The region’s most prominent path, the Lehigh River, weaves its way through the Lehigh Valley from the northern most part, Lehigh Gap, until it junctures with the Delaware River at Easton. 

The need to transport coal from the mines in the north to Philadelphia and other trade ports led to the creation of the Lehigh Canal in the early 1800s.  The Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company took full advantage of the canal’s potential, ultimately moving tons of anthracite despite the challenges presented by the rolling landscape.

The rapid growth of the iron industry along the Lehigh River spurred the building of railroad lines such as the Ironton and the Catasauqua and Bath.