Philadelphia Lazaretto facts for kids
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The Lazaretto
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Lazaretto in 1936
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 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | Wanamaker Ave. and 2nd St., Essington, Pennsylvania |
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| Area | 10 acres (40,000 m2) |
| Built | 1799 |
| Architectural style | Georgian, Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 72001119 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | March 16, 1972 |
The Philadelphia Lazaretto was the first quarantine hospital in the United States. It was built in 1799. A quarantine hospital is a place where people who might have a contagious disease are kept separate from others. This helps stop the spread of sickness.
The land where the Lazaretto stands was first home to the Lenape people. Later, the first Swedish settlers in America lived there. Nearby, some Moravian Indians were brought for safety in 1763. This was because their lives were in danger from a group called the Paxton Boys. The Lazaretto is older than famous places like Ellis Island Immigrant Hospital. It is known as the oldest surviving quarantine hospital in the U.S. It is also the last building of its kind still standing.
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History of the Lazaretto
Early Quarantine Efforts
The city of Philadelphia built its first quarantine station in 1743. It was located where the Schuylkill River and Delaware River meet. This building was for sick people arriving by ship in Philadelphia. It was known as the Pest House or the Old Lazaretto. In 1802, this building was sold. The money from the sale helped pay for the new Lazaretto. The new site was about six miles west of the old one.
The Yellow Fever Epidemic
Efforts to control diseases in Philadelphia became very serious after the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793. This terrible sickness killed between 4,000 and 5,000 people. This was about one-tenth of the city's population at the time. The national government, which was then in Philadelphia, even had to move out of the city temporarily.
After this epidemic, Pennsylvania created a Board of Health in 1798. This board was controlled by the city. It had the power to collect taxes for public health. The next year, in 1799, the city's Board of Health built the Lazaretto. It was on a 10-acre (40,000 m2) piece of land. This land was about ten miles (16 km) south of the city, along the Delaware River in Tinicum Township.
How the Lazaretto Worked
The new quarantine station had a hospital, offices, and homes. All ships carrying passengers or cargo to Philadelphia had to stop at the Lazaretto for inspection. Passengers who might be sick were kept in the hospital. Any cargo that seemed risky was stored in a public warehouse.
The Board of Health of Philadelphia ran the facility. They made sure the local quarantine rules were followed. In 1893, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania took over the job of enforcing quarantine rules. After it stopped being a hospital, the building was used as an aviation base.
Later Years and Preservation
In 1864, Philadelphia's main hospital burned down. The Board of Health moved the hospital to the Lazaretto temporarily. Dr. J.L Forwood managed the hospital there until new buildings were finished.
The Lazaretto was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. This means it is recognized as an important historic site. In the early 2000s, there were plans to build on the site. However, local people who wanted to protect history worked hard to save it.
Tinicum Township bought the building in 2005. They later fixed it up. Today, the building serves as the township offices.
Images for kids
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The Lazaretto in 2009
See also
In Spanish: Lazareto de Filadelfia para niños
