Fairmount Water Works

"Falling Waters: The Legacy of the Schuylkill Navigation" (Reception)
2016-12-29 17:30 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | Fairmount Water Works, 640 Water Works Drive, Philadelphia, PA, 19130, United States
Falling Waters: The Legacy of the Schuylkill Navigation
A Culture & Conversation Exhibit by Sandy Sorlien
On exhibit in our Media Room and stairwell until December 30, 2016, during regular hours.
Closing Reception: Thursday December 29, 5:30-7 PM, Gallery Talk 6:15

About the Exhibit
No human endeavor has had a greater influence on the Schuylkill River than its 19th century network of dams. Yet residents of Southeastern Pennsylvania today may know little about the Schuylkill Navigation, as most of its infrastructure is gone. There were once 32 dams, 46 miles of slackwater pools, 62 miles of canals, and 120 locks.
Constructed from 1816-1828 to tame the wild river, the privately-owned system extended 108 miles from Fairmount to Port Carbon. Thus began a long period of human dominance of the river for our own purposes: transportation, commerce, power, and recreation. Anthracite coal, other raw materials, and finished goods were carried on barges over this system, literally fueling the Industrial Revolution in the Schuylkill Valley. It brought numerous factory boom towns like Norristown, Conshohocken, and Manayunk. Unfortunately, with this development came heavy pollution of Philadelphia’s drinking water source. Finally in 1947-51, our state and federal government accomplished a massive cleanup, the Schuylkill River Project, dredging coal silt from the river and largely restoring its flow.
Most of the infrastructure of the Schuylkill Navigation was demolished. But there are four remaining navigation dams, two desilting dams, two watered canals, one working lock, and numerous dam abutments, lock ruins, canal traces, and silt impoundment basins. Some remnants are buried or overgrown or blocked by railways. In 2013, photographer Sandy Sorlien began looking for them.
At the 200th anniversary of the Schuylkill Navigation, this exhibition represents the first three years of Sandy’s ongoing quest to photograph all 32 dam sites on her native river.
“Falling Waters” will be on display at the Fairmount Water Works from September 15 – December 31, 2016. (The gallery is occasionally used for private events. Calling ahead is suggested.)
About the Artist
Sandy Sorlien is a photographer, neighborhood planner, and watershed educator. Her photographs are in the collections of numerous institutions, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Michener Museum, and Haverford College. Since 2012 Sandy has been a contractor at the Fairmount Water Works, the education arm of Philadelphia Water. She has developed several upriver dam-related programs, including the Falling Waters tour series and the Schuylkill Dam Series geocaches. She was born and raised in the Schuylkill River watershed and lives in Roxborough near the Manayunk Canal. Sandy rows out of Bachelors Barge Club on Boathouse Row, and watches carefully for herons, kingfishers, and otters – all biological indicators of a healthy river.
About Culture & Conversation
Using art as the platform, Culture & Conversation prompts meaningful, thought-provoking dialogue about our environment.

GoPhillyGo Goes to the Fairmount Water Works
2017-04-19 18:00 - 21:00 | Fairmount Water Works, 640 Water Works Drive, Philadelphia, PA, 19130, United States
Join GoPhillyGo for a tour of the Fairmount Water Works followed by a happy hour and snacks.
Learn about this award-winning urban environmental education center that dates back to the 19th century and is noted as a National Historic Landmark, a Civil Engineering Landmark, and National Mechanical Engineering Landmark. The tour will also include the Mussel Hatchery Exhibition. This event is free, but space is limited. So, registration is recommended.
Following the tour, refreshments will be available (21+ to drink). Vegetarian and vegan friendly.
FWW is located on the east bank of the Schuylkill River between historic Boat House Row and the Philadelphia Museum of Art at 640 Waterworks Dr. FWW is located on the east bank of the Schuylkill River between historic Boat House Row and the Philadelphia Museum of Art at 640 Waterworks Dr. Don’t worry about parking! The Fairmount Water Works is easily accessible by public transit, bike and foot. Use GoPhillyGo.org to plan your car-free trip.

