Newkirk Viaduct Monument
| Industry | Railroad |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1838 |
| Fate | Merged into other railroads |
| Headquarters | Philadelphia , United States |
| Products | Railroad transportation |
The Newkirk Viaduct Monument—also known simply as the Newkirk Monument—is a white marble obelisk located in Philadelphia's West Philadelphia district. Erected in 1839, it honors the completion of the Newkirk Viaduct, recognized as the first enduring railroad bridge spanning the Schuylkill River. The monument features the names of 51 individuals who were instrumental as railroad builders and executives.
Conceived by Thomas Ustick Walter, who later served as Architect of the Capitol, this monument was commissioned by the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad (PW&B) to celebrate the inauguration of the initial railroad route extending southward from Philadelphia. Initially positioned approximately from the riverbank, it was relocated roughly inland between 1927 and 1930, near what would become part of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor. In 2016, it found a new location adjacent to the Bartram's Mile segment of the Schuylkill River Trail, situated about from the river.
History
The monument commemorates the 1838 completion of the Newkirk Viaduct, which established the first direct rail connection between Philadelphia and Baltimore, Maryland, running parallel to the historic King's Highway.
On August 14, 1838, the PW&B named this bridge in honor of its president, Matthew Newkirk (1794–1868), a prominent Philadelphia businessman who played a pivotal role in merging four railroads to create the Philadelphia-Baltimore route. To pay tribute, a monument was commissioned for installation at the bridge’s western terminus.
Walter designed this white marble structure using seven carved stone segments assembled through weight and friction alone, without metal fasteners. The obelisk itself weighs approximately , with the base and additional components bringing the total close to . Both obelisk and base bear inscriptions listing 51 key figures—including top officials and workers—who contributed to constructing both the bridge and its connecting rail line.
Originally situated near the western bridge approach and surrounded by a low iron fence, it stood roughly from the Schuylkill River at coordinates 39.93975 N, 75.20830 W.
In 1872, PW&B constructed a new mainline west of the Viaduct and leased its former route to the Philadelphia and Reading Railway, which developed a small rail yard encompassing the monument.
By the late 1800s, despite protective fencing, the monument had become neglected and susceptible to vandalism. Reports from 1896 and 1900 described it as difficult to access due to overgrown vegetation and general disrepair.
Relocation in the 1920s
By January 1926, plans were underway by Pennsylvania Railroad to move the monument to facilitate yard expansion, with intentions to relocate it near Gray's Ferry Station. The engineering department oversaw this transfer.
Between May 1927—when aerial imagery still showed it in its original position—and September 1930—when records placed it at a new site—the monument was moved to the north side of the 1872 mainline close to the 49th Street Bridge at coordinates 39.939492 N, 75.210633 W. A 1939 report incorrectly claimed a relocation occurred in 1917 connected to Hog Island Railroad operations and mentioned that Newkirk’s daughters had been consulted regarding its move.
For nearly eighty years following this relocation, the monument remained largely forgotten and deteriorated but remained visible to passengers traveling on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor as well as SEPTA’s Airport and Wilmington/Newark Lines.
2016 relocation
Renewed attention to the Newkirk Monument emerged in 2013 through a series of articles by Bradley Peniston for Hidden City Philadelphia, which emphasized its historical importance and called for its transfer to a more prominent location. This effort garnered backing from both public and private organizations, including Amtrak, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, the Schuylkill River Development Corporation, landscape design firm Andropogon Associates, planning group PennPraxis, conservation specialists Materials Conservation, and the moving company George Young Company. On November 17–18, 2016, the monument was moved onto a newly constructed concrete foundation situated within the developing "Bartram's Mile" segment of the Schuylkill River Trail.
Inscription
Wilson documented the inscriptions found on all four sides and the base of the monument as follows:
| Template:Center | Template:Center | Template:Center | Template:Center |
| Obelisk | |||
|---|---|---|---|
PHILADELPHIA WILMINGTON AND BALTIMORE RAILROAD COMPANY
President Vice President Directors Secretary, ALLAN THOMSON. AUBRY H. SMITH, Assistant. |
BALTIMORE AND PORT DEPOSIT RAILROAD COMPANY
President Directors Secretary and Treasurer, Engineer, Assistant Engineer, |
DELAWARE AND MARYLAND RAILROAD COMPANY
President, Directors: Engineer, Assistant Engineer, |
WILMINGTON AND SUSQUEHANNA RAILROAD COMPANY
President, Directors Secretary, Treasurer, Engineer, Assistant Engineer, |
| Base | |||
THE PHILADELPHIA WILMINGTON AND BALTIMORE RAILROAD COMPANY Established A.D. 1838 through the
merger of charters from Pennsylvania, Maryland,
and Delaware. |
Railroad Contractors: Superintendents: |
NEWKIRK VIADUCT Samuel H. Kneass, Engineer. |
NEWKIRK VIADUCT Started July 4, 1837. |
Wilson's transcription includes inaccuracies in several names such as Henry Hazlehurst and Edward Tatnall; these have been corrected in later studies.
External links
- Newkirk Monument, Schuylkill Banks Development Corporation, May 5, 2017
- Flickr Album documenting the 2016 relocation
- I Wanna Know, Philadelphia Weekly, May 1, 2002
- Wrong Side Of The Tracks: Newkirk Viaduct Monument In Photos, Hidden City Philadelphia, March 13, 2013
- Peniston, Bradley (August 26, 2015). Video: "Where Did the Newkirk Monument Originally Stand?"
- Newkirk Viaduct Monument, Society for Industrial Archaeology Car Barn Tours
- Articles with short description
- Obelisks in the United States
- Pennsylvania Railroad
- Landmarks in Philadelphia
- Monuments and memorials in Philadelphia
- Marble sculptures in Pennsylvania
- Vandalized works of art in Pennsylvania
- 1839 sculptures
- 1839 establishments in Pennsylvania
- Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad
- Relocated buildings and structures in Pennsylvania