ae96d554-2c19-4287-8dd0-679d2ee7794e Main Street Manayunk Historic District The Schuylkill Canal During the mid-19th century, the tow path waterway provided an important means for the transportation of goods and materials in the United States. The Manayunk Canal formed a segment of the Schuylkill Canal System, constructed to provide a navigable waterway along the Schuylkill River, linking the Delaware River and the coal regions above Reading. The Schuylkill Canal System, part of a broader canal system, provided the crucial link to the west. The openings of the canal forged a link between the land located regions of western Pennsylvania, and the port of Philadelphia, creating a tow path water transportation which enabled the cheap transport of anthracite coal to markets all along the eastern seaboard. Describe your image A plan to provide a navigable link between the Susquehanna and Delaware Rivers had been conceived by William Penn in 1690. However, such a link was not a reality until 1825. In the interim, surveys for a possible canal were completed in the mid-18th century, and isolated improvements made to the river channel. The first serious planning for a canal began in 1731 when a group of Philadelphia citizens lead by Robert Morris Organized the Society for Improvements of Roads and Inland Navigation. As a result of their efforts, the State of Pennsylvania chartered the first two canal projects in America, the Schuylkill and Susquehanna Navigation Company, and the Delaware and Schuylkill Navigation Company, forerunner of the Schuylkill Navigation Company. The State authorized $440,000 for the projects, however, by 1794 only 15 miles of canal was completed, funds had been exhausted and work stopped on both projects. Describe your image The motivating force behind eventual construction of the Schuylkill Canal System was Joshua White, credited with developing a method for burning hard anthracite to process iron ore. He understood the potential of the canal to reduce the cost of transporting anthracite coal from the coal fields above Reading to industries along the Schuylkill in Philadelphia. White petitioned the State for the right to improve the river, but his proposal was rejected. In 1815, the State of Pennsylvania chartered the foundation of the Schuylkill Navigation Company. The Company, established by Philadelphia financiers and headed by Cadwallader Evans was granted a charter to construct a canal from Philadelphia to Port Carbon, just below Pottsville. Describe your image This information has been posted by RMWHS with the permission of the Philadelphia Historical Commission. Sections: 1 Intro and Nomination Form 2 Description 3 Significance of Manayunk 4 The Schuylkill Canal 5 Schuylkill Navigation Company 6 Manayunk Canal 7 Economic Development 8 Manayunk Social Development 9 The Industry of Venice Island 10 Main Street Manayunk 11 Bibliography 12 Boundary Details Top of page

Historical Maps 1862 < Previous > Back to Historical Map List < Next > 1862 - Atlas of Phila (NW) Source: URL: Free Library of Philadelphia https://libwww.freelibrary.org/digital/item/12334 Full Name: Atlas of the City of Philadelphia, 1862, Section 20 [Northwest] Visit the source URL to use zoom features, find additional formats, or download a high quality image.

e8ab28c4-0111-4d3d-abc3-e94af591c2b9 Main Street Manayunk Historic District The Industry of Venice Island The pattern of physical growth and development in Manayunk during the 19th century was determined by the location of the Manayunk Canal, as a transportation route and power source. With the decline of the canal and the increasing importance of railroad transportation, the construction of a railroad spur adjacent to the canal maintained Manayunk as an important industrial location. Industrial development and redevelopment occurred during the 19th and early 20th centuries in response to changes in technology and market condition favoring new industries. Describe your image After completion of the canal, Venice Island, located between the river channel and the canal, became the principal location for Manayunk industry. By the 1860s, a substantial number of mill complexes had been developed both on the eastern and central parts of Venice Island, and the south side of Main Street, near the lower locks. Principal mill structures at the lower locks included the Roxborough Mills, and the Littlewood and Lancaster Mill. Cotton mills clustered in an area cast of Green Lane Bridge, while west of the Leverington Street Bridge, a wider variety of mill industries developed including paper mills (Flat Rock Paper Mill), grist mills (Mt. Vernon Grist Mill), and Knitting Works (Pennsylvania Knitting Works). Coal was now the major source of power for the mill complexes with the Philadelphia and Norristown Railroad servicing the coal depots on the south side of Cresson Street. Describe your image Over the next fifteen years, development continued along the eastern and central parts of Venice Island as far west as Fountain Street. Major mill complexes east of Green Lane included the Schuylkill Cotton Mill at Rector Street, Hardings Paper Mills and Ripka Cotton Mills at Carson Street. Typically, each mill had operation on both sides of the waters, linked by bridges across the canal, with the mill offices located on the Main Street side. By 1875, a substantial number of paper and wood pulp mills has been constructed west of the Fountain Street Bridge. Among these mills were the American Wood Pulp Co., Flat Rock Mills and Philadelphia Pulp Works. Race channels, cut across Venice Island from the canal to the main channel, supplied water for each mill. Gas became a new source of energy for Manayunk industries, provided by the Manayunk Gas Works located on Venice Island, east of the Leverington Street Bridge. In the 1880s, rail transportation became increasingly important and a second rail line serving Manayunk, the Pennsylvania Schuylkill Valley Railroad, was completed. Before 1818, Flat Rock Road and the canal had provided the only direct means of transporting raw materials and finished goods to and from the Island mills. Now, the transformation of Venice Island industry transportation from water to rail transportation was complete with the construction of the Venice Island branch of the Reading Railroad on the tow path right of way, and the elimination of the canal tow path system. At the turn of the century, most of the mills were still in operation, although new types of industry began developing with the construction of the railroad spur to Venice Island. With increasing competition from textile production in the south, and a reorientation of Manayunk industry to pulp, soap, and chemical production, further development and redevelopment occurred in the first two decades of the 20th century. Some major textile mills remained, such as Imperial Woolens and Elton Textiles Mills, while new industries such as the Zane Soap and Chemical Co., National Waste Co., and the National Milling and Chemical Co. (NAMCO), opened. No significant new industrial development occurred in Manayunk after the 1920s, heightening the decline in importance of Manayunk as an industrial center. Today, Venice Island provides both industrial and recreational uses. While the west end of the Island remains industrial, some of the old, abandoned textile mills at the east end have been cleared for active recreational uses. Although many of the older mills have been demolished, these Venice Island sites may at some future time yield valuable archaeological information relating to 19th century industrial technology. This information has been posted by RMWHS with the permission of the Philadelphia Historical Commission. Sections: 1 Intro and Nomination Form 2 Description 3 Significance of Manayunk 4 The Schuylkill Canal 5 Schuylkill Navigation Company 6 Manayunk Canal 7 Economic Development 8 Manayunk Social Development 9 The Industry of Venice Island 10 Main Street Manayunk 11 Bibliography 12 Boundary Details Top of page

