Connecting Railway, Schuylkill River Bridge, Spanning Schuylkill River, north of Girard Avenue Bridge, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA

See also HABS PA-6213 for additional documentation. Includes photographs.
See also HAER PA-71 for related documentation. Includes photographs.
Significance: Completed in 1867, the Connecting Railway's Schuylkill River bridge forms an important link in a direct rail route between West Philadelphia and New York City. The Pennsylvania Railroad maintained its original appearance during an early twentieth-century reconstruction, using stone arch construction despite the growing popularity of reinforced concrete. The bridge is located in Fairmount Park, a National Register-listed historic district.
Survey number: HAER PA-37
Building/structure dates: 1866-1867 Initial Construction
Building/structure dates: 1873 Subsequent Work
Building/structure dates: 1897 Subsequent Work
Building/structure dates: 1912-1915 Subsequent Work
National Register of Historic Places NRIS Number: 72001151

Thomas Eakins (July 25, 1844 – June 25, 1916) - American realist painter, photographer, and sculptor, born in Philadelphia, a pioneer in the field of photography. He was one of the first artists to use photography as a tool for studying the human form and movement. He took photographs of his students and used them as references for his paintings, drawings, and sculptures. Eakins is best known for his portraits, figure paintings, and illustrations of sporting events, particularly rowing. He died in 1916.