Welcome to the Newest Member of the D & R Family

They say it is the luckiest day of the year and for the D & R Canal State Park superintendent it was indeed. After 29 hours of labor little Antonio Kallesser was finally born on 08-08-08. Little Tony (not so little - weighing in at 8 lbs 14 oz) is the apple of his parents eyes. The park staff couldn't be happier for his parents and look forward to meeting the newest member of the D & R family. Patricia will be out on maternity leave until the end of October but fear not, as any park issues will be aptly handled by stand-in superintendent David Donnelly (Superintendent of Washington Crossing State Park) and the remaining D & R staff. I'm sure all our park visitors join us in wishing the Kallesser family well. And little Tony...well he doesn't need any extra luck as his birthday date assures him of the luckiest of lives! Congratulations Mom and Dad!

A Source of Inspiration

When was the last time you allowed your imagination to take you to another place? Parks often offer unexpected flashs of inspiration into the world of playful creativity - a place our children rarely seem to visit these days. Such a "flash" overtook me recently when viewing the above photograph snapped at the Mapleton Preserve in Kingston. It occurred to me that any wanderer along the path might come to this spot and assume they'd stumbled upon a portal into some mystical world filled with inhabitants only found in an epic, long-ago story. Or, another might wonder if by stepping past the weeping branches a different time and place would reveal itself.

Parks are special places that not only offer visitors places to boat, hike, camp or bike but also can simply provide a place to close out the noise of our stress-filled days and allow our thoughts to wander to another place. For some they offer quiet niches for mediation and contemplation. While others find locations where, alone with their thoughts and the majesty of nature, works of writing, music, art or even glimmers of ideas to change our world for the better are inspired!

Camping Season

Thank goodness funding was restored to the NJ State Park system, as it has been one of the busiest D&R camping seasons yet! Bulls Island has been entirely booked almost every weekend this summer as families look for recreation and vacation opportunities closer to home. Rest assured that weekday spots are still available. Camping at "The Island" offers patrons a number of natural, historic, and recreational activities, including boating, fishing, picnicing and hiking along the canal. Details about park related events at Bulls Island can be viewed on the website (www.dandrcanal.com) or can be obtained by calling the Bulls Island Park Office. Reservations, too, can be made by calling the office (609.397.2949). Please keep in mind that camping reservations can be arranged for no more than 14 consecutive nights, but must be made for a minimum of 2 nights.

A Different Type of Canal

The Danube River and Canal (in Vienna) has been, and continues to be, a major navigation route in Europe. The word "canal" is slightly misleading here, as the flume is actually rapidly flowing, deep, and full of water. It is commonly known to the Viennese as the "Viennese arm." Urban development in the 19th century imposed regulation of the river arm and a new bed was built with rock side slopes and high quay walls. In the 20th century, tracks for the city train and modern traffic routes were laid alongside the canal banks. The canal now acts as a popular relaxation spot for local Viennese, especially in the summertime.

An International Perspective

Long before the D&R Canal was constructed, canals were a common means of transport in most European countries. The Göta Canal was one of the largest civil engineering projects ever undertaken in Sweden. The Canal stretches from Sjötorp on Lake Vänern to Mem on the east coast. The canal connects Stockholm and Gothenburg by water. Together with other canals in Sweden, it helps create “Sweden's Blue Ribbon.”

The Göta Canal was largely built by 58,000 billeted soldiers from 16 different regiments. During the 22 years building was in progress, about 60,000 men, including a company of Russian war prisoners and a number of civilian workers, worked a total of about 7 million man-days, each of 12 hours.

Most of the Canal was excavated by hand using iron-shod wooden spades. Work mainly consisted of digging, blasting and dressing stone. Baltzar von Platen also introduced several new techniques using various equipment from England. A number of highly skilled English foremen were recruited.

D&R Greenway Trust Panel Presentation

Help to preserve entire communities through protection of historic land and structures in NJ by attending the D&R Greenway Land Trust panel presentation on Thursday, June 19th at the Johnson Education Center (1 Preservation Place, Rosedale Road, Princeton). The panel will focus on the current art exhibition at the center, which attempts to connect art and the preservation of historic sites in the Princeton area. Speakers include: Dorothy Guzzo speaking about "Sustainability and Building" and Linda Meade speaking of the significance of "Our Historic Landscape" to D&R Greenway's preservation mission.


Light Refreshments will be served at 6:30pm and the program will begin at 7:00pm. ADVANCE REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Please call (609)924.4646 to reserve your spot!

