Four distinct geographic areas, or "reaches" compose the Schuylkill River Heritage Corridor, each has its own stories and explains how the Heritage Corridor works as a system.

The Urban Gateway...
The story of the Schuylkill River Valley begins with Philadelphia, the great port city of colonial America. Philadelphia was a financial center and an entry point for immigrants, gateway to the fertile lands of southeastern Pennsylvania - it spurred development and settlement throughout the Schuylkill Valley. The legacy of that period is still alive throughout Philadelphia at places like Fairmount Park, Historic Bartram's Garden and the Reading Terminal and Trainshed.

The Industrial Reach...
By the time of the Revolutionary War the charcoal-fired iron industry was well established in this region, made up of Chester, Berks and Montgomery Counties. Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site magnificently interprets this early industrial era. Battlefields and encampments from the revolution, including Valley Forge and Germantown overlap the industrial landscape represented by locations like Hopewell, Birdsboro and the wePhoenixville Historic District.

The "Breadbasket" of the American Colonies...
The Agricultural Reach includes most of Berks and Montgomery counties, it contains a rich blend of distinctive cultures whose farms fed towns throughout the area, and throughout the colonies and states - thanks to the ease of river transport and the deep water port of Philadelphia. The Berks County Heritage Center offers a revealing glimpse into the history of this heritage park as well as the historic town of Reading and the Oley Township Historic District.

The Industrial Reach...
The Anthracite Reach includes the Schuylkill County portion of the corridor. Its industrial past saw the reorganization of the landscape to satisfy a ceaseless demand for coal. Transportation improvements in the form of canals and railroads followed the coal and the path of progress continued. The Mahanoy Valley & Route 54 Corridor is full of special attractions such as the Pennsylvania Anthracite Museum and the Ashland Pioneer Tunnel that will give you a closer look at the importance of this region in our Nation's development.