Sparks Shot Tower, Philadelphia

Name: Sparks Shot Tower
Address: Philadelphia, United States

#685 among attractions in Philadelphia

Tower

Gallery (1)

Map

Facts and practical information

The Sparks Shot Tower is a historic shot tower located at 129-131 Carpenter Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Opened on July 4, 1808, it was one of the first shot towers in the United States, with the Jackson Ferry Shot Tower in Wythe County, Virginia possibly predating it by a year or so. It was built near the Delaware River waterfront at Front and Carpenter Streets, just west of Gloria Dei Church. ()

Height: 142 ftCoordinates: 39°56'5"N, 75°8'47"W

Address

Center City (Queen Village)Philadelphia United States

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Day trips

Sparks Shot Tower – popular in the area (distance from the attraction)

Nearby attractions include: Philadelphia's Magic Gardens, Theatre of Living Arts, Musical Fund Hall, Gloria Dei Church.

0.9 miNW
Monuments and statues, Art gallery, Vernacular architecture
Philadelphia's Magic Gardens, Philadelphia
23 min walk • Philadelphia's Magic Gardens is a non-profit organization, folk art environment, and gallery space on South Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. To date, it is the largest work created by mosaic artist Isaiah Zagar. The Magic Gardens spans three city lots, and includes indoor galleries and a large outdoor labyrinth.
0.5 miN
Music and shows, Nightlife, Music venue
Theatre of Living Arts, Philadelphia
12 min walk • The Theatre of Living Arts is a concert venue located on South Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The venue, which opened in 1988, dates back to the early 1900s as a nickelodeon. Over the years, the venue has seen many incarnations ranging from concert hall to movie theatre to theatre.
1 miNW
Theater
Musical Fund Hall, Philadelphia
25 min walk • The Musical Fund Hall in Philadelphia is a landmark building of both architectural and historic significance, noted especially for the illustrious persons who have spoken or performed there.
~690 ftE
Church, Sacred and religious sites, Historical place
Gloria Dei Church, Philadelphia
4 min walk • Gloria Dei Church, known locally as Old Swedes', is a historic church located in the Southwark neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at 929 South Water Street, bounded by Christian Street on the north, South Christopher Columbus Boulevard on the east, and Washington Avenue on the south.
0.6 miNE
Ship, Event space
Moshulu, Philadelphia
16 min walk • Moshulu is a four-masted steel barque, built as Kurt by William Hamilton and Company at Port Glasgow in Scotland in 1904. The largest remaining original windjammer, she is currently a floating restaurant docked in Penn's Landing, Philadelphia, adjacent to the museum ships USS Olympia and USS Becuna.
1 miNE
Concerts and shows, Convention center, Music venue
BB&T Pavilion, Camden
25 min walk • The Waterfront Music Pavilion, formerly known as BB&T Pavilion, Susquehanna Bank Center, Tweeter Center, and Blockbuster-Sony Music Entertainment Centre, is an outdoor amphitheater/indoor theater complex in Camden, New Jersey, located in the Camden Waterfront entertainment district on the Delaware River across from Philadelphia.
0.6 miN
Church, Georgian architecture, Sacred and religious sites
St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Philadelphia
15 min walk • St. Peter's Church is a historic Episcopal church located on the corner of Third and Pine Streets in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
0.6 miN
Memorial, Historical place, Memorial site
Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial, Philadelphia
16 min walk • Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial, at 301 Pine Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, preserves the home of Tadeusz Kościuszko. The life and work of the Polish patriot and hero of the American Revolution are commemorated here.
0.6 miN
Church
Old Pine Street Church, Philadelphia
16 min walk • Old Pine Street Church is a Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania built in 1768.
0.6 miNW
Romanesque architecture, Memorial, Art gallery
Fleisher Art Memorial, Philadelphia
15 min walk • Samuel S. Fleisher Art Memorial, also known as Church of the Evangelists and St. Martin's College for Indigent Boys, is a set of four buildings with a history that unites idealism or religious beliefs, service to the poor, and art.
~1670 ftNW
Cemetery, Playground
Bethel Burial Ground, Philadelphia
9 min walk • Bethel Burial Ground is a historic cemetery located in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania beneath part of the surface of Weccacoe Playground, which is bounded by Queen, S. Lawrence, Catherine, and S. Liethgow Streets.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Which popular attractions are close to Sparks Shot Tower?

Nearby attractions include Moyamensing, Philadelphia (4 min walk), Gloria Dei Church, Philadelphia (4 min walk), Southwark, Philadelphia (6 min walk), Bethel Burial Ground, Philadelphia (9 min walk).

How to get to Sparks Shot Tower by public transport?

The nearest stations to Sparks Shot Tower:

Bus

Spruce St & 6th St • Lines: 12 (20 min walk)
Washington Sq & Locust St • Lines: 12, 47 (24 min walk)

Metro

9th-10th & Locust • Lines: Patco (27 min walk)
2nd Street • Lines: Mfl (27 min walk)

Light rail

Entertainment Center • Lines: River Line (27 min walk)
Adventure Aquarium • Lines: River Line (31 min walk)