The Schuylkill River received its name because of the confluence; groves of trees, sycamores, and oaks once obscured the entrance of the Schuylkill. In Dutch, Schuylkill means “hidden stream”. This 130-mile corridor over the years has shaped the lives and landscape of Philadelphia. Learn about the changes and development along the lower Schuylkill River and the industrialization that followed in historical landmarks, and public art spanning the early 18th to the mid-19th century. This 2-mile tour is an historic, aesthetic overview of Fairmount Park along the Schuylkill River, including iconic landmarks & sculptures.

This tour was developed in partnership with the Association for Public Art (formerly the Fairmount Park Art Association).