A Famous Lighthouse Shines Bright Again
The historic lighthouse on Philadelphia’s Schuylkill River received a new LED light source from Keystone.
Part of Philadelphia’s legendary Boathouse Row and built in 1886, the lighthouse on Turtle Rock was initially gas-powered until it was electrified in 1990. Over the years, it has been updated as lighting technology progressed.
The lighthouse is located at the westernmost point on Boathouse Row. It was originally built to warn river traffic about a dangerous curve, a nearby dam, and a rocky stretch that marked “the gateway to Philadelphia,” said Alexander H. Plache, Resident Manager at the adjacent Sedgeley Club, which abuts the lighthouse.
“In the 1890s, the lighthouse guided commercial barge traffic that had to navigate past a dam,” Plache explained. “There was a lock system to the right of the dam as you headed downriver toward Philadelphia, and the barges would pass through it.”
Within a decade, the rise of railroads ended the need for barge traffic and the locks were closed. “Once they put in the lighthouse, within 10 years it effectively became obsolete because rail had improved so much,” Plache stated.
The installation of the dam in the early 19th century, in connection with the construction of the Fairmount Water Works, allowed the Schuylkill River to evolve into a hub for the sport of rowing (aka crew). In the second half of the 19th century more than one dozen boathouses were built along the river, making Boathouse Row a national historic landmark.
Operating the lighthouse is the Sedgeley Club, founded in 1897, with its current building – constructed around the lighthouse tower – harking back to 1903. Originally a women’s social club, Sedgeley Club had as many as 400 members in the first half of the 20th century. (Although it is considered to be part of Boathouse Row, the Sedgeley Club doesn’t house any boats, nor does it have a dock.)
“The club members convinced the city to let them build a house around the lighthouse,” Plache explained. “In return, they agreed to maintain it.”
Today, the club has about 75 members — and for more than one century, it has upheld that commitment to the lighthouse.
For most of the 1900s, the lighthouse beacon was powered by gas before it was switched to electric in 1990. In 2019, the club upgraded the lighthouse beacon, moving from legacy lighting to LED. The honors of providing the beacon’s introduction to modern LED lighting technology went to Keystone, a Pennsylvania company founded in 1945 that originally produced ballasts for fluorescent lamps. More than 80 years later, Keystone offers thousands of SKUs in LED, including the lamp installed in the Turtle Rock Lighthouse.
The latest LED lamp replaces the initial 27-watt Keystone LED lamp that produced 2,790 lumens. After nearly seven years of continuous, 24/7 operation, that original Keystone LED lamp reached the end of its life. The newly installed Keystone lamp is a newer model equipped with a photo sensor option for more efficient energy usage. The lamp turns off during daylight hours and shines bright at night. According to Keystone, the new beacon continues the lighthouse’s tradition of guiding the eye and illuminating the Schuylkill as rowers glide past.
“There’s nothing else quite like Boathouse Row,” Plache noted. “It’s one of the most extensive historic boathouse collections anywhere.”
As Philadelphia is a city built on tradition and resilience, both the Turtle Rock Lighthouse and the Sedgeley Club embody that legacy of service. “Keystone is proud to help keep the light on,” Plache said.
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