Barbadoes Island (Pennsylvania) on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
Barbadoes Island is an island in the
Barbadoes Island is an island in the Schuylkill River
The Schuylkill River ( , ) is a river running northwest to southeast in eastern Pennsylvania. The river was improved by navigations into the Schuylkill Canal, and several of its tributaries drain major parts of Pennsylvania's Coal Region. It fl ...
in West Norriton Township
West Norriton Township is a township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Norristown Area School District. The population of the township was 15,663 at the 2010 census.
History
On March 9, 1909, Norriton Towns ...
, south of Norristown Norristown may mean:
* Norristown, Arkansas, an unincorporated community
* Norristown, Georgia, an unincorporated community
* Norristown, Indiana, an unincorporated community
* Norristown, Pennsylvania
Norristown is a municipality with home ...
in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Montgomery County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the third-most populous county in Pennsylvania and the 73rd-most populous county in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the county was 856,55 ...
, United States. Southbound U.S. Route 202
U.S. Route 202 (US 202) is a spur route of US 2. It follows a northeasterly and southwesterly direction stretching from Delaware to Maine, also traveling through the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massa ...
and various localized rail lines cross over the eastern tip of the island. It is about in size.
History
Barbadoes Island was part of the original land grants made toWilliam Penn
William Penn ( – ) was an English writer and religious thinker belonging to the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, a North American colony of England. He was an early advocate of democracy a ...
. In the 1700s, the University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universitie ...
acquired title to Barbadoes Island. The name of Barbadoes Island may reflect a trade relationship between Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
and Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of the Americas, and the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands. It occupies an area of and has a population of about 287,000 (2019 estimate). ...
, an island in the West Indies
The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Greater A ...
that was also under British control at one time. Wealthy planters from the Caribbean-isle sent their children to Philadelphia to be educated. In the early 1800s John Markley purchased Barbadoes Island, where he farmed the land and built a farm house. Between 1840 and 1910, pleasure steamboats
A steamboat is a boat that is marine propulsion, propelled primarily by marine steam engine, steam power, typically driving propellers or Paddle steamer, paddlewheels. Steamboats sometimes use the ship prefix, prefix designation SS, S.S. or S/S ...
carried excursionists to the island and up to Phoenixville
Phoenixville is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located northwest of Philadelphia at the junction of French Creek and the Schuylkill River. It is in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The population is 18,616 a ...
from a wharf in Norristown. The island was purchased in 1922 by Counties Gas and Electric Company, which later merged with Philadelphia Electric Company
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...
(PECO).
A power plant was constructed on the island in 1926. Power plants fueled by gas, coal and oil occupied the island in post-World War II era until recently. The plant was originally coal-powered, then converted to diesel power in the 1970s. It was operated by the Philadelphia Electric Company (PECO/Exelon
Exelon Corporation is an American Fortune 100 energy company headquartered in Chicago, Illinois and incorporated in Pennsylvania. It generates revenues of approximately $33.5 billion and employs approximately 33,400 people. Exelon is the larges ...
) until 1997. The PECO facility was most recently used for equipment storage, company training and as an electrical substation. On February 16, 2009, Exelon demolished the old power plant.
References