Smith’s and Windmill Islands once sat in the Delaware River channel, between Center City Philadelphia and Camden, New Jersey. Join Adam Levine as he explores the history of these islands, from the siting of a windmill in the river channel in the 1700s, to their uses for industry and amusement and as a refuge for poor children, to their eventual destruction by the Army Corps of Engineers in the 1890s. The fate of these islands—removed to provide large ships better access to the Philadelphia harbor—is relevant today, as deepening the river channel continues to be discussed by proponents of shipping improvements and environmentalists opposed to the work.

Since 1998 Adam Levine has been researching the history of Philadelphia’s waterways and sewers for the Philadelphia Water Department. He is also the author of five books on gardening, and is currently editor of GROW, the magazine of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.

Join the Map Collection and Print and Picture Collection for this free lecture in the Rare Book Department’s Elkins Room. Tickets for the lecture are free, but registration is required through Eventbrite. No food or drinks are allowed in the Rare Book Department.

This lecture is presented in conjunction with the exhibition Philadelphia: The Changing City. Attendees are invited to explore the exhibition prior to the lecture to see prints and maps that illustrate these lost islands, and explore how planned and unplanned changes have affected Philadelphia’s landscape, its buildings, and its inhabitants. The Rare Book Department will have extended hours from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm for the public to see the exhibition.

Please click here to register through Eventbrite.