​​The Archive is located within the Roxborough branch of the Philadelphia Free Library at 6245 Ridge Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19128. Street parking only. Admission to the RMWHS Archive is free -- but it is open by appointment only. Please contact us to make an appointment. Archive is Open for Research by Appointment Only The Archive is open at the discretion of the archivists. No food, drink, or pets are permitted All children must be accompanied by adult Visitor Limit - Due to limited space, the Archive can only accommodate 2 visitors at a time. Masks - Our volunteer may ask you to wear a mask in the Archive. It is a small, tight room and there is little personal space. Please understand our volunteers give time, energy, and skills to help the public and a request to mask up keeps them safe and it is a small kindness you can pay them if they ask. Thank you! No Wheelchair Access - While the main Library entrance is wheelchair accessible, the Archive is not. Location & Parking - The RMWHS Archive is inside the Roxborough branch of the Philadelphia Free Library located at 6245 Ridge Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19128. Free street parking is available -- Hermitage Street recommended. Donations for our efforts are appreciated and will be used to digitize, preserve, expand, and improve our collection.

Status: This is a historic cemetery that is still accepting new residents. Leverington Cemetery Lyceum Ave & Ridge Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19128, USA Owner: Leverington Cemetery LLC Status: This is a historic cemetery that is still accepting new residents. Visitors are welcome during daylight hours when the front gate is open. Please watch your step -- old graveyards tend to have uneven ground and more than a few groundhog holes. History In 1703, Elizabeth, the 13-year-old daughter of Wigard Levering, was the first to be laid to rest on this land. Dozens of other Leverings would eventually join her as would their descendants, neighbors, and thousands of residents not only from the 21st Ward, but from across Philadelphia and Montgomery County. In the 320 years since Elizabeth's death, the cemetery was known as the Roxborough Burial Grounds and eventually the Leverington Cemetery -- taking its name from the area named in deference for the founding Levering families in the area. Memorials Revolutionary Soldiers Memorial Civil War Soldier Memorial Map A map of cemetery has been provided below. Burial Records & Resources Burial records & resources are available through Ancestry.com , FamilySearch.com , and Findagrave.com . If those resources do not provide the information you are looking for, you can contact RMWHS . Please note, you should check the online resources first as a courtesy to our volunteer archivists. Volunteers Welcome Each Spring members of the community are invited to participate in Clean-up & Planting Day. Volunteers and local groups come spend a few hours one Saturday doing minor weeding and landscaping projects as well as tending to the planters and cradle beds. If you are interested in helping, join/watch the Friends of Leverington Cemetery on Facebook for details on the date (which is typically in mid-to-late April). Adopt a Cradle Grave If you are interested in adopting a cradle grave, contact RMWHS . A few of our members organize weeding, planting, and occasional watering of a number of the cradle graves throughout the cemetery. We appreciate your assistance in help in beautifying one of our most treasured landmarks. Gallery of Photos Map

0bde0beb-8c39-44b3-9265-153294e93123 Main Street Manayunk Historic District Economic Development The development of Manayunk as a significant regional and industrial center was due to construction of the Manayunk Canal. While Manayunk continued to flourish as a manufacturing center into the 1930s, it is the 19th century industrial development, which is of historic significance. Before the canal was opened in 1819, industry located in Manayunk because of the access to water; pre-canal industries included grist mills, glass and paper, iron rolling and wood screw production. Industries were typically small scale, serving a local market. After completion of the canal, Manayunk quickly expanded as a center of diverse small scale industrial production including cotton, drugs, oak grinding, and the manufacturing of hat bodies and paper. The construction of the canal brought three potential benefits for industry: 1. The availability of coal for industrial production. 2. The availability of waterpower. 3. Transportation of raw materials and finished goods. Realizing the value of the newly available waterpower, the Schuylkill Navigation Company began marketing this valuable industrial commodity. The first waterpower was sold to Captain John Towers on April 10, 1819, and he proceeded to construct the first mill in Manayunk, on land formerly part of the Levering estate. In 1820, Charles Hagner constructed the second mill, between Green Lane and Leverington Street, for the preparation of Oil and grinding of drugs, and subsequently other mills were constructed. During the 1820s, the scale of industrial production magnified, and operations increasingly focused on cotton textile production. By 1828, 10 mills were in operation with 6 homes under construction. A commentator described Manayunk in 1828 as follows: "I rode over to a new village called Manayunk, lying about 4 miles above me on the left bank of the Schuylkill, it is flourishing and increasing in dwelling houses and mills. I visited the largest cotton factory, belonging to Mr. Boris and Mr. Jerome Keating. These gentlemen have a 4-story stone building, 200' long, containing 4,500 spindles and one hundred and twenty power looms, all worked by about 200 persons. " Many of the area’s first factories combined assembly line production with forms of cottage industry. Because a large portion of Manayunk labor force was unskilled, there was substantial technological innovation. In. contrast, competing textile centers such as Kensington, with it skilled hand weavers, were slow to adopt mechanization. Mechanization led to increased labor organization and some of the unions were organized in Manayunk in the 1830s. The national depression of the late 1870s ended the early diverse phase of industrial growth and reinforced cotton textile manufacturing as the dominant industry of Manayunk. The scale of production continued to increase, many of the first mill structures were demolished and redeveloped as larger multi-story structures to accommodate new industrial processes. Describe your image With the commencement of the Civil War, cotton from the South became unavailable resulting in the closing of many mills. Surviving mill owners switched to wool to supply the needs of the Union Army. After the war, wool and wool blend textiles continued to be an important aspect of Manayunk industry while cotton industries declined. Because of competition from mills in the South, industrial specialization prevailed with factories linking their output to a few steps in the production process, selling their materials to other factories. By the end of the century, Manayunk factories were producing standard cotton and wool fabrics, as well as carpet yarns, silks, "shoddy" blends, hosiery, dress goods, cashmere, jeans, and other articles. Despite this diversification, the first generation of mill owners such as Ripka and Schofield, who prospered before the Civil War, continued to define the structure of Manayunk industry. After the war, the rate of industrial expansion declined, and the new mills were generally less profitable. While textile and textile related production continued to be important through the 1920s, the manufacture of paper, soap, chemicals increased in importance until the Depression. Today, although no longer a regionally significant location for industrial activity, Manayunk remains a relatively satisfactory location for existing industries. Factors contributing to the area’s longevity include easy access to the interstate highway system, a stable community, availability of water, and physical isolation from the deteriorated sections of the City. This information has been posted by RMWHS with the permission of the Philadelphia Historical Commission. Sections: 1 Intro and Nomination Form 2 Description 3 Significance of Manayunk 4 The Schuylkill Canal 5 Schuylkill Navigation Company 6 Manayunk Canal 7 Economic Development 8 Manayunk Social Development 9 The Industry of Venice Island 10 Main Street Manayunk 11 Bibliography 12 Boundary Details Top of page

