Fairmount Park in Philadelphia in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
How the Water Works Worked / Useful & Beautiful
Water Works Historic Area
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 5, 2022
1. How the Water Works Worked side of the marker
Inscription.
How the Water Works Worked, also, Useful and Beautiful. Water Works Historic Area.
How the Water Works Worked. The Fairmount Water Works began operations in 1815 with the construction of the Engine House ❶. Inside, two steam engines ❷ pumped 2.1 million gallons of water from the Schuylkill River in 24 hours. The engines burned seven cords of oak wood in the process each day. This was a considerable expense. The steam engines were also dangerous to operate. Two men were killed when the boilers exploded., The water was pumped up to Reservoirs ❸ built atop Faire Mount, the highest point near the city. Water flowed from the Reservoirs' basins by gravity and was distributed to city residents. The art museum now occupies the site., To save money and lives, the Water Works was converted to water power in 1822. The Fairmount Dam ❹ was built to divert the river from its natural channel. This innovative dam, designed by Ariel Cooley, was the longest in America when built. The dam was built of cribs of hickory logs filled with stone. These were sunk into the river and fastened to each other and the rock bed of the river. The dam was built with a sharp angle to permit the breaking-up of sheets of ice when they reached the dam's overfall. A set of locks ❾ at the dam's western end allowed passage of river boats and barges., The dam diverted water into a mill race, also known as the Forebay ❺. This channel, blasted out of solid rock, was up to 20-feet deep. IT was crossed by the Race Bridge ❻. The three arches of the bridge contained gates which controlled the flow of water., From the Forebay, the water flowed into the Old Mill House ❼. Inside, it turned large waterwheels ❾. The wheels powered pumps ❿ which forced some of the water up to the Reservoirs ❸. The remaining water returned to the river below the dam., The growing city needed water pumped 24 hours a day, but the wheels at Fairmount were stopped several hours each day by high tide. To improve efficiency, the waterwheels were gradually replaced by Jonval turbines ⓫. Designed in France and built in Philadelphia, these innovative turbines allowed water to be pumped even at high tide. In 1862 the New Mill House (not shown) was built to house three turbines., New structures were added to help manage the increasing flow of water pumped from the river. The Standpipe ⓬, built 1852, helped boost water uphill to a new reservoir. The Distribution Arch ⓭, built 1860, disguised three thirty-inch-diameter pipes which linked to the Standpipe. Both structures were demolished during the construction of the Philadelphia Museum of Art in the early 1920s., Between 1868 and 1872 the Old Mill House ❼ was modified to accommodate additional Jonval turbines. The building's roof was raised and a new deck was built on top that included the Great Pavilion ❽. With the river heavily polluted from industry and sewage, new sand filtration beds were proposed to purify the water supply. There was no room for these additions at Fairmount, so the Water Works closed in 1909., In the early 1920s the Reservoirs were removed from the top of Faire Mount for the construction of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The Water Works site was dramatically altered, the Forebay was filled in, and most of the original equipment was removed. Visit the Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center, located in the Old Mill House, to learn more about how the Water Works worked and see pieces of the original machinery.,
Useful and Beautiful.
