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

Underground Railroad/Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site Collaborative

The Allegheny Portage Railroad (APRR) is one of the earliest marvels of civil engineering in the U.S. Completed in March 1834, it was the Commonwealth’s solution to the “problem” of the Allegheny Mountains in its quest to move people and goods between the Eastern cities and western frontier via the Main Line of Public Works. To surmount the Alleghenies, engineers built a series of ten inclines, five ascending and five descending, from the Hollidaysburg Canal Basin on the eastern slope to the Johnstown Canal Basin on the west. Stationary steam engines at the top of each incline pulled rail cars carrying canal boats up and over the mountains with ropes. From 1834-1854 the APRR served as an essential—if terrifying—feature the main thoroughfare from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh and back.

"Occasionally the rails are laid upon the extreme verge of the giddy precipice and looking down from the carriage window, the traveler gazes sheer down without a stone or scrap of fence between into the mountain depths below."
— Charles Dickens, on traveling the APRR in the early 1840s

Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site (ALPO) is located in Gallitzin, PA at the summit of the Allegheny Mountains. In addition to preserving the history of the portage railroad, ALPO has been designated a Network to Freedom Site. Evidence suggests a clear connection between the Main Line Canal/APRR transportation system and the Underground Railroad (UGRR) during the high point of its activity.

Current Partnerships

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

Underground Railroad in Central Pennsylvania Digital Mapping Project (Frederick)
This project documents UGRR activity in central Pennsylvania and populates a multi-state GIS database to map UGRR-related sites, events, and personalities.

Digital Story Maps and Interpretive History through Multi-Media (Mohammed)
In a multi-phase project, digital story maps and other multi-media venues such as 3D technology are being employed to broaden the reach and deepen the understanding of publics about the history and culture surrounding the Allegheny Portage Railroad. Phase I began with the creation of a story map for Hollidaysburg Canal Basin Park. Phase II will include refining the original map and connecting it to new multimedia enhancements for ALPO and the Johnstown Flood National Memorial, ALPO’s sister site.

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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3000 Ivyside Park, Altoona, Pennsylvania 16601 814-949-5000

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