Turtle Rock Light
 The lighthouse in 2023 | |
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| Location | Kelly Drive, Boat House #15, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
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| Coordinates | 39°58′12″N 75°11′23″W / 39.97000°N 75.18972°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 | National Register of Historic Places contributing property  |
Boat House #15 | |
| Architectural style | Shingle Style |
| Part of | Boathouse Row (ID87000821[1]) |
| Designated CP | February 27, 1987 |
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.
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.
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.
- ^ a b c d 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. 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 Government Printing Office.
- Wright, Larry; Wright, Patricia (2006). Great Lakes Lighthouses Encyclopedia. ISBN 1-55046-399-3.
External links
Media related to Turtle Rock Light at Wikimedia Commons
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| Authority control databases: Geographic |
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