"Philadelphia is most beautifully provided with fresh water … The Water Works … are no less ornamental than useful, being tastefully laid out as a public garden, and kept in the best and nearest order." Charles Dickens, 1847
1. Esplanade. Along the bank of the Schuylkill River, below the South Garden, the stretch of land now known as the Esplanade was completed in 1835. The Esplanade is reached by stairs behind the Engine House and a spiral staircase near the entrance to the South Garden., 2. South Garden. Prior to 1830 the area just east of the Engine House was a stone quarry. To welcome visitors to the site, plans for a formalized garden were created by Frederick Graff in 1829. His plan, featuring geometrical paths centered around a Marble Fountain has been recreated. Later additions to the Garden included benches, fountains, and sculptures., 3. Graff Memorial. Erected to the memory of Frederick Graff (1774-1847), the Superintendent, Chief Engineer and Architect of the Fairmount Water Works, the memorial was installed in 1848 and fully restored in 2006., 4. Engine House. Built between 1812 and 1815 to resemble a Federal-style country house, it contained two steam engines which pumped water from the Schuylkill up to the Reservoirs. Abandoned in 1823, the steam engines were scrapped and a refreshment saloon opened in the building. In the 20th century, it served as the main entrance to the Fairmount Aquarium. After the restoration, it was converted to a restaurant., 5. Schuylkill Chained and Schuylkill Freed. These sculptures, located atop the Entrance Houses, are fiberglass reproductions. The original wood pieces, carved by William Rush and his son John in 1825, are housed in Philadelphia Museum of Art. The wild male figure represents the Schuylkill River struggling against the chains of the Fairmount Dam and locks. The female figure personifies the Water Works, using the waterwheel to pump water into the Reservoir on Faire Mount., 6. Pavilion and Entrance Houses. These wooden structures were completed in 1872 when the deck of the Old Mill House was raised to accommodate large turbines that replaced the original waterwheels. Frederic Graff, Jr. adapted the Great Pavilion's design from earlier drawings by his father. The Entrance Houses allowed visitors to descend into the Old Mill House. The Great Pavilion provided a gathering place, shelter, and spectacular views of the Schuylkill River., 7. Old Mill House. Completed in 1821 in the neoclassical style, it originally contained three waterwheels. Between 1868 and 1872, the Old Mill House was rebuilt to provide room for turbines. When it was remodeled again for the Aquarium in 1911, most pumping machinery was removed to accommodate the freshwater fish exhibits. The red brick deck is the roof of the building., 8. Watering Commitee and Caretaker's House. Masonry structures flanking the ends of the Mill House; the Watering Committee Building served as headquarters for the elected officials who developed and maintained the Water Works. The Watering Committee was the precursor to today's Philadelphia Water Department. A custodian lived in the Caretaker's House., 10. New Mill House. Between 1859 and 1862 a second mill house was constructed in the side of the dam. Designed by Henry P.M. Birkinbine in the Romanesque style, it housed three Jonval turbines. During the Aquarium period, the New Mill House held seawater fish exhibits. When the Aquarium closed in 1962, a swimming pool was built in this structure., 11. Fairmount Dam. At 2008 feet long, the Fairmount Dam was the longest in America when completed in 1821. It has been rebuilt many times. Boats were able to bypass the dam through a canal and locks located across the river. These were removed in the 1950s. A fishway, allowing fish to swim upstream, was built in 1979 in the area of the canal., 12. Pavilions. Pavilions and gazebos were placed around the site to shelter visitors and provide overlooks. Shown top to bottom: The Eagle Pavilion, designed by Frederick Graff in 1835 and originally topped by a William Rush sculpture. The classical Mercury Pavilion (c. 1835), is located on the cliffside above. Nearby is the more naturalistic Rustic Gazebo, built of twigs and rough-hewn timber in the 1860s, rebuilt in steel in 2009., 13. Fountains. Fountains showcased the Water Works' product: pure, plentiful water. The Marble Fountain, erected in 1832, boasted a tall jet of water fed by the Reservoirs above. Drinking fountains were found around the site, including the Peace Fountain, commemorating the end of the Civil War., 14. Reservoir / Philadelphia Museum of Art. Rising behind the Water Works was Faire Mount, one of the highest points near the city. Reservoirs were built at the top of the hill to hold water pumped from the river. Water was distributed by gravity throughout the city. In the 1920s the Reservoirs were removed and the Philadelphia Museum of Art was built on the site., 15. Cliffside Paths. Paths leading from the Water Works to the top of Fairmount have existed since the 1820s. Originally wooden stairs and boardwalks connected the South Garden up to the Mercury Pavilion and Reservoirs. The current curving paths with the elaborate decorative railing were installed in the 1870s and restored in 2008., 16. Forebay. The Forebay was a 20-foot deep channel blasted out of solid rock. The dam diverted the river into this channel. The river then flowed through openings in the Mill Houses to the machinery inside. When the Aquarium opened at this site, sea lions and seals frolicked in the Forebay's waters. The Forebay was filled in by 1923 when the Philadelphia Museum of Art was constructed.
