Turtle Rock Light
The Lighthouse on Turtle Rock is a lighthouse built in 1887 to aid traffic on the Schuylkill River near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The lighthouse was constructed by Frank Thurwanger at a cost of $2,663 on an area of land just west of Boathouse Row. The lighthouse has a hexagonal lantern room with an octagonal walkway. Gas was first used to power the light, but in 1990, when the lighthouse was repainted and received a new wooden balustrade and newel posts, the beacon was electrified.
 The lighthouse in 2023 | |
| Location | Kelly Drive, Boat House #15, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 39°58′12″N 75°11′23″W |
| Tower | |
| Constructed | 1887 |
| Foundation | Natural |
| Construction | Brick |
| Automated | 1990 |
| Height | 30 feet (9.1 m) |
| Shape | Conical, with hexagonal balcony |
| Markings | Red tower with white balcony and lantern |
| Heritage | NRHP contributing property  |
Boat House #15 | |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Shingle Style |
| Part of | Boathouse Row (ID87000821[1]) |
| Designated CP | February 27, 1987 |
Sedgeley Club
The lighthouse is operated by the Sedgeley Club, a social club located at #15 Boathouse Row in the historic Boathouse Row along the Schuylkill River, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and designated a National Historic Landmark.[2] In 1897, the club was founded as the Bicycle, Barge and Canoe Club, but quickly changed its name to the Sedgeley Club.[3] The Club initially occupied #14 Boathouse Row, until 1902, when the Fairmount Park Commission permitted the Club to build its own boathouse.[3] The building, designed by Arthur H. Brockie, was adapted to encompass the lighthouse that predates it.[3] Brockie designed a shingle, Colonial Revival house.[4] After completing this design, Brockie joined the University Barge Club in 1902.[5]
World War II caused the Club to stop operating as an athletic facility.[3] The Sedgeley Club still operates as a social club and is available to rent for private parties.[6]
Friends of Historic Sedgeley
In 2012, Friends of Historic Sedgeley, a 501(c)(3) corporation was established to maintain and preserve the Sedgeley Club building as a local and national historic landmark, and to promote the architectural and cultural significance of the boathouse and the lighthouse to the public through open houses and educational programs.[7]
References
- "NPS Focus". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. Archived from the original on July 25, 2008. Retrieved June 13, 2011.
- "Listing of National Historic Landmarks by State" (PDF). National Historic Landmarks Program. National Park Service. April 2011. p. 81. Retrieved June 13, 2011.
- Stillner, p. 106
- Charleton, p. 666.
- Charleton, p. 674.
- "Home". Sedgeley Club. Retrieved September 28, 2016.
- "About Us - Friends of Historic Sedgeley". www.friendsofhistoricsedgeley.org. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
Sources
- Charleton, James H (June 1985). "Boat House Row" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form. Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Retrieved June 13, 2011.
- Lighthouse Friends
- Lighthouse Digest Archived June 14, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- Stillner, Anna (January 2005). "The Philadelphia Girls' Rowing Club: An Incremental Historic Structure Report". Theses (Historic Preservation).
Further reading
- Oleszewski, Wes (1998). Great Lakes Lighthouses, American and Canadian: A Comprehensive Directory/Guide to Great Lakes Lighthouses. Gwinn, Michigan: Avery Color Studios. ISBN 0-932212-98-0.
- Sweeney, Joe. "The History of the Penn Athletic Club Rowing Association: Part 2 - Beginning of the Clubs". Schuylkill Navy. Archived from the original on June 20, 2010. Retrieved April 30, 2010.
- Price, Scott T. "U. S. Coast Guard Aids to Navigation: A Historical Bibliography". United States Coast Guard Historian's Office.
- United States Coast Guard (1957). Historically Famous Lighthouses. Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office.
- Wright, Larry; Wright, Patricia (2006). Great Lakes Lighthouses Encyclopedia. Erin, Ontario: Boston Mills Press. ISBN 1-55046-399-3.
External links
Media related to Turtle Rock Light at Wikimedia Commons
