Fairmount Water Works

Fairmount Water Works was constructed beginning in the 1810s to pump and distribute water from the Schuylkill River to Philadelphia and began operations in the mid-1810s as the city's primary municipal water supply. In the 19th century the Water Works became a popular public attraction for its picturesque classical buildings and gardens adjacent to the Fairmount Park landscape. The original pumping complex and related structures survive and have been rehabilitated for museum and interpretive uses focused on water, engineering, and public health. The site is part of the historic Fairmount Park cultural landscape along the Schuylkill River.