Hog Island shipyard and reclaimed marshland near the airport

Hog Island was a tidal island in the lower Delaware River where the U.S. government established the Hog Island Shipyard in 1917, one of the largest shipbuilding complexes assembled during World War I. The shipyard and subsequent industrial activity altered and filled surrounding marshes; much of the landscape in that stretch of the river was reshaped by landfill and engineering projects through the 20th century. Toponyms such as Hog Island Road and nearby Fort Mifflin preserve the area's island-origin name while commercial and transportation uses (including Philadelphia International Airport) occupy reclaimed land in the vicinity.