Philadelphia Science Festival
2017-04-21 08:00 - 2017-04-29 17:00
The Philadelphia Science Festival (PSF) returns for its seventh year of scientific celebrations with nine days of events at restaurants, breweries, museums, libraries, parks and other neighborhood spaces.
Last year, more than 70,000 people flocked to festival events, and with the awesome, 80-plus happenings on tap for 2017, this year’s festivities are expected to be bigger, better and brainier than ever before.
From a life on Mars discussion to a chocolate chip cookie lab to a stargazin
g party to an ’80s prom-themed scientific soiree, the array of events run the gamut, with many of the workshops, lectures and happenings unfolding free of charge. All are designed to help spark conversation, curiosity and passion for the topics of science and technology that play a vital role in our everyday lives.
With over 80 great events, across the greater Philadelphia region, you’re sure to find a reason to get nerdy!
Find out more about the Festival here.

Shad Festival 2017
2017-04-23 13:00 - 17:00 | Fairmount Water Works, 640 Water Works Drive, Philadelphia, PA, 19130, United States
Join the Fairmount Water Works in celebrating one of the Schuylkill River’s finest fish with a host of programs and events for Shad Weekend.
Catch a demonstration on fishnet-weaving out under our pavilion, and learn about catching shad in traditional Native American culture from Heart to Hearth Cookery. Make a colorful fish rubbing in our water lab. Young guests can enjoy our “Fishin’ Around” activity.
We’re also be featuring “Be an Environmental Scientist” session, where you can meet an aquatic scientist, ask questions, and explore how the mighty freshwater mussel is attracting attention for its ability to filter water naturally. See how they grow and learn about the role they play in our river ecology at the new demonstration mussel hatchery.

A Walk Along the Parkway
2017-09-08 16:00 - 18:00 | Fairmount Water Works, 640 Water Works Drive, Philadelphia, PA, 19130, United States
Philadelphia’s Parkway references the most beautiful cities of Old Europe. Discover the magnificent buildings along Philadelphia’s own Champs-Élysées and what lies beneath them.
Start at the Fairmount Water Works, where wheels once pumped the City’s drinking water, then embark on a mile-long stroll down the picturesque path to Logan Square and back again. Ideal for history buffs, cultural connoisseurs and architectural mavens.
PLEASE NOTE: Comfortable shoes strongly encouraged for this walking tour. Registrants will be contacted in the event of cancellation due to inclement weather.
THIS IS A FREE TOUR, BUT REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-walk-along-the-parkway-tickets-37425560860

"Tracing the Schuylkill Navigation Canal from Coal Country to Philadelphia"
2017-09-12 19:30 - 21:00 | Schuylkill River Heritage Center, The Foundry, 2 Main Street, Phoenixville, PA, United States

Water and Food: The Art of Irrigation
2017-10-15 13:00 - 2017-10-22 17:00 | Fairmount Water Works, 640 Water Works Drive, Philadelphia, PA, 19130, United States

The Quiet Circus: River Charrette 4
2017-11-04 16:00 - 18:00
Philadelphia Contemporary and Headlong are revisiting the path of the city’s watershed, urban expansion and cultural heritage. Join a silent Walk into Fairmount Water Works’ hidden, underground natatorium and witness a Performance and post performance Conversation. We will explore the correlations between society and its environment and will rethink topics around diversity, sustainability and consciousness, and you! Register here…
After the conversation, audience members are invited to a gathering with hot drinks, celebrating the fourth River Charrette.

Fairmount Water Works: Inside & Out
2017-11-16 16:00 - 17:00 | Fairmount Water Works, 640 Water Works Drive, Philadelphia, PA, 19130, United States
Tour the Fairmount Water Works – a National Historic Landmark, Civil Engineering Landmark, and National Mechanical Engineering Landmark – beginning outdoors on the grounds (weather permitting). FWW’s tour guide extraordinaire, Ken Hinde, will then take you inside the Revival buildings for a journey into today’s interpretive center, connecting the Water Works’ past and present purpose.
Attendees also have the opportunity to sit in the intimate Engine House Theater and see an award-winning 15-minute film on the site’s important role in Philadelphia’s history before touring exhibit areas on their own.
Space is limited, so register today.

