Alvernia University, Pottsville Towne Campus presents

The Schuylkill Navigation Canal System

by Mike Szilagyi, AICP, author and historian
Wednesday, January 29, 2025, 6:00 – 7:30 pm

The Schuylkill Navigation is the 108 mile long chain of dams and canals that brought literally millions of tons of anthracite coal down from Schuylkill County to tidewater at Philadelphia. Started 1815-1825, it ended early in the 20th century.

The presentation is part of annual Anthracite Mining Heritage Month activities. https://luzernehistory.org/anthracite-heritage-month-schedule/

Events focus on the history and culture of the anthracite region of Northeastern Pennsylvania. It is sponsored by Reading Anthracite Company. The program will be moderated by Eric Bella, Mining Engineer.

The public is cordially invited to attend this event free of charge, refreshments will be served.
Location: Alvernia University, Pottsville Towne Campus, 500 Progress Ave., Pottsville, PA

Oliver Evans Chapter Member Mike Szilagyi, AICP, plans and designs pedestrian and bicycle facilities at Michael Baker International. His decades devoted to planning Pennsylvania’s bicycle trail network yields the added benefit of a deep knowledge of the long-forgotten web of former railroad and canal rights-of-way built before the automobile came to dominate the landscape. In many cases, abandoned railroad and trolley track-beds may be repurposed as rails-to-trails, and so returned to their roles as avenues of clean congestion-free transportation. A lifelong cyclist, author of Bucks County Trolleys (2020) and co-author of Montgomery County Trolleys (2018), Szilagyi resides in North Wales, Pennsylvania where he serves as chair of the borough Historic Commission.