Photography At the Mapleton Preserve

The first gathering of the D & R Summer Photography Group met on the 14th of June and got right to work capturing images at the Mapleton Preserve. While the morning sun burned hot and the air was thick, the group spent an hour out at the preserve snapping shots and learning about the property that was once the home of Princeton Nurseries. The group also discussed the goals for the summer and pulled together a tentative schedule for the next 5 sessions. While the dates have been finalized. They are as follows:

• Six Mile Run Trails: Saturday, June 21 @ 9 am
• Kingston's Canal Sites: Thursday, July 10 @5:30pm
  
• Bulls Island and/or Prallsville Mill Site in Stockton: Saturday, July 26 @ 10am
  
• Lambertville's Canal and Architectural Sites: Thursday, August 7th @ 6pm
  
• Titusville and Washington Crossing: Wednesday, August 13 @ 1:30pm
  

Interest participants can still join the group for some or all of the sessions. If you are interested in joining just call the park office and speak to Vicki (or leave a message for her). Or, simply send an email (dnrhistorian@verizon.net) requesting to join the group and make sure to include your contact information (phone number and email address).

D&R Canal Photography Group

This summer the park is offering a platform for photographers of all levels to meet, discuss, and photograph various aspects of of the D&R Canal. Beginning in mid-June, co-facilitators Vicki Chirco and Maggie Charleroy will lead participants on photography excursions to various locations in the park. (Such areas might include nature and landscape photography at Six Mile Run, architecture and historic site photography in Kingston, Mapleton Preserve, and/or Bulls Island.) Each outing will be a "themed" session and the group will focus on shooting subjects and scenes related to the targeted objective, whether it be nature or history related. At end of the summer session, participants will have an opportunity to display their best work at the D&R Canal main office in Princeton and possibly at the historic Prall House in Stockton. Those interested in joining us should contact the park office to register.

The group's first meeting will be held on Saturday, June 14 @ 10 am at the Park's main office located in Kingston, New Jersey (145 Mapleton Road, Princeton, NJ 08450). There is room for more participants so if you're interested in joining the group do call to get your name on the list. The number is: (609) 924-5705.

Canal Bike Tour Routes

In the past, the D&R Canal has offered biking tours from various points and of various lengths of the canal. These guided tours offer park patrons a chance to learn about the history of the canal through focused discussion of natural resources and historical structures (mill houses, locktender houses, locks, etc.) at specific points along the canal. This summer, seasonal Maggie Charleroy is planning bike tours on selected weekends in July and August. In the past, the bike tours have varied in length, ranging from short 7 mile trips to longer 15 mile tours. The guided rides began at different points along the main canal and its feeder along the Delaware River including Blackwells Mills, Griggstown, Washington Crossing and Bulls Island. As planning continues, we are interested in knowing what you think about the possibility of bike tours. What distance(s) would you like to see offered? What areas would you like to see included? Please post any comments or feedback (on past or future bike tours) that you may have! See you on the trails!

The list of bike rides is now posted on the D & R Canal State website. Check them out at: http://dandrcanal.com/programs.html. Not only will you see the list of bike rides, but all the program offerings for July and August!

Did you know...

In the summer of 1832, an epidemic of asiatic cholera was responsible for the deaths of a considerable number of people in Princeton and the vicinity, including many laborers working on the Delaware and Raritan Canal.

The disease is spread by infected water and contaminated food. In 1832 there was a widespread epidemic of cholera in Europe, which eventually came to the port of New York and soon spread to many other cities and towns in the United States. On August 15, 1832, the New York Evening Post reported that four laborers on the Delaware and Raritan Canal were found dead in one of the shanties along the line of excavations a few miles north of Trenton. The newspaper speculated that four laborers were attacked with cholera simultaneously and were able only to reach their beds, where they were later found in a state of putrefaction. The newspaper also related that no one wanted to go near the decomposed bodies for fear of catching the disease. Finally, some people were induced, by the offer of a large reward, to undertake the burial of the dead bodies, after which they burnt the shanty to the ground.

New Blog!

Welcome to the new D&R Canal Blog, a place to learn about events, news, and happenings at the D&R Canal State Park. We hope this will be a forum not only for you to learn about the canal and park events, but also to discuss your experiences while visiting. Have you seen a unique species of bird along the towpath or perhaps beaver activity? Post a picture and a distinct description. Did you participate in a program or attend an event you particularly enjoyed or disliked? Write a comment to accompany the initial event posting. Make sure to check back frequently to learn about the canal and all canal happenings! We hope to see you on the trails!