Roxborough Manayunk Wissahickon Historical Society provides history and information on cemeteries and churchyards/graveyards in our area. However, we are not responsible for them. Please use this info to contact a local institution. Cemeteries & Churchyards CONTACTS: Vandalism/Crime - If you have witnessed a crime or see something that poses a danger, call 911. There isn't a cemetery or churchyard that will be upset about neighbors and residents helping keep our neighborhoods safe. Homeless - The homeless can be found throughout the year sleeping or camping out almost anywhere in the 21st Ward. Police ask that you do not approach or attempt to chase them off -- you should contact the 5th District Police instead. Burial Info - Always check Findagrave.com first . More info will be posted for each cemetery/churchyard when ready. Um, Cemetery or Churchyard? OR Roxborough Baptist Churchyard Use the RMWHS map below to determine if an issue you have witnessed and wish to report is in Leverington Cemetery or the old Roxborough Baptist Churchyard (owned by Epic Church). Then notify the appropriate contacts. Leverington Cemetery Memorial Day 2021 Click/tap on a spot on the map to magnify it. Some browsers/devices work better than others. These are 2 separate properties with 2 different owners but there is no visible, physical border between them. The burial spaces run nearly seamlessly against each other. Determining where one property ends and the other starts can be tricky. If you can't decide, contact both property owners AFTER you report the emergency to the police. Leverington Cemetery* Vandalism & Other Crimes Call 911 immediately After you call 911, alert Leverington Cemetery and include the date and details you reported to 911. Homeless in Leverington Cemetery Report it to 5th District Police 215-686-3050 After you call the 5th, alert Leverington Cemetery and include the date and details you reported it. *The owners of the Leverington Cemetery are unable to update their website with their new contact info. The RMWHS form provided sends your note directly to the owner -- we do not get involved. Epic Church/Baptist Churchyard Vandalism & Other Crimes Call 911 immediately Then inform Epic Church at 215-525-9193 Homeless in the old Baptist Churchyard Report it to 5th District Police 215-686-3050 Then inform Epic Church at 215-525-9193 Neighbors & witnesses must contact the police & property owners directly. RMWHS cannot address issues or report issues for you. Thank you for being a good neighbor.

Historical Maps 1816 < Previous > Back to Historical Map List < Next > 1816 - Phila County Source: URL: Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gmd/g3824p.la000783 Full Name: Map of Philadelphia County : constructed by virtue of an act of the Legislature of Pennsylvania passed 19th March 1816 Visit the source URL to use zoom features, find additional formats, or download a high quality image.

