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Fairmount Water Works-CSI Philadelphia Host Chapter Event

Thursday, May 13, 7pm-10pm
Pre-Registration and Fee Required:  $25

Come join the CSI Philadelphia Chapter for an enthralling evening at what was the key international tourist destination of the 1800’s owing to its architectural beauty and riverside location. That location is namely, The Fairmount Water Works. The Fairmount Water Works was the first municipal water works in the United States. Designed by Frederick Graff and built between 1819 and 1822 on the eastern bank of the Schuylkill River, the facility although industrial in nature is beautifully disguised by a Greek Revival exterior. The site displays how one could meld nature and architectural beauty with cutting edge engineering technology. The Water Works abutting Fairmount Dam is located adjacent to the Philadelphia Art Museum and Boathouse Row and is part of Fairmount Park.

Our evening will begin with cocktails and ample time to stroll outside along the banks of the Schuylkill River including along Boathouse Row and up to the many gazebo areas surrounding the Water Works and Art Museum grounds. Spectacular views abound in every direction. Inside the heart of the Water Works which is located at river level the Fairmount Water Works Interpretive Center will give you a unique insight into the history of the Philadelphia drinking water system. This history lesson includes such aspects as the start of the Philadelphia Water Department (Watering Committee) brought on by the yellow fever epidemics of the 1700’s and the purchasing of land around the river for watershed preservation now known as Fairmount Park. The Water Works has been honored as a National Historic Landmark and a National Historic Civil and Mechanical Engineering Landmark. Who knew that a public drinking water system could be so intriguing?

In keeping with our uniquely Philadelphia theme for the evening, we will dine on traditional Philly fair as well as partake of a very popular Philadelphia Pub team trivia game called Quizzo. Don’t worry if you are not a trivia aficionado – remember it’s a team game and you have plenty of cocktail time to scope out a fellow CSI member who is! Philadelphia trivia, Philadelphia food, breathtaking Philadelphia views, and intriguing Philadelphia historical architecture and engineering – Don’t be left out of the event of the season.