Know Your Neighborhood: Franklin Bridge North (& Old City & Callowhill)

Know Your Neighborhood: The Ben Franklin Bridge (part 1): Crossing the Delaware

Regional leaders in the Delaware Valley began discussing the idea of connecting Philadelphia and Camden as far back as the early 1800s

Up until a bridge was built to cross the Delaware River, the only way to cross the river between Philadelphia and N.J. was by various ferry lines. (1st photo - ferry terminal at foot of Market St) (2nd - Vine St Ferry Terminal)

A bridge linking Philadelphia and Camden, New Jersey was proposed as early as 1818. This plan utilized Windmill Island, which was located midway between the two cities until the 1890's, when it was removed by the Federal Government to improve navigation. A further design for a suspension bridge was produced in 1831 by John C. Troutwine; and in 1868 yet another design for a "double draw" suspension bridge was proposed. These plans were all abandoned as the technology didn't exist for these ideas to be feasible.

In 1904, work was coming along well on the new Market Street subway; by 1907, it would reach all the way to 69th Street. Developers began to think about expansion in the other direction. Not north to Frankford, as would eventually happen, but due east to Camden, via a tunnel under the Delaware River. (3rd photo - proposed tunnel)

Within a short time, the Delaware River Tunnel Company was formed and in 1909, both the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company were on board. With the help of the two corporations, the tunnel could be privately funded, just as the Market St. subway had.

Mayor Reyburn and City Council were enthusiastic. A tunnel would provide an efficient link to south Jersey and the shore and lessen ferry traffic (the Ben Franklin Bridge was still 20 years in the future). Across the river, Camden mayor Charles Ellis was behind the project and Camden business owners and realtors were hoping another connection with Philadelphia would benefit everyone.

Tunnel negotiations were going well until the end of the summer of 1909, when Camden City Council, wary of the intentions of the railroads, seemed to lose all interest in the project. By the end of the year, the plan was abandoned.

(The idea for a Delaware River tunnel was resurrected in the 1930s and lingered on through WW II when it was discussed as part of a defense network. All plans for a tunnel died in 1953, with the construction of the Walt Whitman Bridge.)

In 1912 and 1917, the New Jersey and Pennsylvania legislatures created a pair of commissions for the purpose of jointly building, operating, and owning a single toll bridge.

Early on, there was talk of where to locate the bridge, with both Market St (4th photo) and Walnut St (5th) being proposed. 6th photo is drawing of proposed bridge design from 1916. Ultimately the current location was chosen, though the position of the foundations for the bridge were moved 14 feet to the south which saved St. George's Methodist Church from demolition. Not so lucky was St. John's Lutheran Church and numerous other buildings torn down for the project.

Part 2 will look at what was lost and bridge design.