99477795-38e3-434c-b69e-f61ee051751a Ridge Ave Roxborough Historic District Turn of the Century Although the Roxborough Railroad failed to provide access to the rural sections of Roxborough for suburban development, the construction of the Walnut Lane Bridge over the Wissahickon in 1907 and 1908 did better connect Roxborough to Germantown and open the way for development of the open land overlooking the valley (Figure 38). Until the bridge opened at the dawn of the automobile era in 1908, traveling between Germantown and Roxborough required the steep descent into the gorge and the equally steep climb out of it, an extremely difficult task in the era of horse-drawn carriages and wagons. Constructed by engineers of the City of Philadelphia, the concrete arch bridge, the longest single-span masonry arch in the world when completed, was considered an engineering marvel.109 While the Walnut Lane Bridge offered a convenient connection to Germantown, Roxborough’s boosters still wanted a direct connection to burgeoning North Philadelphia and to the downtown beyond that did not require negotiating the steep hill up the Ridge from the Schuylkill or the deep Wissahickon gorge. The Henry Avenue Bridge, which carries Henry Avenue over the Wissahickon and Lincoln Drive, was contemplated as early as 1912 as part of a subway extension plan, but was not implemented for nearly two decades. By the time it was implemented, the automobile had supplanted all other forms of transportation. After many years of planning and false starts, the bridge was designed by prominent engineers Ralph Modjeski and Frank Masters in collaboration with renowned architect Paul Cret in 1927, constructed in the early 1930s, and completed in May 1932. At the same time, Henry Avenue was extended from East Falls, across the Wissahickon, and through Roxborough to Ridge Avenue in the Andorra section. The wide, four-lane boulevard, which runs along the western boundary of the Wissahickon section of Fairmount Park, was designed for automobiles, not horses or trolleys, and opened the remainder of Roxborough for suburban development. Although the mass transit facilities were built into the bridge, no transit line was run along Henry Avenue and the bridge’s transit facilities were never used. Even before the bridge was completed, real estate agents were marketing suburban homes along Henry Avenue. For example, in 1927 real estate agents Mason & Bruhns advertised an “exceptional home ‘In the Open Suburbs of Philadelphia,’ 613 Walnut Lane at Henry avenue, adjoining the Wissahickon Valley and proposed golf course. New Henry Avenue Bridge will enhance value.”110 Describe your image In 1907, while the Walnut Lane Bridge was under construction, Fowler & Kelly published an aerial view of Roxborough from West Laurel Hill Cemetery drawn by Thaddeus Mortimer Fowler (Figure 39). The bird’s-eye, which includes the incomplete Walnut Lane Bridge, depicts Roxborough, with its dense suburban development in Wissahickon and Leverington and its open rural land to the north and east, in its final moments before the automobile would forever alter development patterns and the built environment in the lower northwest section of the city. Describe your image Figure 39. Thaddeus Mortimer, Birds Eye View of Manayunk, Wissahickon-Roxborough from West Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1907, published by Fowler & Kelly, Morrisville, Pa., 1907. This information has been posted by RMWHS with the permission of the Philadelphia Historical Commission. Sections: 1 Intro and Nomination Form 2 Boundary and Description 3 Statement of Significance 4 Native Americans 5 Patent Holders and Early Settlers 6 Ridge Road 7 Early Roxborough 8 Georgian and Colonial Architecture 9 During the Revolutionary War 10 Federal Architecture 11 Development of Manayunk 12 Greek Revival Architecture 13 Early 19th Century 14 Gothic Revival Architecture 15 Italianate Architecture 16 During and After the Civil War 17 Second Empire Architecture 18 Queen Anne Architecture 19 Turn of the Century 20 Conclusion and Bibliography 109 Contemporary accounts of the Walnut Lane Bridge also include “The Walnut Lane Bridge Across the Wissahickon Valley,” The Press, 27 April 1907; “Bridge Over the Wissahickon Creek and Its Main Span,” Public Ledger, 11 July 1907; “Bridge False Work Collapses; One Dead,” Public Ledger, 28 December 1907. On the design and construction, see George S. Webster, “Annual Report of the Board of Surveys,” in Second Annual Message of John E. Reyburn, Mayor of the City of Philadelphia ... for the Ending December 31, 1908 (Philadelphia, 1909), II, 328-329; George S. Webster and Henry H. Quimby, “Walnut Lane Bridge, Philadelphia,” Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers 35, no. 6 (August 1909): 587-625; “The Walnut Lane Bridge, Philadelphia,” Engineering Record 54, no. 20 (17 November 1906): 542-544; “Moving the Centering of the Walnut Lane Arch at Philadelphia,” Engineering News 58, no. 7 (15 August 1907): 168; “The Walnut Lane Bridge, Fairmount Park, Philadelphia,” Engineering Record 56, no. 9 (31 August 1907): 222-226; J.A. Stewart, “The New Bridge Over the Wissahickon at Philadelphia,” Scientific American 97, no. 22 (30 November 1907): 392-393; George Maurice Heller, “The Design of the Centering for the 233-Ft. Arch Span, Walnut Lane Bridge, Phila., Pa.,” Proceedings of the Engineers’ Club of Philadelphia 25, no. 3 (July 1908): 257-278; “The Effect of Temperature on the Walnut Lane Concrete Arch,” Engineering News 62, no. 15 (7 October 1909): 376; “Walnut-Lane Bridge, Philadelphia, Pa.,” The Builder 98, no. 3516 (25 June 1910): 727-730; “The Largest Single-Span Concrete Bridge in the World,” World To-Day 15 (December 1908): 1293; Frederic Blount Warren, “The Walnut Lane, Philadelphia, Bridge: A Majestic Concrete Structure,” Scientific American Supplement 66, no. 1715 (14 November 1908): 306. 110 Inquirer, 27 November 1927, p. 69. Top of page

