Dock Creek Controversy
Date Range
1739 – 1739
Title
Dock Creek Controversy
What occurred
Local tanneries and other businesses in what is now Southeast Center City were dumping waste into Dock Creek, polluting its waters. As a result, the creek smelled terrible, surrounding property values dropped, disease spread and firefighting was inhibited. People living in the neighborhood, including Benjamin Franklin, petitioned the Pennsylvania Assembly to forbid businesses from dumping in the creek. This lead to an early victory for public rights over private ones, but it proved to be symbolic. Business continued to dump waste in the creek until it was eventually covered over. Today, what used to be Dock Creek is now a part of the Philadelphia sewage system.
Location
Center City, Philadelphia, PA
Image Citation
Wikimedia
Student name(s)
Clara Iodice