Forgotten Bottom in Philadelphia in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Redeeming the Tidal Schuylkill
The name Schuylkill, Dutch for "Hidden River," was given to the river because plentiful plant life hid the river from view of explorers traveling along the Delaware in the 1600s. Fish were so abundant that from 1822 until 1887 the oldest angling club in the United States, the State in Schuylkill, met just south of here.
As industry grew, chemicals, coal residue and sewer runoff contaminated the tidal portion of the river. The Mill Creek Sewer across the river from here directed stormwater to the Schuylkill; other sewers added waste to the river. This pollution caused oxygen levels in the water to drop, seriously damaging the ecosystem.
In 1972, the Clean Water Act spurred a cleanup of the river. Thanks to this and other pollution controls, catfish, shad, perch and other fish have returned to the river. If you are lucky, you may even see an otter or dolphin making its way upriver!
[Caption:]
The "Castle," meeting place of the State in Schuylkill fishing club.
Erected by Fairmount Park; Schuylkill Banks.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Environment •
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Location. 39° 56.524′ N, 75° 12.231′ W. Marker is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia County. It is in Forgotten Bottom. It is on DuPont Crescent Trail west of South 34th Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3699 Grays Ferry Ave, Philadelphia PA 19146, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Pennsylvania. It is also in the American Northeast and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, New Netherland, and one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Woodlands Cemetery (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Newkirk Viaduct (approx. 0.2 miles away); Newkirk Viaduct Monument (approx. 0.2 miles away); Hamilton's Greenhouses & Hothouses (approx.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on January 17, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 180 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 17, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