Status: Structural improvements began in 2023 Shawmont Station 7700 Nixon Street, Philadelphia, PA, USA Owner: SEPTA Status: Structural improvements began in 2023 Visitors to the station are urged to be cautious. Access to the property is not permitted and parking is not available below Shawmont Ave. If you do visit, park on Shawmont Ave and walk down -- but be careful crossing the tracks as this is a working train line. History The following timeline was created by John Johnstone, Historian, Shawmont Station Advocate, RMWHS member. __________________ 1825 - Nathan Nathans, Center City Philadelphia lawyer, purchases land bordering Schuylkill Navigation Company's Towpath, along the Schuylkill River at a Sheriff's Sale, in Roxborough Township, above the Flat Rock Dam, formerly owned by the Criedlands. 1826 - After returning from England, Architect, William Strickland writes his "Reports on Canals, Railways, Roads, and Other Subjects", made to the Pennsylvania Society for the Promotion of Internal Improvement. The Schuylkill Navigation Company completes laying their Schuylkill Turnpike between Domino Lane in Roxborough and Montgomery County, previously known as The Pebble Road. Nathan Nathans builds his vacation home on a small section of land between the Schuylkill Turnpike and Towpath, close to the Schuylkill River. 1827 - The Schuylkill Navigation Company maps it entire system between Schuylkill County PA, and Philadelphia, including prior land purchases for their towpath, as well as mapping their turnpike roads and bordering buildings. Visible on map is Nathan Nathans' country home. 1830 - Nathan Nathans sells his land and vacation home to John Wise, local Miller, but remains legal executor of Mr. Wise's estate. 1832 - The Philadelphia, Germantown and Norristown Railroad operate Philadelphia's first passenger train between 9th& Green Streets, Philadelphia, and Germantown, utilizing Mathias Baldwin's steam locomotive, "Old Ironsides". 1833 - Architect William Strickland and Engineer Henry Campbell design the Norristown branch of the Philadelphia, Germantown and Norristown Railroad and construction begins. 1834 - Horse-drawn passenger trains operate from 9th and Green Streets to Manayunk on a set of single tracks, while tracks are laid northwest to Norristown. Nathan Nathans sues the Philadelphia, Germantown, and Norristown Railroad, for damages associated with laying tracks in front of John Wise's house. 1835 - The Norristown Branch is completed, and passenger trains make their way to Norristown. Nathan Nathans loses lawsuit to Railroad, and John Wises' house and property are sold to Henry Croskey, local Lumber Merchant and Passenger Railway Enthusiast. Mr. Croskey creates a runoff stream leading to the Schuylkill River on his property during his lumbering process and names it "Green Tree Run". He also builds an access road between the Ridge Turnpike in Upper Roxborough and the Schuylkill Turnpike and names it "Green Tree Lane". He names his newly acquired house by the Railroad, "Green Tree Station", which he facilitates for passenger service and freight service for his lumbering business, while using the Schuylkill Navigation Company for lumber transport as well. At Green Tree Station, Mr. Croskey houses Schuylkill Navigation Company workers overnight, who load large shipments of lumber onto barges, making it a "mixed use" building. 1836 - Engineer, Henry Campbell designs and sells steam Engines to the Railroad for the Norristown Branch. Freight branches are extended to the Plymouth Limekilns from Conshohocken and to a King of Prussia Quarry from Norristown. Campbell's poorly designed engines easily de-rail on grades and sharp curves. Mathias Baldwin produces more engines for the railroad, and steam engines fully replace horses on the Railroad. The Norristown Branch becomes double-tracked to facilitate high traffic. 1837-1840 - Henry Croskey continues to purchase nearby land for his lumbering business and builds his new homestead on a hill above Green Tree Station. He is noted to have made vast improvements to the area and to have facilitated the Railroad, Turnpike and Waterway, consistent with Pennsylvania's Internal Improvement plan. Both the Coleman and Crawford stagecoach companies start transporting passengers from the Ridge Turnpike to Railroad stations on the Norristown Branch. 1842 - The Philadelphia and Reading Railroad open passenger and freight service between Broad and Cherry Streets, in Philadelphia and Pottsville, PA, with a branch to Port Richmond, on the Delaware River, for coal transport. Their Main line runs along the West Bank of Schuylkill River, opposite to the Norristown Branch of Philadelphia, Germantown & Norristown Railroad. 1843 - The Philadelphia, Germantown & Norristown Railroad combine freight and passenger services with the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, with mutual access to the Delaware River docks at the foot of Noble Street, from the 9th and Green Street terminus. Henry Croskey opens a second business at the Railroad dock, utilizing the Railroad for lumber transport between Green Tree Station and the Delaware River. The Schuylkill Navigation Company loses revenue to the Railroads, which run from the Coal Regions in five hours, as opposed to the Navigation Company, taking six days. 1850 - A freshet causes flooding from the Schuylkill River and the Flat Rock Bridge below the Flat Rock Dam, between Lower Merion and the Schuylkill Turnpike, is destroyed. To facilitate travel close to the two points, a ferry is operated upstream between Rose Glen Station in Gladwyne, and Green Tree Station. 1853 - Henry Croskey moves to Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia, though his lumbering business is maintained in Roxborough. Mr. Croskey becomes a leader in planning for intercity, public rail transportation. 1857 - Henry Croskey sells Green Tree Station and grounds of approximately seven by ten perches, to the Philadelphia, Germantown & Norristown Railroad, for one dollar. He also sells his estate above Green Tree Station to Thomas Shaw, inventor, who would invent several permanent improvements for the Railroads. The University of Pennsylvania begins having boat races on the Schuylkill River, between Green Tree Station and Spring Mill, through to the early Twentieth Century. The Railroad builds a freight station across the tracks. 1870 - The wealthy Philadelphia & Reading Railroad, who permanently leases the Philadelphia, Germantown & Norristown Railroad, absorb a financially troubled Schuylkill Navigation Company. Green Tree Station receives several upgrades to include a tin, fireproof roof with remodeled chimneys, an addition to house a permanent Station resident, its central doorway & stairway are removed and replaced with a bay window, housing a telegraph. Windows facing its platform are converted into doorways, one of which for a waiting room. Scored concrete is painted white and its passenger platform roof replaced. 1873 - With the Pennsylvania Railroad having a station in nearby Chester County, also named "Green Tree", Green Tree Station in Philadelphia County, is changed to "Shawmont", named after nearby resident and inventor, Thomas Shaw. 1874 - Henry Croskey opens and is President of the horse-drawn Ridge Avenue Railway, operating from North Philadelphia into Roxborough and Barren Hill, which eventually becomes electrified in 1884 - The Pennsylvania Railroad opens their Schuylkill Branch for service, which parallels the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad's Norristown Branch and Main Line, between Manayunk & Pottsville, PA, with through service to Wilkes Barre. They also open their own Shawmont Station, 300 feet north of the Philadelphia & Reading's. 1894 - Thomas Shaw develops an inclined railway to travel between Manayunk and Roxborough, but it never materializes. 1909 - The Brendel Family moves into Shawmont Station as permanent tenants/station masters. 1916 - The last freight barge travels down the locks of the Schuylkill River, though the locks remain open for recreational use. 1921 - The Philadelphia and Reading Railroad close passenger operations on the West Side of the Schuylkill River, below Bridgeport, and use that section exclusively for freight. The Norristown Branch is used for all local and express passenger trains between Philadelphia's Reading Terminal and Reading/Pottsville/Williamsport Lancaster/Harrisburg/Gettysburg/Shippensburg. The ferry between Rose Glen Station and Shawmont Station is closed. 1929 - The shutters on the windows of Shawmont Station are removed and put into storage. Scored concrete on front façade is replaced with flat concrete. 1940 - All locks along the Schuylkill River are closed. No recreational boating is permitted between Shawmont and East Falls. 1950 - The Reading Railroad cuts back passenger service from Williamsport to Shamokin. 1960 - The Pennsylvania Railroad cuts back passenger service from Norristown to Manayunk. Their circa 1884 Shawmont Station is removed, though that line continues to carry freight. 1963 - The Reading Railroad cuts passenger service to Shamokin and Harrisburg. Other than local commuter trains, the only express trains travelling Reading's Norristown Branch are to Reading and Pottsville. 1972 - Though Hurricane Agnes causes flooding along much of the Schuylkill River, Shawmont Station is spared. 1974 - Shawmont Station receives its last paint job. 1976 - Conrail takes over the Reading Railroad's passenger operations. 1979 - SEPTA takes over Conrail's passenger operations and the Norristown Branch becomes the R6 line. SEPTA extends Pennsylvania Railroad's Schuylkill Branch ¾ mile to Ivy Ridge from Manayunk and tracks North of that completely close for freight service, following abandonment by Conrail. Abandoned tracks above Port Royal Avenue in Shawmont are paved over into a bike path to Valley Forge. 1981 - SEPTA cuts back passenger service from Pottsville to Norristown. 1986 - SEPTA cuts back Pennsylvania Railroad's Schuylkill Branch from Ivy Ridge to Cynwyd and a new Ivy Ridge Station is put on the R6 Norristown Branch, one mile south of Shawmont. 1991 - Shawmont Station is no longer a scheduled stop, but a whistlestop. Its waiting room is closed. 1995 - Shawmont Station is no longer a whistle stop but remains occupied. 2008 - Through the work of Historian John Johnston and Preservation Architect William Breard, Shawmont Station is placed on Philadelphia's Register of Historic Places, as the oldest passenger railroad station in America. The effort required the personal collection of documents and materials from across the state. 2013 - The last of the Brendel's descendants, move out of Shawmont Station, after occupying the Station for 104 years. SEPTA decides to have the Station restored and submits historical railroad documents to John Johnstone. 2014 - Research and documents show that Shawmont Station, originated as an 1826 country house, and is not only the oldest passenger railroad station in America, but also the oldest building owned by any railroad, in the World. *2021 - SEPTA calls for bids for the restoration work needed at Shawmont. *2023 - The $1.26M structural rehab to shore up the building began on January 18 by Contractor Donald E. Resinger. *Updates added by Georgie Gould Gallery of Photos Restoration Photos by Amanda Robinson, SEPTA Project Manager Additional Items 1884-08-20 Philadelphia Inquirer 2008-02-23 Phila Daily News 1885-06-19 The Times

