Boathouse Row - Early 19th Century Beginnings

Early 19th Century Beginnings

The history of Boathouse Row begins with the construction of the Fairmount Dam and the adjacent water works. The Dam was built in 1810 as part of a lock at the Falls of the Schuylkill to transport coal downriver. The Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company would become heavily involved in the improvements. The dam initially submerged the rapids, and later developments transformed the Schuylkill from a tidal river into a slack water river that resembles a very long freshwater lake. The placid man-made surface was ideal for ice skating in winter and rowing in summer. In 1835, the first regatta took place between the Blue Devils and the Imps Barge clubs. The excitement from the race sparked the formation of several barge clubs, many of them short-lived.