The Lock-Keeper in Mifflintown
historical marker
The historical marker for "The Lock-Keeper" is located in Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pennsylvania. This marker identifies the area as being within both Mifflin and Juniata Counties. Each lock on the Pennsylvania Canal system required a lock-keeper. These individuals were responsible for the daily operation and maintenance of their assigned lock. Their duties included opening and closing the lock gates for passing boats and performing routine repairs. Near Mifflintown, specifically at Macedonia Run, a lock-keeper's house served Lift Lock No. 13. This structure, built around 1860, also functioned as an office for a local iron-mining corporation. The lock-keeper resided here until this section of the canal was abandoned in 1889. The lock-keeper's house was later restored as part of the Lewistown Narrows Canal Park project, which was completed in 2008. The site highlights the operational history of the Pennsylvania Canal and the role of the lock-keeper in early American transportation.