Boathouse Row is a historic site A historic site is an official location where pieces of political, military or social history have been preserved. Historic sites are usually protected by law, and many have recognized with national historic site status located in Philadelphia Philadelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania and the sixth-most-populous city in the United States, Pennsylvania Pennsylvania has 51 miles of coastline along Lake Erie and 57 miles (92 km) of shoreline along the Delaware Estuary, on the east bank of the Schuylkill River The Schuylkill River is a river in the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is a designated Pennsylvania Scenic River, just North of the Fairmount Water Works The Fairmount Water Works in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was the first municipal waterworks in the United States. Designed in 1812 by Frederick Graff and built between 1819 and 1822 it operated until 1909, winning praise for its design and becoming a popular tourist attraction. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and and the Philadelphia Museum of Art The Philadelphia Museum of Art, known locally and colloquially as "The Art Museum", is among the largest art museums in the United States. It is located at the west end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park. The Museum was established in 1876 in conjunction with the Centennial Exposition of the same year. It consists of a row of 15 boathouses A boathouse is a building especially designed for the storage of boats, normally smaller craft for sports or leisure use. These are typically located on open water, such as on a river. Often the boats stored are rowing boats. Other boats such as punts or small motor boats may also be stored housing social and rowing clubs and their racing shells Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water. The sport can be both recreational, focusing on learning the techniques required, and competitive. Each of the boathouses has its own history, and all have addresses on both Boathouse Row and Kelly Drive A kelly drive refers to a type of well drilling device on an oil drilling rig that employs a section of pipe with an outer surface that is square, hexagonal or octagonal, which passes through the kelly bushing and rotary table. This bushing is rotated via the rotary table and thus the pipe and the attached drill string turn. When drilling, the (named after famous Philadelphia oarsman John B. Kelly, Jr. John Brendan Kelly, Jr. , also known as Kell Kelly or Jack Kelly, was an accomplished oarsman, a four-time Olympian, and an Olympic medal winner. He was also the son of triple Olympic gold medal winner John B. Kelly, Sr. In 1947, Kelly was awarded the James E. Sullivan Award as the top amateur athlete in the United States).
Boathouses #2 through #14 are part of a group known as the Schuylkill Navy The Schuylkill Navy is an association of amateur rowing clubs of Philadelphia. Founded in 1858, it is the oldest amateur athletic governing body in the United States. The member clubs of the Navy are all located on the Schuylkill River where it flows through Fairmount Park in Philadelphia, with most of the clubs being located on the historic, which encompasses several other boathouses along the river. Boathouse #1 is Lloyd Hall and is the only public boathouse facility on the Row.[2] Boathouse #15 houses the Sedgeley Club, which operates the Turtle Rock Lighthouse. The boathouses are all at least a century old, and some were built over 150 years ago.
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History and importance
Boathouse Row at night.Boathouse Row hosts several major rowing Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water. The sport can be both recreational, focusing on learning the techniques required, and competitive regattas A regatta is a term used to describe either a boat race, or series of boat races. Although the term typically describes racing events of unpowered water craft, some powerboat race series are also called regattas. Most commonly, a regatta is either a series of rowing, sailing, canoeing, gondola races or yacht racing. A regatta often includes social, including the Dad Vail Regatta The Dad Vail Regatta, held annually on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the largest regular intercollegiate rowing event in the USA , drawing over a hundred colleges and universities from North America, Stotesbury Cup The Stotesbury Cup Regatta, sponsored by the Schuylkill Navy, is "the world's oldest and largest high school rowing competition." It is held annually in mid-May over a two-day period along the Schuylkill River near Boathouse Row in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Although there is no official U.S. national high school rowing championship, Regatta, the Navy Day Regatta, the Independence Day Regatta, and the Head of the Schuylkill.
The boathouses are seen as centers of the rowing community around the United States. Rowers from the boathouses compete at every level, including local clubs, high schools, colleges, summer racing programs, and international-level athletics.
