**Update** Due to a pending occupancy permit, we will unfortunately not be able to visit the inside at this time. The tour will still take place around the site.
If you missed us at the Alliance's 2019 Architectural Dinner, you still have a chance to see this landmark!
The Lazaretto quarantine station served as the gateway to Philadelphia in a crucial period of the nation's growth. After the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 killed about one-tenth of Philadelphia's population at the time, the newly established Philadelphia Board of Health chose to build a 10-acre quarantine campus in 1799. Every vessel on its way toward the port of Philadelphia had to stop first at Lazaretto.
The site has served as a hospital, country club, aviation base, and until recently was under threat to be leveled for overflow airport parking. Thanks to persistent preservation voices, the Lazaretto still stands today as the oldest surviving quarantine facility in the Western Hemisphere.
Join us with historic interpreter Aislinn Pentecost-Farren as we tour the grounds and learn about the newly restored town hall for Tinicum Township. **Update** Due to a pending occupancy permit, we will unfortunately not be able to visit the inside at this time. The tour will still take place around the site.
IMPORTANT INFO
Directions
Click here for a map. The Lazaretto is behind the Fire Station on 2nd Street in Tinnicum Township. You can park in the Fire Station parking lot. There are lots of spots. Folks should walk around to the other side of the building to get to the front porch.
Meeting Point
The front porch, which is on the side that faces the river.
Tour
The tour is an immersive audio experience for people to take in pairs. It's designed for anyone to be able to use on any smart phone or audio player. You can also download when you arrive if you are comfortable using your data plan. We will have a limited amount of extra mp3 players and headphones for anyone that forgets.
For prep, please:
Visit www.quarantineplay.com and download the audio onto your phone or mobile audio device
Bring headphones
This tour takes place outdoors, so dress for the weather!
Find a friend! The audio tour is interactive and intended for two people each. You will be interacting with the place and interacting with your partner. This portion will be roughly 40 minutes and we will follow with an opportunity for any Q&A with historic interpreter Aislinn Pentecost-Farren.
Unfortunately, the site is not wheelchair accessible. Make sure you feel comfortable walking on gravel and grass, and you’re wearing comfortable shoes.
This tour contains heavy content, including disease, death, slavery, and oppression. Care was taken to handle these topics with sensitivity, but please take care of yourself and your partner as you listen. The stories may impact people in different ways.
Be careful and pay attention to your surroundings. By downloading or streaming this tour, you agree to hold its author and their collaborators harmless of any liability.