Lance E. Metz dedicated himself to preserving the heritage of the Lehigh Valley.

Metz, 72, died in May of complications from the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Metz was an historian for the National Canal Museum for 29 years.

Martha Capwell Fox, archives coordinator for the museum, which is operated by the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, says, “Lance broadened the scope and mission of the Canal Museum.”

Hugh Moore Park, Easton, where the museum is located, is noted for scenic trails along the Lehigh Canal, The Emrick Technology Center, Locktender’s House Museum and the canal boat ride, Josiah White II.

Metz’s goal was to emphasize what the canal meant historically beyond its picturesque beauty.

“The Industrial Revolution began here in Easton, Pennsylvania, with the extraction of anthracite coal that could be delivered to market cheaply,” says Capwell. Anthracite is the highest, most energy-efficient grade of coal.

Metz also advocated to preserve the records of the former Bethlehem Steel Corp., which filed for bankruptcy in 2001 and was dissolved in 2003.

Dana Grubb, who was president of the South Bethlehem Historical Society when Metz on its board, says, “He would get into the Steel sites with trucks to collect things. He knew their historic value.”

Says Fox, “Lance never found something that he didn’t want. He knew what to look for and didn’t turn anything down.

“The canal museum still has a collection of Bethlehem Steel stuff. There was no place else to go with it. He spearheaded photographic record-keeping, what needed to be recorded before it disappeared,” Fox says.

“He was the smartest individual I’ve ever known,” says Grubb. “He knew everything about everything, and could relate it in a way that was easy to understand. Everybody respected him.

“He was so entertaining when he would regale you about stories from history or his own life. His enthusiasm was infectious,” Grubb says.

Grubb was a fellow student of Metz at Moravian College. “He did his term papers by memory, including the footnotes,” says Grubb.

“He had a staggering intellect. His memory was legendary,” says Fox.

“He would remember and make connections with everything he knew about a subject. He was interested in all sorts of things,” Fox says.

A few examples Fox gives are car-racing, fur-trapping, and the Henry Rifle.

Recalls Grubb, “He loved sports, although he wasn’t an athlete. He was enthusiastic about different players and teams.”

Fox, who took over administration of the museum’s archives in 2012, says, “The early archiving relied on Lance’s memory.”

If someone needed to access a record, Metz could tell the person exactly where it was located. If there was anything he didn’t know, he could rely on contacts in his well-worn address book.

“Lance knew everybody, people all over the Valley and the state, academics, and people in business,” Fox says.

The Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor celebrated its 30th anniversary two years ago.

In 2005, Metz received the Society for Industrial Archaeology’s Lifetime Achievement Award, for his work in preserving the legacy of Bethlehem Steel and the Bethlehem plant.

Metz worked on the PBS Emmy-winning documentary “Bethlehem Steel: The Company that Built America.” He was the history consultant for the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem and SteelStacks. He advocated for the creation of the National Museum of Industrial History.

“He had a great passion for buying books. Many of the books in the museum he bought with own funds,” says Fox.

Metz contributed to many books about local history. Fox remembers winnowing through 3,000 photographs for a book about Bethlehem Steel.

Metz, born in Phillipsburg, N.J., received a B.A. in History from Moravian College and a Masters in Maritime History from the University of Maine.

He lived in Genesis Healthcare Lehigh Center nursing home, Lower Macungie Township, since 2013. As of April 20, there were 16 coronavirus deaths reported at Lehigh Center where 49 tested positive for COVID-19.

“It was a shame he was confined to the nursing home,” says Fox.

“His physical body did not match the robustness of his mind. Throughout his physical decline, his mind and memory were pretty much intact,” Fox says.

“The last time I saw him was last October [2019]. I took my book over to him. We talked for an hour and a half. He asked how my family was, and how the mules were.”

Fox’s book, “Geography, Geology and Genius: How Coal and Canals Ignited the American Industrial Revolution” was published by Hugh Moore Historical Park & Museums in 2019.

A memorial service for Lance E. Metz is planned. Contributions in honor of Metz may be made to the Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, 2750 Hugh Moore Park Road, Easton, Pa. 18042, and Jacobsburg Historical Society, P.O. Box 345, Nazareth, Pa. 18064.

National Canal Museum: www.canals.org