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  1. Home
  2. Offices and Divisions
  3. Academic Affairs
  4. Current Partnerships

Pittsburgh-to-Harrisburg Main Line Canal Greenway Collaborative

Allegheny Railroad Photo

The Pittsburgh-to-Harrisburg Main Line Canal Greenway™ is a 320-mile corridor that follows the historic path of the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal. This pre-Civil War system of canals, towpaths, dams, aqueducts and inclines was built by the Commonwealth to compete with neighboring New York’s Erie Canal for the movement of people and goods from Philadelphia and New York to the western frontier and back.

Never an economically viable system by comparison, it was purchased by the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) in 1857. Nonetheless, the Canal stimulated early growth of the iron and steel industries in Western PA and drew the population westward along its route to populate the small communities—Hollidaysburg, Huntingdon, Newport and many others—catering to the business of the canal.

The present-day Greenway includes four designated National Water Trails—the Three Rivers, the Kiski-Conemaugh River, the Juniata River and the Susquehanna River as well as the Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site at the summit of the Allegheny Ridge. Along the route are small towns, hiking and biking trails, arts venues and innumerable opportunities to explore nature through birding, kayaking, fishing and geocaching.

Begun in 2012, the Penn State Altoona—Main Line Canal Greenway Partnership is an interdisciplinary community-based learning laboratory. The partnership is supported by the Center for Community-Based Studies (CCBS) within the Office of Academic Affairs. Students and faculty members from all academic disciplines participate in identifying, planning and implementing projects that are deeply educational and broadly beneficial to communities. Project collaborations with other Commonwealth campuses along the Greenway corridor as well as with neighboring colleges and universities are desired in support of Engaged Scholarship at Penn State.

Greenway Canal Image

Current Partnerships

  • Healthy Blair County Coalition
  • Pittsburgh-to-Harrisburg Main Line Canal Greenway Collaborative
  • Underground Railroad/Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site Collaborative
Greenway Collaborative Logo
 

Ongoing

  • Juniata River Valley Experience Mobile App (Ryoo)
  • Community-building through Social Media (Girard)
  • Field Guide to Birds of the Main Line Canal (Dolney)
  • Canal-Era Music & Entertainment: Study, Performance, Research (Cutsforth-Huber, Huckabee, Villani, Zanin-Yost, Zolten)
  • Greenway Multi-Media Enhancements (Mohammed)

Projected 2015-16

  • Greenway Educational Study Guides (Childhood & Early Adolescent Education)
  • Water Quality Monitoring in the Juniata River Watershed (Emili)
  • Immersive Gaming: Case Study to Design Development (W.White)
Pennsylvania map showing Penn State's campuses with Penn State Altoona highlighted

Penn State Altoona

A full-service, four-year, residential campus located less than 45 miles from the research campus at University Park. Offering 21 four-year degrees and the first two years of over 275 Penn State majors.
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Give Visit Apply
  • This is Penn State Altoona
    • Penn State Altoona At a Glance
    • Mission, Vision, and Values
    • Our History
    • Campus Map
    • College Leadership
    • Current Weather Conditions
    • Livestream
  • Academics
    • Majors
    • Academic Calendar
    • Out-of-Class Learning
    • Eiche Library
    • Learning Resources Center
    • Registrar
    • Academic Advising
    • Honors Program
    • Campus Closures
  • Admissions
    • Visit Us
    • Information for First-Year Students
    • How to Apply
    • Accepted Students
    • Experience Altoona
    • Virtual Tour
  • Tuition & Financial Aid
    • Scholarships and Awards
    • Grants
    • Loans
    • Work-study
    • Financial Aid Basics
    • Tuition and Costs
    • Financial Aid Information
  • Student Success
    • Center for Student and Civic Engagement
    • Health and Wellness Center
    • Student Diversity and Inclusion Programming
    • International Student Services
    • Housing
    • Parking
    • Police and Safety
    • Career Services
    • Diversity at Penn State Altoona
  • Research & Engagement
    • Undergraduate Research and Creative Inquiry
    • Faculty Research Resources
    • Community-Based Studies
    • Internships
    • Study Abroad/Study Away
    • Internal Grants and Awards
  • Athletics
    • Schedule
    • Facilities
    • Recreation and Club Sports
    • Staff and Coaches Directory
    • Athletic Training and Sports Physicals
    • Athletics News
    • Camps and Clinics
    • Hall of Fame
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Penn State University
3000 Ivyside Park, Altoona, Pennsylvania 16601 814-949-5000

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