Fairmount Water Works

From 1815 to 1909, the Fairmount Water Works supplied Philadelphia with drinking water from the Schuylkill River to reservoirs once located nearby. In 1815, the Engine House contained wood-burning steam engines that powered water pumps. In 1821, the site was converted to water power when Fairmount Dam diverted river water through a man-made forebay into the Old Mill House, where water wheels powered pumping equipment. In 1862, the New Mill House introduced state-of-the-art water-powered turbines, and in 1872 the Old Mill House was rebuilt to house large turbines while the Great Pavilion was added between new Entrance Houses. The Water Works closed in 1909 and was replaced by more modern pumping stations. During the 1920s, the forebay was filled in during art museum construction, and during the 1950s the canal and lock that had allowed boats to pass around the dam were removed during expressway construction. The site also long served as a place of beauty and recreation. In the 1830s, the South Garden and Eagle Pavilion welcomed visitors during the site's heyday, and steep wooden stairs led to views at Mercury Pavilion. Boat races and ice skating took place on the pond-like waters behind the dam. In 1844, the city purchased the Lemon Hill Estate, the first piece of Fairmount Park, and thousands of acres were later added to protect the city's water supply and provide recreation space. In 1860, the growing popularity of rowing led to permanent boathouses on Boathouse Row, and in the 1870s new cliffside paths connected attractions including the fashionable natural-styled Rustic Pavilion, today recreated in steel.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · United States