Hertz Lot, Vine Street and N. Delaware Avenue
The West Shipyard and Penny Port House Landing, more recently known as the Hertz Lot for its association with the national car rental company, was listed as the first archaeological site on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places. Research conducted during the historic designation process revealed the potential for archeological remains related to the 17th through 19th century development of the port of Philadelphia and maritime activity along the Delaware River. The threat of development led the Philadelphia Historical Commission to conduct archaeological explorations of the site in 1987. These investigations uncovered the remains of four wharves and a slipway (alternatively called a ship's way), dating to the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. This project is one of only two archaeological investigations that have specifically targeted the Philadelphia waterfront and port area; the Hertz Lot slipway remains the only feature of its kind uncovered in excavations along the East Coast.
The early 19th century wooden ship-way.
Preserved sections of a 19th century wharf or pier.
19th century wharf bulkhead.