Memorials of the 21st Ward < Back to Memorials List 21st Ward War Memorial (Gorgas Park) Address: 6300 Ridge Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19128, USA Visitors: The 21st Ward War Memorial is located within Gorgas Park. It is open to the public 24/7, has a paved path suitable for wheelchair access, and is well lit at night. However, inclement weather may make traversing the distance to the center of the park difficult. Dogs are permitted, but must be kept on a leash at all times and picked up after per city law. The images below are not to be reproduced or used without prior written authorization of RMWHS - contact us .

Historical Maps 1854 < Previous > Back to Historical Map List < Next > 1854 - Consolidated Phila Wards Source: URL: Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gmd/g3824p.ct008335 Full Name: An outline of the newly consolidated city, showing the boundaries of the wards : according to the act passed by the Legislature, Jany. 31st, 1854 Visit the source URL to use zoom features, find additional formats, or download a high quality image.

Memorials of the 21st Ward < Back to Memorials List Wissahickon War Memorial (Sumac St & Rochelle Ave) Address: Rochelle Ave & Sumac St, Philadelphia, PA 19128, USA Visitors: The Wissahickon War Memorial and grounds are situated on the corner of Rochelle and Sumac and open to the public. There is a gate each street to gain access -- the gate on Sumac Street leads to a ramp up and into the memorial while the gate on Rochelle Ave has a few steps to get up. (See photos below.) The ramp, steps, and all paths are flag stone and care should be taken. Dogs are not permitted except for working service dogs. Please be mindful of others who are there to mourn or pay their respects. The images below are not to be reproduced or used without prior written authorization of RMWHS - contact us .

RMWHS Calendar of meetings, events, and activities is updated as needed. Please Sign The Letter RMWHS is run entirely by members who volunteer their time -- and we are shorthanded. We need more members who are willing to step up and help with all aspects of running the organization. While we continue to have talks, tours, speaker presentations, and more, for our members, we cannot expand our limited calendar or open it up to the public without more internal support. If you want to be invited to our events, become a member. If you want to see RMWHS offer public events, become a member and volunteer. The information provided below will be used for the purpose of this campaign. Only the Presidents of RMWHS and the civic association coordinators will have access to the information in order to collaborate and submit our opposition to the proper city officials. Alert to I oppose Philadelphia's proposed Bill #251030. Please add my name to the letter being submitted. * First name* Last name* Email* Full address + ZIP Code (Or signature will not be valid.) * Name of your civic association (If unknown, put in an X) * Submit Get Membership Details Please Sign The Letter RMWHS is run entirely by members who volunteer their time -- and we are shorthanded. We need more members who are willing to step up and help with all aspects of running the organization. While we continue to have talks, tours, speaker presentations, and more, for our members, we cannot expand our limited calendar or open it up to the public without more internal support. If you want to be invited to our events, become a member. If you want to see RMWHS offer public events, become a member and volunteer.

