For 44 years, the lights of Boathouse Row have been among the most iconic sights in the Philadelphia region.
The lights on the historic boathouses along the Schuylkill River have become a beacon for the national rowing scene, a staple of postcards sent from Philadelphia and a spur to countless Instagram moments.
But for most of this year, they’ll go dark.
10Best:Philadelphia’s Boathouse Row
Starting the first day of Spring on Monday, March 20, the lights adorning the beloved 19th-century boathouses in Fairmount Park will be down for maintenance. The bulbs will be stripped from 15 boathouses lining the river.
But after months of work, thousands of new bulbs and millions of dollars, the Boathouse Row lights will come back fancier than ever.Here’s what we know.
So why are there lights on Boathouse Row in the first place?
Since at least the 19th century, there have been boathouses along the Schuylkill River, home to social and rowing clubs. But by 1979, the old Victorian Boathouse Row was under threat: The buildings looked a little shabby, they were infested with college students, and the city wanted to tear them down.Enter legendary lighting expert and architect Frank Grenald, who also lit up the Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico and designed the home for the Liberty Bell. Grenald had a bold notion to save the boathouses: lights!
Mayor Frank Rizzo apparently loved the idea of the lights, and Boathouse Row was saved. Ever since October 1979 — the same month of a Pope John Paul II visit, and an unseasonable autumn blizzard — there’ve been lights on Boathouse Row.
Why are they taking down the Boathouse Row lights this year?
They’re on the fritz.
Actually, they’ve been on the fritz a lot: By the 1980s the Boathouse Row lights were already known for missing a few bulbs here and there. In 2005, the lights were replaced in favor of a new LED system. And in 2016, the lights were refurbished again.Now the lights are malfunctioning again, with “significant connectivity challenges, regular power outages, and mounting issues,” according to a statement from the Fairmount Park Conservancy and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation. So here we are.
Will the lighting system be better, or more durable this time?
City-enlisted designer The Lighting Practice has promised “upgraded technology and durable housing boxes to protect the system from weather and wildlife damages.”
The lights will also be fancier, or maybe weirder: The 15 Victorian boathouses along the Schuylkill will be home to 6,400 programmable LED lights that can change color and “dance” across the fronts of the houses.
Who’s paying for it?
In part, the citizens of Philadelphia. The $2.1 million renovation and lighting redesign is jointly funded by the city and the Joanna McNeil Trust.
“Boathouse Row is a Philadelphia icon,” wrote Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney. “We are grateful to the Schuylkill Navy and Fairmount Park Conservancy for working tirelessly to maintain this historic stretch of parkland, which holds so much significance to the rowing community locally and nationally.”
Will the Boathouse Row lights be back on by Christmas 2023?
Fair question: The Fairmount Park Conservancy expects the houses to be dark for eight months, with an “intended” relighting time before the end of 2023.But there are some variables. While the lights are down, the boathouses will use the time to address a number of deferred building repairs that weren’t possible with the lights on the building.
When’s the last day to see the Boathouse Row lights in Philly?
The evening of Sunday, March 19. After that, they’re gone for eight months. And after that, they’ll be different.Matthew Korfhage is a Philadelphia-based reporter for USA Today Network.