In 1979, lights designed by architectural lighting designer Raymond Grenald were installed to outline each of the boathouses, giving them a nightly Christmas-like gingerbread house appearance and reflecting in the Schuylkill River.[3] He proposed the lights after hearing talk of destroying the decaying Victorian boathouses. Lights on the buildings at night would serve to make them more noticed and appreciated. In 2005, after two refurbishings, the houses were outfitted with computerized LEDs A light-emitting diode (pronounced /ˌɛl.iːˈdiː/) is a semiconductor light source. LEDs are used as indicator lamps in many devices, and are increasingly used for lighting. Introduced as a practical electronic component in 1962, early LEDs emitted low-intensity red light, but modern versions are available across the visible, ultraviolet and that can light up in various colors, depending on the event or season.
Boathouse Row is a National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance. Out of more than 80,000 places on the National Register only about 2,430 are NHLs and was entered onto the National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation. Having a property on the National Register, or located within a National Register Historic District, could result in its eligibility for tax incentives derived from the in 1987.[4]
Local universities including Drexel, Penn, and La Salle row out of houses on Boathouse Row. Temple Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell. Temple University is among the nation’s largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional practitioners in Pennsylvania, offering over 300 academic degree programs at seven, Villanova Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for Saint Thomas of Villanova, the school is the oldest and largest Catholic university in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and Saint Joseph's row out of other boathouses along the Schuylkill that are not part of the Row.
A panorama of #15 to #2 Boathouse Row taken from West Philadelphia in 2010.Early 19th century beginnings
The history of Boathouse Row begins with the construction of the Fairmount Dam and the adjacent Water Works. The Dam was built in 1810 as part of a lock at the Falls of the Schuylkill to bring coal downriver.[5] The Dam submerged rapids and transformed the Schuylkill from a tidal river into a river that resembles a very long freshwater lake.[6] The placid manmade surface was ideal for ice skating in winter and rowing in summer.[5] In 1835, the first regatta took place between the Blue Devils and the Imps Barge clubs.[6] The excitement from the race sparked the formation of several barge clubs, may of them short-lived.[6]
The frame boathouses
From left to right: double boathouse at #9-10; double house at #7-8; and #6, with one-story condemned buildings in between (c. 1873).A secondary effect of taming the Schuylkill was that the calm water provided a breeding ground for mosquitos, which drove wealthy residents from their riverside mansions.[5] The abandoned estates were bought by the City of Philadelphia.[6] In 1844, the City purchased the Lemon Hill Estate.[6] The leaseholder of Lemon Hill operated a beer garden Beer garden is an open-air area where beer, other drinks and local food (see German cuisine) are served. The concept originates from and is most common in Southern Germany (especially Bavaria). It is usually attached to a drinking establishment such as a public house or a beer hall, which in places such as Munich may serve large numbers of and allowed rowing and barge clubs to build frame structure Framing, in construction known as light-frame construction, is a building technique based around structural members, usually called studs, which provide a stable frame to which interior and exterior wall coverings are attached, and covered by a roof comprising horizontal ceiling joists and sloping rafters or manufactured pre-fabricated roof boathouses on the Estate's property along the Schuylkill.[6]
In 1855, the City founded Fairmount Park Fairmount Park is the municipal park system of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It consists of 63 parks, with 9,200 acres , all overseen by the Fairmount Park Commission by converting the Lemon Hill Estate, upon which the frame boathouse were built, into a public park.[6] At the same time, some of the longer lasting clubs wanted to regulate the sport of rowing to prevent unscrupulous practices and fixed races.[6] As a result, in 1858, the Schuylkill Navy The Schuylkill Navy is an association of amateur rowing clubs of Philadelphia. Founded in 1858, it is the oldest amateur athletic governing body in the United States. The member clubs of the Navy are all located on the Schuylkill River where it flows through Fairmount Park in Philadelphia, with most of the clubs being located on the historic was founded, which eventually transformed the professional sport of rowing into an amateur sport.[6] In 1859, the City condemned the boathouses along the Schuylkill.[6]
