Fricks Locks Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Fricks Locks Historic District
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Old house with Limerick Nuclear Power Plant in background
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 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Pottstown, Pennsylvania |
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| Area | 18 acres (7.3 ha) |
| Built | 1824 |
| Architectural style | Federal, Swiss Bank House |
| NRHP reference No. | 03001188 |
| Added to NRHP | November 21, 2003 |
Fricks Locks Historic District, also known as Frick's Lock, is an old, empty village in Chester County, Pennsylvania. It sits next to the Schuylkill Canal, which is also no longer used. This village was built in the 1700s and was left empty in the late 1900s. This happened when the Limerick Nuclear Power Plant was built nearby. In 2003, Frick's Lock, which covers about 18 acres, was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Today, Frick's Lock is seen as a modern ghost town. Even though it is private property, many people still visit it.
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History of Frick's Lock
The village of Frick's Lock has a long and interesting past. It changed from a busy canal town to an empty village. This happened because of big changes in how people traveled and used power.
The Canal Era
Some buildings in Frick's Lock are very old, dating back to the American Revolutionary War. But the village got its name from the "Schuylkill Navigation" canal. In the early 1820s, workers built two locks for the canal here. These locks, #54 and #55, were built on land bought from John Frick. That's how the village became known as Frick's Locks.
The canal brought a lot of business to the village. It helped Frick's Locks grow and become a busy place. But over time, canal traffic slowed down. Trains became a more popular way to move goods and people. The Pennsylvania Schuylkill Valley Railroad arrived, building a station called Frick's Lock. This is why the village name changed from "Locks" to "Lock." The canal was eventually filled in, starting in 1942. Even after the railroad declined, people still lived in the village until the late 1900s.
The Nuclear Era
In the 1960s, a company called Philadelphia Electric Company (PECO) started building the Limerick Nuclear Power Station. This power plant was built right across the river from Frick's Lock. The power station began working in 1986. During its construction, PECO bought all the land around the plant, including Frick's Lock village.
The people living in Frick's Lock had to leave their homes. Some stories say they were helped to move to new places nearby. Other stories suggest they had to leave very quickly. Either way, the buildings were emptied and boarded up. It seems that an environmental study company later used some of the buildings.
Frick's Lock Today
In the late 1990s, Paul S. Frick wanted to save the village and his family's history. He started gathering historical information. He then hired Estelle Cremers to help him. Paul paid for all the work to get the property listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This happened on November 21, 2003.
In 2011, East Coventry Township teamed up with Exelon Corporation. Exelon is the company that owns the nuclear power plant now. They agreed to protect the historic site. Exelon gave the land and eleven historic buildings to East Coventry Township. This gift was worth about $1 million. Exelon also agreed to spend about $2.5 million to fix and protect these old buildings.
By late 2021, most of the old buildings were surrounded by a tall fence with locked gates. A few older buildings outside the fence have pictures of windows and doors where real ones used to be. There's also a building with public restrooms, but they are often locked. In January 2022, the parking lot was also blocked by a new locked gate. This made it hard for visitors to reach the Schuylkill River Trail, which runs very close to the village.
However, as of September 2023, the restrooms are clean and working. The parking lot is also unlocked. Just past the parking lot, there are still closed gates with "no trespassing" signs from Exelon.
Frick's Lock: A Modern Ghost Town
Frick's Lock is known as a modern ghost town. This makes many curious people want to visit, including those who like to look for ghosts. Because it's in a quiet, abandoned spot, it has also attracted people who cause damage. The village became even more popular after it was featured in the 2005 book Weird Pennsylvania. Many websites also show photos of the buildings. These photos show how the buildings have slowly fallen apart, including damage from people and porches collapsing.
By March 2008, Frick's Lock was still a popular spot for people looking for adventure. Interest grew even more after a fire destroyed the Lock Tender's House in February 2008. Since then, Exelon has tried to clean up the area. They have also tried to close up open wells and buildings. But some people continue to damage the buildings.
Police are now trying to stop the damage. They are giving tickets to anyone found on the property without permission.
Images for kids
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Old house with Limerick Nuclear Power Plant in background
