Philadelphia's Immigration Station
Washington Avenue Pier was where a million European immigrants arrived in Philadelphia between 1870 and 1915. It is also the site of the nation's first Navy Yard. This is our city's Ellis Island.
Today this park, honors immigrants' memory, sits on less than an acre, and features panormic views of the Delaware River, Center City, and the Ben Franklin and Walt Whitman bridges. Visitors can use an elevated boardwalk to view wetland habitats on the river. The $2.15 million project was funded by the William Penn Foundation, the State of PA, and the Delaware River Waterfront Corp. Many of the materials used in the park, including wood and bricks, came from existing structures.