Lower Windsor Township in Long Level in York County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Latrobe's Survey of the Susquehanna
Photographed By Carl Gordon Moore Jr., March 21, 2021
1. Latrobe's Survey of the Susquehanna Marker
Inscription.
Latrobe's Survey of the Susquehanna. . Benjamin Henry Latrobe (1764-1820), widely regarded as America's first architect, emigrated from Britain in 1796 to work in Virginia. He soon moved to Philadelphia and designed the Bank of Pennsylvania and Fairmount Water Works. In 1801, Pennsylvania Governor Thomas McKean appointed Latrobe surveyor and assistant to his uncle, Frederick Antes, as authorized by a 1799 state statute that provided for improvement of the Lower Susquehanna River. Latrobe and Antes represented Pennsylvania in a joint venture with the Susquehanna Canal Company, a Maryland entity building a canal from the Pennsylvania border to tidewater., With his uncle's death in September 1801, Latrobe assumed control of the Pennsylvania portion of the project, working with his Maryland partners to clear natural obstacles for safe downstream navigation and surveying the river from Columbia, PA to the Chesapeake Bay. Channel improvements were largely complete by late October. Between October 28 and November 12, Latrobe worked with two assistants and others to complete the survey of the river and the newly improved navigation route. He also sketched and painted watercolors of the river's scenic landscape as he worked., In 1803, soon after his work on the Susquehanna, President Thomas Jefferson called Latrobe to Washington, DC to oversee construction of the United States Capitol. Latrobe later moved to Pittsburgh to build steamboats in partnership with Robert Fulton, returning to Washington to oversee reconstruction of the Capitol after its burning by the British in 1814. Latrobe also designed the Baltimore Basilica (America's first Catholic Cathedral), as well as the White House porticos, St. John's Episcopal Church, Decatur House and the Washington Navy Yard main gate. He is credited with influencing Thomas Jefferson's design for the University of Virginia. Latrobe died from yellow fever in New Orleans on September 30, 1820 while designing and constructing a waterworks system for that city., The full-size survey reproduced here depicts Latrobe's personal copy, now in the collections of the Maryland Historical Society. Latrobe described what happened to Pennsylvania's official version in his handwritten notes on this copy of the survey:, "The Map of which this is a facsimile, was sent by Thos. McKean, then Governor of the State of Pennsylvania, to the Legislature, together with the annexed report. It was hung in the House of Representatives at Lancaster, until the removal of the seat of the Government of Pennsylvania to Harrisburg. When the subject of internal improvements by roads and Canals was before Congress in 180?, it was sent to Washington, and remained probably among the records of the House of Rep. U.S. until it was destroyed in their general destruction by the British in 1814." , - B. Henry Latrobe, Baltimore, June 12th, 1817, Latrobe's Susquehanna survey represents a rare profile of the physical features of a region just beginning to feel the impact of agricultural and commercial development. This landscape has changed drastically since he surveyed it, with sixty percent of the river below Columbia now submerged by reservoirs from three 20th century dams. One enduring feature is the historic Dritt Mansion, now the Zimmerman Center for Heritage, which still stands as shown on Latrobe's map, just below "Tritt's Islands.", Sources: Text is excerpted from Latrobe's View of America, 1795-1820, Edward C. Carter II, John C. Van Horne, and Charles E. Brownell, editors, 1985. The survey and watercolor are copies of the originals owned by the Maryland Historical Society, reproduced with permission., This historical display was developed by the Susquehanna Gateway Heritage Area with funding from the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources., Susquehanna Gateway Pennsylvania , Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network , Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Benjamin Henry Latrobe (1764-1820), widely regarded
as America's first architect,
emigrated from Britain in 1796 to
work in Virginia. He soon moved
to Philadelphia and designed
the Bank of Pennsylvania and
Fairmount Water Works. In
1801, Pennsylvania Governor
Thomas McKean appointed
Latrobe surveyor and assistant
to his uncle, Frederick Antes, as
authorized by a 1799 state statute
that provided for improvement of the Lower Susquehanna
River. Latrobe and Antes represented Pennsylvania in a joint
venture with the Susquehanna Canal Company, a Maryland
entity building a canal from the Pennsylvania border to tidewater.
With his uncle's death in September 1801, Latrobe assumed
control of the Pennsylvania portion of the project, working
with his Maryland partners to clear natural obstacles for safe
downstream navigation and surveying the river from Columbia,
PA to the Chesapeake Bay. Channel improvements were largely
complete by late October. Between October 28 and November
12, Latrobe worked with two assistants and others to complete
the survey of the river and the newly improved navigation
route. He also sketched and painted watercolors of the river's
scenic landscape as he worked.