The Historic Fairmount Water Works: Inside & Out
2017-12-14 16:00 - 17:00 | Fairmount Water Works, 640 Water Works Drive, Philadelphia, PA, 19130, United States

Learn a River's Name
2018-01-25 18:00 - 20:00 | The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, 8480 Hagy's Mill Road, Philadelphia, PA, 19128, United States
FWW watershed educator and photographer Sandy Sorlien, will be featured with other local artists during this special exhibit at Schuylkill Center on January 25th!

Choose Your Own Adventure
2018-03-01 08:00 - 17:00
Do you ever look back at key moments in history and think, “I would’ve made a better choice”? We’ll test that assumption using a real-world scenario with local roots.
Philadelphia, 1896: Typhoid fever has been running rampant in the city. The last few decades have seen nearly 16,000 deaths from the terrible disease. Health professionals say polluted water is to blame, but anticontagionists contend the water is pure and safe.
Add to that the manufacturing industries that have brought about a near environmental catastrophe by draining their waste into Philadelphia’s waterways, and you have everything you need for a lively debate about how to make the city’s water safe. But what’s the best solution? Should the city build an expensive filtration plant or invest in a more cost-effective aqueduct system?
Join the Chemical Heritage Foundation for an after-hours gaming adventure where you’ll get to step into someone else’s shoes, and—using your wits, luck, and all the best information available to you at that moment in history—see where your choices land you!
Afterward, toast to your success (or failure), and learn more about the history of Philadelphia’s waterways with representatives from the Fairmount Water Works.
Tickets for this event are $10 per person, and registration is required.
For more information about this event, contact Alexis Pedrick at 215.873.8293 or apedrick@sciencehistory.org.
This program is presented in partnership with the Fairmount Water Works, as part of the upcoming Grid and Flow exhibition.

"Make & Take" with Greensgrow Farms
2018-03-11 13:00 - 15:00 | Fairmount Water Works, 640 Water Works Drive, Philadelphia, PA, 19130, United States
Inspired by the lush gardens and water exhibits at the Philadelphia Flower Show? Bring the magic home! Visit the Fairmount Water Works for a hands-on workshop, where you can make your very own wildflower seed balls, led by Greensgrow Farms. These urban agricultural specialists will walk you through the process of making and planting these seed balls in your own neighborhood! Hosted by the Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center. Registration is free, but a $5 donation is suggested. Space is limited, so sign up today!

Celebrating Shad!
2018-04-21 10:00 - 17:00 | Fairmount Water Works, 640 Water Works Drive, Philadelphia, PA, 19130, United States
Join us as we partner with Heart to Hearth Cookery in celebrating one of the Schuylkill River’s finest fish – American shad! Learn about catching shad in traditional Native American culture.

Celebrating Shad!
2018-04-22 13:00 - 17:00 | Fairmount Water Works, 640 Water Works Drive, Philadelphia, PA, 19130, United States
Join us as we partner with Heart to Hearth Cookery in celebrating one of the Schuylkill River’s finest fish – American shad! Learn about catching shad in traditional Native American culture.
While you’re here, get the insider experience in our Freshwater Mussel Hatchery! See how environmental scientists grow freshwater mussels by re-introducing these “mighty mussels” into our local waterways (2pm – 4pm).

A Walk Along the Parkway Tour
2018-04-26 16:00 - 18:00 | Fairmount Water Works, 640 Water Works Drive, Philadelphia, PA, 19130, United States
Philadelphia’s Parkway references the most beautiful cities of Old Europe. Discover the magnificent buildings along Philadelphia’s own Champs-Élysées and what lies beneath them.
Start at the Fairmount Water Works, where wheels once pumped the City’s drinking water, then embark on a mile-long stroll down the picturesque path to Logan Square and back again. Ideal for history buffs, cultural connoisseurs and architectural mavens.
PLEASE NOTE: Comfortable shoes strongly encouraged for this walking tour. Registrants will be contacted in the event of cancellation due to inclement weather.

