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Plan Your Trip

USING THE MAP

The Schuylkill River Greenways map is divided by Trailheads, Trail Towns and Places to Visit.

  1. Click on the category of your choice and a dropdown list of content will appear. Click any of the options within the dropdown menu and additional content will appear. Or, click on the “Places to Visit” category to see all available activities along the trail.
  2. Another way to navigate the map is to rollover the icons on the map. The preview will show you what kind of item it is. Click on it to reveal more information.
  3. Use the quick links at the top left to filter through Trailheads, Towns, and Places to Visit.
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Trailheads/Parking

Trail Towns

Places to Visit

Academy of Natural SciencesAllegheny Aqueduct Historical ParkAmerican Philosophical Society MuseumAmerican Swedish Historical MuseumAntietam Lake Park and Angora Fruit FarmAppalachian Trail ConservancyAppalachian TrailheadArtFusion 19464Awbury ArboretumBarnes FoundationBartram’s GardenBear Creek Environmental Area & Dr. James S. Shadle Nature CenterBelmont Mansion and Underground Railroad MuseumBerks County Genealogical SocietyBerks County Heritage CenterBerks NatureBicycle Coalition of Greater PhiladelphiaBinky Lee PreserveBlack Rock DamBlack Rock SanctuaryBlue Marsh LakeBlue Mountain Eagle Climbing ClubBoathouse RowBoyertown Museum of Historic VehiclesCabela’sCarousel at PottstownCedar Grove MansionCentral Perkiomen Valley ParkChester Springs StudiosCliveden of the National TrustColebrookdale Railroad: The Secret Valley LineColonial TheatreConrad Weiser HomesteadCrow’s Nest PreserveCynwyd Trail BridgeDaniel Boone HomesteadDelaware Valley Orienteering AssociationDestination Schuylkill RiverEast Falls GlassworksEastern State PenitentiaryEbenezer Maxwell MansionElmwood Park ZooEvansburg State ParkFairmount ParkFairmount Water Works Interpretive CenterFairview Union Sunday SchoolFitzwater Station Canoe and Kayak RentalsFort Mifflin on the DelawareFort Washington State ParkFranklin InstituteFrench Creek State ParkFricks Locks Village ToursGermantown White House (Deshler-Morris House)Goggleworks Center for the ArtsGoschenhoppen Historians, Inc.Great Valley Nature CenterGreen Lane ParkGreen Valleys AssociationGring’s Mill Recreation AreaGrumblethorpeGwynedd Wildlife PreserveHamburg Area Historical SocietyHamburg Field HouseHawk Mountain SanctuaryHermitage MansionHex Barn Art TourHighlands Mansion and GardensHistoric Houses of Fairmount ParkHistoric Joanna FurnaceHistoric RittenhouseTownHistoric Yellow SpringsHistorical Society of Berks County Museum and LibraryHistorical Society of Montgomery CountyHistorical Society of Schuylkill CountyHistorical Society of Phoenixville AreaHope LodgeHopewell Furnace National Historic SiteHunsicker’s GroveIndependence National Historical ParkJapanese House and GardenJenkins ArboretumJerry’s Classic Car MuseumJewish Museum of Eastern PAJohn Heinz National Wildlife RefugeJohn James Audubon at Mill GroveKernsville Dam Recreation AreaKeystone Canoe ClubKing of Prussia ShoppingKutztown Area Historical SocietyLaurel Hill CemeteryLaurel Hill MansionLeesport Locktender’s HouseLemon HillLocust Lake State ParkLorimer ParkLower Merion ConservancyLower Perkiomen Valley ParkManatawny Green Mini GolfManayunk Arts CenterManayunk TowpathMary Wood Park HouseMennonite Heritage CenterMill at AnselmaMolly Maguire Auto TourMonocacy Hill Recreation AreaMontgomery CemeteryMontgomery County Community College West CampusMorlatton VillageMorris ArboretumMutter MuseumNational Constitution CenterNational Iron & Steel Heritage MuseumNational Museum of American Jewish HistoryNicholas Stoltzfus HouseNolde Forest Environmental Education CenterNorristown Farm ParkOrwigsburg Historical Society & MuseumOur Town Foundation GalleryPA German Cultural Heritage CenterPaoli Battlefield Historical ParkPennypacker MillsPerkiomen TrailPerkiomen Watershed ConservancyPeter Wentz FarmsteadPhiladelphia Canoe ClubPhiladelphia History Museum at Atwater KentPhiladelphia Museum of ArtPhiladelphia ZooPhoenixville FoundryPioneer Tunnel Coal MinePlease Touch MuseumPort Clinton Peanut ShopPottsgrove ManorPottstown RiverwalkPowel HouseRailway Restoration Project 113Reading Area Community College Yocum LibraryReading Area Firefighters MuseumReading Blue Mountain & Northern RailroadReading PagodaReading Public MuseumReading Railroad Heritage MuseumRidgewood Farmstead & WineryRiver of Revolutions Interpretive CenterRiverbend Environmental Education CenterRosenbach Museum & LibraryRyerss Museum and LibrarySantander Arena and Performing Arts CenterSchuylkill BanksSchuylkill Canal Lock 60Schuylkill Canal Tow Path and LocksSchuylkill Center for Environmental EducationSchuylkill County Agricultural MuseumSchuylkill Highlands Conservation Landscape InitiativeSchuylkill River Greenways NHASchuylkill River Trail BoardwalkSchwenkfelder Library & Heritage CenterSculpture ToursSovereign Majestic TheatreSpring-Ford Area Historical Society MuseumStentonStrawberry MansionSullivan’s BridgeSweetbriar MansionTake it Outdoors AdventuresTamaqua Train StationThe Speaker’s HouseThe WoodlandsTuscarora State ParkUniversity of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and AnthropologyUpper Schuylkill Valley ParkValley Forge National Historical ParkVenice Island Interpretive WalkVF Clothing Outlet CenterWalk In Art CenterWarwick County ParkWashington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route (W3R)Welkinweir / Green Valley AssociationWissahickon Valley ParkWoodfordWoodmere Art MuseumWyckYuengling Brewery Tours