How the Water Works Worked
The Fairmount Water Works began operations in 1815 with the construction of the Engine House ❶. Inside, two steam engines ❷ pumped 2.1 million gallons of water from the Schuylkill River in 24 hours. The engines burned seven cords of oak wood in the process each day. This was a considerable expense. The steam engines were also dangerous to operate. Two men were killed when the boilers exploded.
The water was pumped up to Reservoirs ❸ built atop Faire Mount, the highest point near the city. Water flowed from the Reservoirs' basins by gravity and was distributed to city residents. The art museum now occupies the site.
To save money and lives, the Water Works was converted to water power in 1822. The Fairmount Dam ❹ was built to divert the river from its natural channel. This innovative dam, designed by Ariel Cooley, was the longest in America when built. The dam was built of cribs of hickory logs filled with stone. These were sunk into the river and fastened to each other and the rock bed of the river. The dam was built with a sharp angle to permit the breaking-up of sheets of ice when they reached the dam's overfall. A set of locks ❾ at the dam's western end allowed passage of river boats and barges.
The dam
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diverted water into a mill race, also known as the Forebay ❺. This channel, blasted out of solid rock, was up to 20-feet deep. IT was crossed by the Race Bridge ❻. The three arches of the bridge contained gates which controlled the flow of water.
From the Forebay, the water flowed into the Old Mill House ❼. Inside, it turned large waterwheels ❾. The wheels powered pumps ❿ which forced some of the water up to the Reservoirs ❸. The remaining water returned to the river below the dam.
The growing city needed water pumped 24 hours a day, but the wheels at Fairmount were stopped several hours each day by high tide. To improve efficiency, the waterwheels were gradually replaced by Jonval turbines ⓫. Designed in France and built in Philadelphia, these innovative turbines allowed water to be pumped even at high tide. In 1862 the New Mill House (not shown) was built to house three turbines.
New structures were added to help manage the increasing flow of water pumped from the river. The Standpipe ⓬, built 1852, helped boost water uphill to a new reservoir. The Distribution Arch ⓭, built 1860, disguised three thirty-inch-diameter pipes which linked to the Standpipe. Both structures were demolished during the construction of the Philadelphia Museum of Art in the early 1920s.
Between 1868
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 5, 2022
2. Useful & Beautiful side of the marker
and 1872 the Old Mill House ❼ was modified to accommodate additional Jonval turbines. The building's roof was raised and a new deck was built on top that included the Great Pavilion ❽. With the river heavily polluted from industry and sewage, new sand filtration beds were proposed to purify the water supply. There was no room for these additions at Fairmount, so the Water Works closed in 1909.
In the early 1920s the Reservoirs were removed from the top of Faire Mount for the construction of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The Water Works site was dramatically altered, the Forebay was filled in, and most of the original equipment was removed. Visit the Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center, located in the Old Mill House, to learn more about how the Water Works worked and see pieces of the original machinery.
Useful & Beautiful
"Philadelphia is most beautifully provided with fresh water … The Water Works … are no less ornamental than useful, being tastefully laid out as a public garden, and kept in the best and nearest order." Charles Dickens, 1847
1. Esplanade. Along the bank of the Schuylkill River, below the South Garden, the stretch of land now known as the Esplanade was completed in 1835. The Esplanade is reached by stairs behind the Engine
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 5, 2022
3. How the Water Works Worked / Useful & Beautiful Marker
House and a spiral staircase near the entrance to the South Garden.
2. South Garden. Prior to 1830 the area just east of the Engine House was a stone quarry. To welcome visitors to the site, plans for a formalized garden were created by Frederick Graff in 1829. His plan, featuring geometrical paths centered around a Marble Fountain has been recreated. Later additions to the Garden included benches, fountains, and sculptures.
3. Graff Memorial. Erected to the memory of Frederick Graff (1774-1847), the Superintendent, Chief Engineer and Architect of the Fairmount Water Works, the memorial was installed in 1848 and fully restored in 2006.
4. Engine House. Built between 1812 and 1815 to resemble a Federal-style country house, it contained two steam engines which pumped water from the Schuylkill up to the Reservoirs. Abandoned in 1823, the steam engines were scrapped and a refreshment saloon opened in the building. In the 20th century, it served as the main entrance to the Fairmount Aquarium. After the restoration, it was converted to a restaurant.
