks 2 and 3
• Samuel Daniels – Locks 8, 9, and Guard Lock in New Hope
• Samuel Stockdan – Locks 10 and 11
• George Solliday – Locks 13 and 14
• Mahlon Smith – Locks 15 and 16
• Joseph Shepard – Locks 22 and 23

Lock 11 and the adjacent house serve as the headquarters of the Friends of the Delaware Canal. This house is still a mystery. Research indicates that the building pre-dates the construction of the Canal and was likely built by Lewis Coryell, who owned the land and worked as the engineer on this section of the Canal. The original first floor of the structure is now underground. The street elevation was raised at some point, and the first floor was filled in.

Dawn to Dusk

The workday of the boatmen and Locktenders began before dawn, and it lasted well into the night. During the height of canal activity, Locktenders became very efficient at locking boats through. And with the help of a willing boat crew, the task could take three to four minutes.

As the canal boat captain signaled their approach, the Locktender would be ready to guide them through. The captain would throw a line with a loop at the end, which the Locktender would attach to a cleat on the lock. The captain would then “snub” or tether the boat before hitting the lower gate.

As the boat sank, the captain would release the line. The boat would sink to level and continue the journey.

Heavy traffic was managed by locking distance markers which were guideposts placed a hundred plus yards away from the lock in either direction. The rule is that you could proceed if you were in the locking distance before another boat.

However, the Locktender had discretion here. If the lock were ready for a boat coming north, the boats traveling in the opposite direction would need to wait. The widening of the locks helped ease the captains’ tension, who were eager to get on their way. These locks allowed two boats to lock in simultaneously and improved overall traffic flow in the busiest sections of the Canal.

At night, the Locktender would signal that the gate was open by waving a lantern. If the lock was closed, a ruby-colored lamp would be placed in the window of the wicket shanty. When the Canal opened, the boats traveled day and night, leaving no rest for the Locktender. By the mid-1850s, however, this changed, and Locktenders worked from 4:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. every day except Sunday.

Since the Locktenders were responsible for keeping the traffic moving, they became very

adept at anticipating oncoming traffic. Once they heard the sound of the approaching boat, which could be a bugle or a conch shell, they would reply with their own response to indicate whether the lock was open or closed. Boat captains were always in a hurry. The more trips they made, the more money they made, so in general, they were an impatient crowd. Fights over who could lock in first were a daily occurrence in the early years. And stories tell us that Locktenders were sometimes forced to throw the brawling parties into the Canal to cool off tempers.

A Family Affair

A Locktender wasn’t paid much, so they often had to supplement their income by taking other jobs during the day. This meant the whole family was put into service, locking in the boats as needed. One source said that as soon as a child was strong enough to work the wickets, they were “hired” for the job.

Many Locktenders and their wives also earned extra money, supplying boatmen with provisions. Often, these industrious families would grow vegetables and some livestock, if they had the room, and would sell or barter with the boat captains. Some wives would sell baked goods and launder clothes. Still others would provide stable space for mules to rest in the evening. Boatmen gave these houses names such as the laundry lock or the mule barn lock.

Locktender Houses

According to research from the Heritage Conservancy, 16 Locktender’s houses were built along the Delaware Canal for $9,200.46. These houses were small but well-built. Most were constructed with stone. However, storms and floods led to the rebuilding of many original structures along the Canal. All but one house was built before electricity became available.

Most houses were two stories with two rooms downstairs and a kitchen. Upstairs there would be two or three bedrooms. The bathroom was usually an outhouse. And not surprisingly, they were heated with coal, which was often traded or purchased from canal boat captains. Any land adjacent to the house was put to good use. Gardens, chickens, and even some larger livestock helped feed the family and the passing boatmen. Without this supplemental income, most families could not survive.

A Living Legacy

Like many historic sites, several Lockhouses have been lost to time. However, some still remain. Several are used by the park service, including our headquarters, yet others are now private residences.

When it became clear the Canal would be sold to the State of Pennsylvania, the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company offered to sell the Lockhouses to company employees. One account was discovered and shared by a FODC member who is fortunate to live in a Locktender’s house today.

As you can tell from the following letter, these Lockhouses were prized for their location and historical connection. Today, the current owners lovingly maintain the character and charm

Excerpts from a letter to the homeowners (dated 8/5/1978).

“It may be of some interest to you to know some of the history (albeit recent) of the Lockhouse. My father was an official of the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company, the builders and operators of the Canal, and at the time of the transfer of the Canal (late 1920’s) to the Commonwealth, he was able to purchase one of the lockhouses. The one chosen was to be a weekend retreat as well as a vacation site, and it seemed that (this one) was the best of the lot as well as the most scenic.

When we took it over it was, to put it mildly, a pigsty. The house itself was filthy and the entire property looked as though it had not been cleaned since the Canal was originally built. The small building in the back, toward the River Road, was located on the cement pad next to your house and we had it moved to its present location and installed some sanitary facilities, inasmuch as the purchase price included a half-moon backhouse, which did not appeal to us.

Needless to say, for quite a few years, our weekends and

vacations were spent in trying to humanize the house and grounds. However, there was compensation: Quite a few parties were held which the family and friends enjoyed. I remember having my high school pals, as well as gals, for weekend shindigs. (In the 30’s, believe me, they were properly chaperoned.)

In the northeast corner above the lock, we had installed a dock at which we kept two canoes and a rowboat because at the time the aqueduct over the Tohickon had not been demolished and we were able to canal for miles north on the Canal.

The original cost to my father for the property, as I remember, was $500.00. Due to World War II, the gasoline shortages, and the fact that sons were called into the service, as well as the death of my father in 1937, the property was sold in 1943.”

*Source: A complete list of the original tenders can be found in the Delaware Canal

Journal by C.P. Yoder.

The Delaware Canal State Park isn’t just another pretty place; it has economic value.

Last year, on July 4th weekend, several favorite spots along the canal exceeded capacity. The gates at the Virginia Forrest Recreation Area had to be closed due to overcrowding. Since the pandemic, the number of visitors has continued to grow along with their impact on the local economy.

Here are some enlightening statistics:
• Pennsylvania is one of the top states for spending on outdoor recreation, generating over $29 billion annually.
• This industry supports over 250,000 jobs, equating to $8.6 billion in wages and salaries.
• And the industry generates nearly $2 billion in tax revenue.
• The combined acreage of Pennsylvania parks and forests is twice the size of the State of Delaware.
• The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) manages 5,000 buildings, 141 dams, and 171 water treatment facilities.
• An extensive and aging infrastructure will require additional investment.

The current administration is aware of the economic impact of our parks. “The 2023- 24 bipartisan budget invests $112 million to improve state parks and forests and spur economic growth in the outdoor recreation industry.”

Investing in the industries that provide the best return on our tax dollars makes economic sense, and our park system fits the bill. The outdoor diversity available in our state parks makes Pennsylvania unique. It is a valuable resource and one worth the investment.

We can all do our part to protect and promote our park system by supporting legislation and funding that maintain this regional and national treasure.