Boathouses of 1860
Although the City condemned the frame boathouses, it passed an ordinance in 1860 to permit construction of three new boathouses for Pacific Barge Club, the clubs of the Schuylkill Navy The Schuylkill Navy is an association of amateur rowing clubs of Philadelphia. Founded in 1858, it is the oldest amateur athletic governing body in the United States. The member clubs of the Navy are all located on the Schuylkill River where it flows through Fairmount Park in Philadelphia, with most of the clubs being located on the historic, and the Philadelphia Skating Club.[6] After 1860, without city approval, several clubs constructed one-story boathouses similar to the frame structures that the City had previously condemned and removed, but these newer boathouses were built with brick and stone.[6] In 1868, following an expansion of Fairmount Park Fairmount Park is the municipal park system of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It consists of 63 parks, with 9,200 acres , all overseen by the Fairmount Park Commission, the City ordered the removal of all of the one-story brick and stone boathouses except for buildings belonging to the Philadelphia Skating Club (#14 Boathouse Row), Pacific Barge Club (#2-3 Boathouse Row), and Bachelors Barge Club (#6).[6]
Post Civil War boathouses
Boathouse Row, c. 1904-1912.Between 1869 and 1871, Pennsylvania Barge Club and Crescent Boat Club erected a double boathouse at #4 and #5 Boathouse Row.[7] In 1871, the Fairmount Park commission allowed the University Barge Club and the Philadelphia Barge Club to build a double boathouse at #7-8 Boathouse Row.[8] In 1873, Malta Boat Club and Vesper Boat Club built a double boathouse at #9 and #10 Boathouse Row.[9] In 1874, College Boat Club built the boathouse at #11 Boathouse Row.[10] In 1878, West Philadelphia Boat Club built #12 Boathouse Row.[11]
Five years later, in 1883, Undine Barge Club constructed #13 Boathouse Row. In 1892, with Crescent's permission, Pennsylvania Barge Club tore down and replaced their half of the double boathouse at #4 Boathouse Row.[7] In 1894, Bachelors Barge Club replaced its 1860 building at #6 Boathouse Row.[7] In 1902, the Sedgeley Club was allowed to build #15 Boathouse Row.[12] In 1904, Fairmount Rowing Association demolished the stone building built by Pacific Barge Club at #2 Boathouse Row and replaced the 1860 structure with a new brick structure, leaving #3 and #14 Boathouse Row as the only remaining boathouses dating from 1860.[13]
Photo gallery
Historic Landmark Boathouses in 1972
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Sedgeley Club, #15 Kelly Drive (1902) |
Philadelphia Girls' Club, #14 Kelly Drive (1860) |
Undine Barge Club, #13 Kelly Drive (1883) |
Penn AC Rowing Assoc., #12 Kelly Drive (1878) |
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College Boat Club, #11 Kelly Drive (1874) |
Vesper Boat Club, #10 Kelly Drive (1873) |
Malta Boat Club, #9 Kelly Drive (1873) |
University Barge Club, #7-8 Kelly Drive (1871) |
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Bachelors Barge Club, #6 Kelly Drive (1894) |
Crescent Boat Club, #5 Kelly Drive (1871) |
Pennsylvania Barge Club, #4 Kelly Drive (1892) |
Fairmount Rowing Assoc., #2-3 Kelly Drive (1904) |
Tue, 24 Aug 2010 02:56:49 GMT+00:00
NBC Philadelphia Everything from basketballs to chairs to bottles and logs could be seen floating in the channel that stretches between the Azalea Garden and Boathouse Row . ...
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No Comment Don t expect too much this week besides a bunch of compilations and Christmas specials Since you all look forward to the new releases please check out our 5 Indie Christmas Songs You
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Sun, 14 Feb 2010 19:20:57 GM
Boathouse Row. is a historic site located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the east bank of the Schuylkill River. It consists of a row of boathouses housing racing shells. Each of the ten boathouses has its own history, ...