Allegheny Aqueduct Historical Park

1130 Old River Rd, Gibraltar PA, 19508

Directions:
From Reading - 422 E. - Take exit for Rte. 176. After 1/2 mile on Rte. 176, turn right onto exit 3, Rte. 724 Birdsboro & Shillington (this will be the first exit you come to). At the end of the ramp, turn left onto Rte. 724 east, towards Birdsboro. Continue for approx. 2 miles to traffic light at Rte. 568. Turn left onto Old River Rd. Continue 1/4 mile, past aqueduct, over bridge. The grist mill ruins and Beidler House are on the left.

610-372-8939

Operating Hours

The Beidler House is open to the public for special events about the history of the house, mill and aqueduct conducted by costumed guides.

  • Birding
  • Hiking
  • Picnicking

The Allegheny Aqueduct was built by the Schuylkill Navigation Company in 1824 under the direction of Engineer Ephriam Beech. This “bridge for boats” was needed because the Allegheny Creek could not be incorporated into the canal system.

The Schuylkill Canal, a slackwater navigation system, began at Mill Creek, Schuylkill County, and traveled to its destination in Philadelphia; both the canal and the aqueduct ceased to be used as a transportation system in 1931.

The aqueduct is a massive 112 1/2 foot structure consisting of five red sandstone and brownstone arches done with the “keystone” theme. In the 1830’s, bricks were added underneath the arches to prevent leakage. The canal was originally lined with clay, but in 1870 a concrete liner was formed into the top of the aqueduct, and metal spikes that protruded from the concrete were used to hold timber planking that prevented the canal boats from scraping on the concrete.

In 1983, the Schuylkill River Greenway Association began efforts to restore the aqueduct and subsequently had the structure listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The restoration efforts were celebrated in February, 1990, and now the Berks County Parks and Recreation Department administers this historic landmark from Berks County’s past.

Located adjacent to the aqueduct, the Beidler House was built in 1783 by Conrad Beidler to serve as a home for the operator of the nearby mill.

The Beidler Mill, built around 1766, was destroyed by fire in the early 1950’s, and only the stone walls of the building remain. When it was in operation, the mill was used to process grain. Powered by a water wheel, the mill relied on a 100-foot long holding pond that drew water from the Allegheny Creek; this pond is still visible today. The house and mill serve as a reminder of the area’s agricultural industry and reflect the economic and social prominence of the miller in the local community.

Features

National Register of Historic Places