Throughout the American Industrial Revolution of the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Delaware Region was very much agricultural except for the pipeline of industrial and commercial activities directly on the canal.  In the southern area of this region, near Bristol and closer to Philadelphia, this industrial age also brought river transportation, mills, and factories such as the enormous Fairless Works of U.S. Steel.  Agriculture flourished along this part of the corridor, which lies along the dividing line that separates the rolling hills and fertile farmland of the piedmont from the flat, sandy coastal plain.  This combination gives the area its unique and diverse natural resources that led to the successful agriculture and eventual development of this landscape.  In the northern section of this region, notable farms such as Pennsylvania German farms of the Stouts and Durham valleys remained wholly unchanged until recently with the press for suburbanization. 

The textile industry was prominent throughout the corridor, and this was an extremely important aspect of the American Industrial Revolution. In the mid 1800s, cotton spinning mills were in operation in the small towns along the Delaware Canal, especially New Hope and Bristol.  You can still visit the old mills today, such as the Grundy factories of Bristol.

The sand and gravel dredging which also took place at the lower end of Bucks County contributed to another important industry of the times.  This industry thrived up until the 1950s, and today recreational lakes and a few remaining processing plants give evidence of the extensive operations of the Warner Company.  They supplied most of the sand for concrete used to pave the streets of Philadelphia and surrounding areas.

The Railroad and Trolley transportation industries also had effects on the Delaware Region, though not as common as in the Anthracite and Lehigh Valley Regions. Railroad lines soon grew out of Philadelphia to serve farms and local manufacturing industries in the area.  In recent times, Railroads such as the New Hope and Ivyland Railroad have served as lucrative tourist ventures.  At the dawn of the 20th century, trolley transit system were growing in popularity as they connected people with the recreation and activites in the towns within the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor. 

The first trolley line to serve Bucks County was called the Newtown, Langhorne, and Bristol Trolley Street Railway Co.  The Philadelphia and Easton Transit Company was originally chartered as the Doylestown and Easton Railway Company, but was later changed due to financial problems.  In 1906 interesting attempts were made to use the trolleys to tow canal boats on the Delaware Canal, but its failure left the work for the mules.  This line connected with the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Co. and the Bucks County Interurban Railway, and passengers were now connected to the entire region.  Service ended by the early 1930s and today there are no signs of the trolley lines, and all lines have been scrapped to make room for modern transportation technology.