For a good canal town experience and a visual lesson in how canals and locks once functioned, head to Walnutport. Here you’ll find Lock #23, which has been partially restored and looks much as it did in the early 1800s. The Locktender’s House, built in 1828, is one of only two original stone Locktender’s residences remaining on the Lehigh Canal. The men who lived here with their families were employed by the LC&N to operate and maintain the locks so canal boats could move from one level to the next.
Today, the Locktender’s House serves as a museum. You can learn about the town’s past as a boat repair center and also view a collection of artifacts.
The Walnutport Canal Association has carefully placed wayside signs and interpretive displays here. There’s also a well-maintained community park with plenty of parking, a pavilion, and picnic tables.
The third Sunday of each October the town hosts the annual Walnutport Canal Festival. It features historical displays, vendors, and residents in period costume from the Canal’s glory days. The festival is coordinated by the Walnutport Canal Association – a private, nonprofit group that restored and maintains the community’s 4.5-mile section of Canal towpath.
