ABSTRACT
Bartram’s Garden is 45 acres of parkland settled by America’s first botanist John Bartram in 1728. The garden is located to the southwest of Philadelphia along the west bank of the lower Schuylkill River. To the south at Point Breeze is the location of the largest oil refinery on the East Coast. Although the quality of the river’s water has been compromised due to industrial production, there are numerous efforts underway to breathe life back into the river. Bartram’s Garden is restoring its freshwater tidal wetland area, cultivating mussels to support the river ecosystem, and is the first to bring public boating recreation back to the river. To follow is a sketch of the history of the Schuylkill River and Bartram’s Garden to provide a context for understanding the significance of the Public Boating Program at Bartram’s Garden and the work of university, high school and vocational students to help make this vision a reality.