5. Schuylkill Chained & Schuylkill Freed. These sculptures, located atop the Entrance Houses, are fiberglass reproductions. The original wood pieces, carved by William Rush and his son John in 1825, are housed in Philadelphia Museum of Art. The wild male figure represents
the Schuylkill River struggling against the chains of the Fairmount Dam and locks. The female figure personifies the Water Works, using the waterwheel to pump water into the Reservoir on Faire Mount.
6. Pavilion & Entrance Houses. These wooden structures were completed in 1872 when the deck of the Old Mill House was raised to accommodate large turbines that replaced the original waterwheels. Frederic Graff, Jr. adapted the Great Pavilion's design from earlier drawings by his father. The Entrance Houses allowed visitors to descend into the Old Mill House. The Great Pavilion provided a gathering place, shelter, and spectacular views of the Schuylkill River.
7. Old Mill House. Completed in 1821 in the neoclassical style, it originally contained three waterwheels. Between 1868 and 1872, the Old Mill House was rebuilt to provide room for turbines. When it was remodeled again for the Aquarium in 1911, most pumping machinery was removed to accommodate the freshwater fish exhibits. The red brick deck is the roof of the building.
8. Watering Commitee & Caretaker's House. Masonry structures flanking the ends of the Mill House; the Watering Committee Building served as headquarters for the elected officials who developed and maintained the Water Works. The Watering Committee was the precursor to today's Philadelphia Water Department. A custodian lived in the Caretaker's House.
10. New Mill House. Between 1859 and 1862 a second mill house was constructed in the side of the dam. Designed by Henry P.M. Birkinbine in the Romanesque style, it housed three Jonval turbines. During the Aquarium period, the New Mill House held seawater fish exhibits. When the Aquarium closed in 1962, a swimming pool was built in this structure.
11. Fairmount Dam. At 2008 feet long, the Fairmount Dam was the longest in America when completed in 1821. It has been rebuilt many times. Boats were able to bypass the dam through a canal and locks located across the river. These were removed in the 1950s. A fishway, allowing fish to swim upstream, was built in 1979 in the area of the canal.
12. Pavilions. Pavilions and gazebos were placed around the site to shelter visitors and provide overlooks. Shown top to bottom: The Eagle Pavilion, designed by Frederick Graff in 1835 and originally topped by a William Rush sculpture. The classical Mercury Pavilion (c. 1835), is located on the cliffside above. Nearby is the more naturalistic Rustic Gazebo, built of twigs and rough-hewn timber in the 1860s, rebuilt in steel in 2009.
13. Fountains. Fountains showcased the Water Works' product: pure, plentiful water. The Marble Fountain, erected in 1832, boasted a tall jet of water fed by the Reservoirs above. Drinking fountains were found around the site, including the Peace Fountain, commemorating the end of the Civil War.
14. Reservoir / Philadelphia Museum of Art. Rising behind the Water Works was Faire Mount, one of the highest points near the city. Reservoirs were built at the top of the hill to hold water pumped from the river. Water was distributed by gravity throughout the city. In the 1920s the Reservoirs were removed and the Philadelphia Museum of Art was built on the site.
15. Cliffside Paths. Paths leading from the Water Works to the top of Fairmount have existed since the 1820s. Originally wooden stairs and boardwalks connected the South Garden up to the Mercury Pavilion and Reservoirs. The current curving paths with the elaborate decorative railing were installed in the 1870s and restored in 2008.
16. Forebay. The Forebay was a 20-foot deep channel blasted out of solid rock. The dam diverted the river into this channel. The river then flowed through openings in the Mill Houses to the machinery inside. When the Aquarium opened at this site, sea lions and seals frolicked in the Forebay's waters. The Forebay was filled in by 1923 when the Philadelphia Museum of Art was constructed.
Location. 39° 58.03′ N, 75° 11.014′ W. Marker is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia County. It is in Fairmount Park. Marker can be reached from Waterworks Drive, 0.1 miles Kelly Drive, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Philadelphia PA 19130, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 9, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 148 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on February 9, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