Historical Maps 1681 < Previous > Back to Historical Map List < Next > 1681 - Province of PA Source: URL: Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division https://www.loc.gov/item/2006625100/ Full Name: A map of the improved part of the Province of Pennsilvania in America: begun by Wil. Penn, Proprietary & Governour thereof anno 1681 Visit the source URL to use zoom features, find additional formats, or download a high quality image.

892063a6-3891-459f-97da-a2a89230562c Main Street Manayunk Historic District Bibliography Albert, Harlow, A History of the Schuylkill Navigation , New York, NY, 1926 McCullough, Robert and Leube, Walter, The Pennsylvania Main Line Canal , Copyright 1973. National Science Foundation, Manayunk An Urban Community , Studies in Social Organization . Final Technical Report, December 1975. The Schuylkill - Manayunk Canal , The Trustees of Rutgers College in New Jersey, 1931. Scharf & Westcott, History of Philadelphia 1682 - 1886 , Philadelphia, 1886. Shank, William H. P. E., The Amazing Pennsylvania Canal , American Canal and Transportation Center, York, Pennsylvania, 1973. Three Hundred Years with the Pennsylvania Travelers , American Canal and Transportation Center, York, Pennsylvania, 1976. Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Campbell Collection Scrapbooks . This information has been posted by RMWHS with the permission of the Philadelphia Historical Commission. Sections: 1 Intro and Nomination Form 2 Description 3 Significance of Manayunk 4 The Schuylkill Canal 5 Schuylkill Navigation Company 6 Manayunk Canal 7 Economic Development 8 Manayunk Social Development 9 The Industry of Venice Island 10 Main Street Manayunk 11 Bibliography 12 Boundary Details Top of page

Celebrate Roxborough High School graduate Claude Clark who became a world-renowned artist and spent his life advancing art education and recognition of black artists. In the Spotlight Claude Clark Artist, Poet, Author, and Educator Does the name Claude Clark ring a bell? He's a Roxborough High School graduate that made it big in the art world and whose paintings can be seen in museums from our local Woodmere Art Museum to the Smithsonian and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Born in the South, Claude's family moved to Philadelphia in 1923 to escape poverty and the Ku Klux Klan. They settled in Manayunk to be close to relatives that lived in the area and became members of the Josie D. Heard A.M.E. Church. Claude attended Roxborough High School and was the only black graduate in June 1935. While attending Roxborough High School, Claude spent Saturdays attending art classes in Center City. His talent was recognized by the school principal, who recommended him for a scholarship so that he could further his artistic talent. Click newspaper image below to open a larger version. The Philadelphia Inquirer, April 30, 1944 RMWHS Celebrates Black History Claude Clark November 11, 1915 - April 21, 2001 Claude Clark Portrait - Wikipedia "As a child in the churches, the schools and the community, I dreamed of a destiny. My search became a single purpose for the dignity of Black Americans..." - Claude Clark Treasure Trove of Information www.claudeclarkart.com offers an exceptional collection of information on Claude Clark including downloadable PDFs that are a must-see for those wishing to learn about the artist. It is well worth the visit. Claude went on to attend the Philadelphia Museum School of Art and later pursued studies at The Barnes Foundation in Merion, Pennsylvania, where he met and became friends with Albert C. Barnes . While there were relatively few celebrated black artists during the artist's early years, he reached out to renowned painter Horace Pippin , who became a friend until Pippin's passing in 1946. “Freedom Morning” by Claude Clark was painted in 1944 by Claude Clark. It was painted in Philadelphia and commissioned by the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra. Throughout his life, Claude mentored black artists and black causes. He became an outstanding art professor and educator, working toward advancing art education and recognition of black artists. Today his work is displayed in museums across the country and abroad as well as in the homes and the rich and famous. "A Dreamer" by Claude Clark at the Woodmere Art Museum in Chestnut Hill. The Roxborough Manayunk Wissahickon Historical Society holds a large repository of information about Claude Clark's life, including poems, short stories, family photos, and of course examples of his artwork. Many of these items were donated to the RMWHS by close friends of the artist. Clark never forgot his local roots and his works of art reflect that love. "Resting" by Claude Clark at the Smithsonian American Art Museum Gift of the Harmon Foundation This oil painting on canvas was created in 1944 and is in the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art collection in Washington DC. You are invited to explore the links provided below to discover more about Claude Clark, his life, his talents, and his accomplishments. LEARN If you would like to learn more about Claude Clark, visit the RMWHS Archive . VIEW If you would like to view Claude Clark's artwork in person, plan a visit to the Woodmere Art Museum and the Philadelphia Museum of Art . Note: Always check with a museum before a visit to verify the works/artists you wish to see are on display and not out on loan or unavailable due to restoration, remodeling, or a visiting exhibit. EXPLORE Want to see more from the comfort of your home? Explore examples of Claude Clark's artwork online right now! www.claudeclarkart.com Woodmere Art Museum Philadelphia Museum of Art Smithsonian Metropolitan Museum of Art RMWHS's In the Spotlight features local artists, inventors, writers, poets, scholars, activists, leaders, thinkers, and other individuals who have had an impact on history. RMWHS has a long list of people we plan to feature, but we'd love to hear from you -- is there someone you'd like us to feature? If so, let us know . RMWHS thanks our special contributor Donna Howley for helping us honor Claude Clark.