Art in the Open 2018
2018-05-18 08:00 - 2018-05-20 17:00
Art in the Open (AiO) is a biennial citywide event that celebrates artists, their inspirations for creating art, and their relationships with the urban environment. Art in the Open debuted in June 2010, bringing a jury-selected group of artists to the Schuylkill Banks – from the historic Fairmount Water Works to South Street – to inspire new ways of seeing the river and the city it runs through. Every other year, a new group of artists is chosen for a three day event, creating new works of art outside, in a creative process open to everyone.
The public is encouraged to participate in Art in the Open by visiting often during the three-day event, to see the works of art evolve and talk with the artists about their creative process. By actively engaging with AiO, you become part of that process – shifting ideas of the art audience, and as part of the environment the artists are considering, influencing how the art take shape. Artists’ working times will vary with their project’s particular needs; most activity takes place between 9 am and 5 pm.
Partnering civic and cultural organizations throughout Philadelphia also offer extensive opportunities for public engagement with the event, showcasing the vibrant community of working artists, galleries and institutions that make Philadelphia a major Urban Art Center, and its two rivers: waterways which continue to inspire creative response and also serve as an ecologically critical lifeline for its residents.

Science Saturday - "Mighty Mussel Mania"
2018-09-15 10:00 - 16:00 | Penn’s Landing
Come join us for Mighty Mussel Mania at the Delaware River Festival at Penn’s Landing! Drop by our mussel cart to learn the importance of these mini-water filters through up-close-and-personal hands-on lessons.

Family Tour with Let's Go Outdoors
2018-10-06 12:30 - 13:30 | Fairmount Water Works, 640 Water Works Drive, Philadelphia, PA, 19130, United States
Join our partners at Let’s Go Outdoors for a family-friendly tour of the Fairmount Water Works!
Let’s Go Outdoors aims to bring families together for environmental education tours and/or outdoor learning activities.
Attendees will learn about the amazing grounds outside of the historic site, including the Fishway Dam, then head inside for a guided orientation of “Water in Our World” and watch a 15-minute film about the buildings important role in Philadelphia’s history.
Please keep in mind:

This tour is geared for adults bringing one or more children, though all are welcome.
The session is about 60 minutes, with 20 minutes outdoors, and attendees are encouraged to dress accordingly.
The tour involves walking/traveling along grassy, slightly inclined, and/or paved surfaces.

The tour is FREE, but registration is required.

The Watershed is An Open Book
2018-10-13 10:00 - 11:30, 2018-10-27 10:00 - 11:30, 2018-11-10 10:00 - 11:30 | Gideon Elementary School, 2817 W. Glenwood Avenue, Philadelphia, PA, 19121, United States
New Early Literacy Program for 3-8 Year Olds and Their Caregivers!

Weekly workshops with a seasonal theme to help build reading readiness using “teachable” moments in your own neighborhood.
Great incentives for frequent attendance, such as backpacks loaded with things to help your child read, explore, and play in the outdoors!
Partners: Mander Recreation Center, Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center, and Let’s Go Outdoors.
Supported by the William Penn Foundation
There is no fee, but pre-registration is required. Space is limited so sign up today!

The Watershed is An Open Book
2018-10-18 16:30 - 18:00, 2018-10-25 16:30 - 18:00, 2018-11-01 16:30 - 18:00, 2018-11-08 16:30 - 18:00, 2018-11-15 16:30 - 18:00, 2018-12-06 16:30 - 18:00 | Mander Recreation Center, 2140 N. 33rd Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19121, United States

The Watershed is An Open Book
2018-10-20 13:00 - 16:00, 2018-11-17 13:00 - 16:00 | Fairmount Water Works, 640 Water Works Drive, Philadelphia, PA, 19130, United States
