Philadelphia's Boathouse Row, "birthplace of American rowing," remains active hub for the sport
As the United States approaches its 250th birthday, historic landmarks across the country are drawing renewed attention. In Philadelphia, few are as recognizable as Boathouse Row.
The string of historic boathouses along the Schuylkill River has welcomed generations with its iconic lights. But beyond the postcard view, it remains an active hub for the sport that built its legacy.
Boathouse Row is a National Historic Landmark and still hosts major rowing regattas. Many of the boathouses date back to the 1800s, and they're still in use today.
Along the river, today's rowers are continuing that tradition.
Matthew Kennedy, a marketing student at Drexel University, trains on the same stretch of water that has been home to the sport for nearly two centuries.
"Boathouse Row is just like one of the largest rowing communities in the world," Kennedy said, "and it's very vibrant, and I think it's a privilege to be able to row here."
Drexel University is one of several teams that call Boathouse Row home.
For many, the row of boathouses along the river is a place they return to again and again.
"I think Boathouse Row is really amazing," Lydia Aydemir, a student at Saint Joseph's University, said. "I really like coming here."
Inside the boathouses, the history is hard to miss. Some of that history dates back to the nation's earliest days of organized rowing. The first U.S. regatta was held in the area in 1835. Decades later, the river hosted a regatta tied to the country's 100th birthday.
"What a lot of people don't recognize is that Boathouse Row, Schuylkill River, is really the birthplace of American rowing," Bonnie Mueller, officer of the Schuylkill Navy, the athletic governing body for Boathouse Row, said. "For me, the sport of rowing and the story of our nation are perfectly linked together. We are a nation that believes out of many, one."
As the nation approaches another milestone anniversary, the legacy of Boathouse Row continues in the community that returns to the water every day.
"There's so many different teams like club teams here, master's programs, college programs, high school programs," Kennedy said. "Everyone's out on the same 5K stretch of water, and you see everybody every day, so it's a very unique place."
The Schuylkill Navy said Boathouse Row is continuing to evolve, with efforts underway to preserve its history while making it more accessible to the public.