The information on the RMWHS website is presented for informational and educational purposes only. Use of this website is subject to the provisions of this privacy policy. If you have questions about the site or our policies, contact us. RMWHS Website & Privacy Policy Disclaimers The information on the RMWHS website is presented for informational and educational purposes only. Use of this website is subject to the provisions of this privacy policy. While we cannot guarantee the website will be error-free, we will make every reasonable effort to make content accurate, reliable and complete. This includes correcting any errors that are brought to our attention. If you have questions about the site, our privacy policy, or wish to bring an issue to our attention, contact us . Website Statistics Statistical information is collected as users navigate the site -- this information is analyzed in aggregate and does not contain personally identifiable information. This analysis helps us to improve our site. Collection of Personal Information Your use of the site is anonymous except in the instances where you voluntarily choose to complete the contact us form. The information you provide in the form is used to respond to your inquiries and execute the requests you make. We may also use your information to follow up/verify the receipt of requested information or to inform you of upcoming activities, special events, and other programs and projects. After completion of your request, if you wish to have your contact data deleted from our records, you can contact us. Emails & Subscription Lists C urrently the RMWHS does not provide any subscription service or email blast to the public. Security As with any website, the confidentiality of any communication or material transmitted to/from this website over the Internet cannot be guaranteed. Accordingly, RMWHS is not responsible for the security of any information transmitted via the Internet. You assume the sole and complete risk for using this website and must make your own determination as to these matters. Cookies Cookies are small files that a website or its service provider transfers to your computer’s hard drive through your web browser to enable the site or service provider to recognize your browser and capture and remember certain information. We use cookies to help us compile aggregate data about site traffic and site interaction so that we can offer better site experiences and tools in the future. Privacy We do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer your personally identifiable information to outside parties. This does not include trusted third parties who assist us in operating our website, conducting our society business, addressing your requests or completing other transactions. All third parties whom are involved have also agreed to keep your information confidential. Third-Party Links Our site may contain links to third-party websites. These third-party websites have separate and independent privacy policies. We therefore have no responsibility or liability for the content and activities of these linked sites. Nonetheless, we seek to protect the integrity of our site and welcome any feedback about these sites. Usage of RMWHS Website Content Social Media & Website Use : Use of ANY of our website content -- including but not limited to text, photos/images & video, charts, maps, and other content --must always cite/include the following immediately below the item used: Roxborough Manayunk Wissahickon Historical Society - RMWHS.ORG and an active link to the page it came from. Publication: Use of ANY of our website content must always cite/include the following immediately below the item used: Roxborough Manayunk Wissahickon Historical Society - RMWHS.ORG and the URL of the page it came from. Merchandise/Printed Materials: Use of ANY of our website content or other RMWHS materials is prohibited. Other: All other use of our website content must be approved by RMWHS prior to use . Contact us. Failure to comply with these requirements will be met with legal action. Revisions to Our Web Policies Please note that the RMWHS may revise its privacy policy at any time. We encourage you to periodically visit this page to review our most current policy. Your continued use of the site shall constitute your acceptance of any such changes to this policy. This policy was last modified January 1, 2026. Tech Issues or Questions - Contact us.

Roxborough Manayunk Wissahickon Historical Society provides lists of books about the Roxborough Manayunk Wissahickon area (and our neighbors) that may be of interest to our website visitors, local history researchers, and students of history. Books About Our Area Historic Architecture in Philadelphia: East Falls, Manayunk, & Roxborough by Joseph Minardi "This photographic story of three dynamic neighborhoods in Philadelphia's twenty-first ward traces the evolution of each community as defined by its architecture.... Brimming with nearly 500 full color photographs and archival images, and supplemented by selected biographies of the featured architects and firms, this book will charm history buffs, lovers of vintage architecture, and Philadelphia enthusiasts." Victorian Roxborough: An Architectural History by John C. Manton "This potpourri of architectural data is seasoned with a pinch of cultural scenery and a dash of social background to enhance the flavor of Roxborough's Victorian years." Do you have a book to recommend about Roxborough, Manayunk, Wissahickon, or our general area? Let us know. Books by Arcadia A list of books that address the Roxborough, Manayunk and Wissahickon area and our closest neighbors is provided for your convenience. Follow the links to the Arcadia website for a peek inside the books or to purchase. Roxborough Manayunk Along the Wissahickon Creek Philadelphia's Fairmount Park Chestnut Hill Chestnut Hill Revisited Mount Airy Germantown in the Civil War Remembering Germantown Philadelphia's Pencoyd Iron Works Germantown, Mount Airy, & Chestnut Hill Laurel Hill Cemetery Lower Merion & Narberth

eb2be089-e03b-49a2-bf71-97f30136b8df Ridge Ave Roxborough Historic District Native Americans Prior to the European settlement, Native Americans from the Lenni Lenape or Delaware Nation inhabited the area that the settlers named Roxborough. A Native American trail predating William Penn and his establishment of Pennsylvania, known as the Perkiomen Path, ran along the line of what is today Ridge Avenue. The Perkiomen Path connected the area around the confluence of the Schuylkill and Delaware Rivers where Penn later established Philadelphia with the Native American village at Manatawny, now Pottstown, and lands farther to the west. Like Ridge Avenue, the trail ran up from the Falls of the Schuylkill, along the ridge rising between the valleys of the Schuylkill River and the Wissahickon Creek, and into what is now Montgomery County. 2 Through his surveyor Thomas Holme, William Penn purchased the land between the Schuylkill River and Pennypack Creek, including the area that would become Roxborough, from a group of Lenni Lenape leaders in July 1684 (Figure 4). Although Swedes and other Europeans had settled in the Delaware Valley in the mid seventeenth century, it does not appear that any Europeans had established permanent settlements in the Roxborough area prior to the 1684 purchase. Describe your image This information has been posted by RMWHS with the permission of the Philadelphia Historical Commission. Sections: 1 Intro and Nomination Form 2 Boundary and Description 3 Statement of Significance 4 Native Americans 5 Patent Holders and Early Settlers 6 Ridge Road 7 Early Roxborough 8 Georgian and Colonial Architecture 9 During the Revolutionary War 10 Federal Architecture 11 Development of Manayunk 12 Greek Revival Architecture 13 Early 19th Century 14 Gothic Revival Architecture 15 Italianate Architecture 16 During and After the Civil War 17 Second Empire Architecture 18 Queen Anne Architecture 19 Turn of the Century 20 Conclusion and Bibliography 2 Paul A. W. Wallace, Indian Paths of Pennsylvania (Harrisburg: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, 1965; reprinted, 1998), p. 127-128. Top of page