In 1803, soon after his work on the Susquehanna,
President Thomas Jefferson called Latrobe to Washington, DC
to
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oversee construction of the United States Capitol. Latrobe
later moved to Pittsburgh to build steamboats in partnership
with Robert Fulton, returning to Washington to oversee
reconstruction of the Capitol after its burning by the British in
1814. Latrobe also designed the Baltimore Basilica (America's
first Catholic Cathedral), as well as the White House porticos,
St. John's Episcopal Church, Decatur House and the Washington
Navy Yard main gate. He is credited with influencing Thomas
Jefferson's design for the University of Virginia. Latrobe died
from yellow fever in New Orleans on September 30, 1820 while
designing and constructing a waterworks system for that city.
The full-size survey reproduced here depicts Latrobe's personal
copy, now in the collections of the Maryland Historical Society.
Latrobe described what happened to Pennsylvania's official
version in his handwritten notes on this copy of the survey:
"The Map of which this is a facsimile, was sent by Thos.
McKean, then Governor of the State of Pennsylvania, to the
Legislature, together with the annexed report. It was hung in
the House of Representatives at Lancaster, until the removal
of the seat of the Government of Pennsylvania to Harrisburg.
When the subject of internal improvements by roads and Canals
was before Congress in 180?, it was sent to Washington, and
remained
Photographed By Carl Gordon Moore Jr., March 21, 2021
2. Latrobe's Survey of the Susquehanna Marker
Map is attached to the plaque, which is partially visible at left.
probably among the records of the House of Rep.
U.S. until it was destroyed in their general destruction by the British in 1814."
- B. Henry Latrobe, Baltimore, June 12th, 1817
Latrobe's Susquehanna survey represents a rare profile of the
physical features of a region just beginning to feel the impact
of agricultural and commercial development. This landscape has
changed drastically since he surveyed it, with sixty percent of the
river below Columbia now submerged by reservoirs from three
20th century dams. One enduring feature is the historic Dritt
Mansion, now the Zimmerman Center for Heritage, which still
stands as shown on Latrobe's map, just below "Tritt's Islands."
Sources: Text is excerpted from Latrobe's View of America, 1795-1820, Edward C. Carter II,
John C. Van Horne, and Charles E. Brownell, editors, 1985. The survey and watercolor are copies
of the originals owned by the Maryland Historical Society, reproduced with permission.
This historical display was developed by the Susquehanna Gateway Heritage Area with funding from the Chesapeake Bay
Gateways Network and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources.
Susquehanna Gateway Pennsylvania
Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
Topics. This historical marker is listed
Photographed By Carl Gordon Moore Jr., March 21, 2021
3. Latrobe's Survey of the Susquehanna Marker
This ("Latrobe's Survey of the Susquehanna") plaque is next to the river in background; "Gateway to the Bay" plaque is closer to front, on right.
in these topic lists: Architecture • Exploration. A significant historical date for this entry is June 12, 1817.
Location. 39° 58.679′ N, 76° 29.754′ W. Marker is in Long Level, Pennsylvania, in York County. It is in Lower Windsor Township. Marker is on Long Level Road (Pennsylvania Route 624), on the right when traveling north. This is on the river side of PA 624, in walking distance to north of 1706 Long Level Road, which is on the inland side of road. This is between the "Gateway to the Bay" plaque and the river. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1706 Long Level Road, Wrightsville PA 17368, United States of America. Touch for directions.
The marker, including a map of southern Pennsylvania and Maryland portions of the Susquehanna River as surveyed by Latrobe.
Photographed By Carl Gordon Moore Jr., April 5, 2021
5. Latrobe's Survey of the Susquehanna Marker
We face south to view this, with the subject marker behind us on the left.
Lower Susquehanna River Initiative
A Product of America's Great Outdoors
The Lower Susquehanna River Initiative in Pennsylvania is
designated a keystone conservation and outdoor recreation
project under President Obama's America's Great Outdoors
program. Here, we celebrate the partnerships and collaboration
that resulted in the designation of the trail as a new historic
connecting component of the Captain John Smith Chesapeake
National Historic Trail and significant habitat protection and restoration.
2012 National Park Service
United States Department of the Interior
Credits. This page was last revised on June 17, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 25, 2021, by Carl Gordon Moore Jr. of North East, Maryland. This page has been viewed 215 times since then and 12 times this year. Last updated on June 4, 2023, by Annette Fillmore of York, Pennsylvania. Photos:1. submitted on March 25, 2021, by Carl Gordon Moore Jr. of North East, Maryland. 2, 3. submitted on March 26, 2021, by Carl Gordon Moore Jr. of North East, Maryland. 4. submitted on June 17, 2023, by Annette Fillmore of York, Pennsylvania. 5. submitted on April 6, 2021, by Carl Gordon Moore Jr. of North East, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.