Riverfront Precedents Part 2 - The Waterfront Center

The  Waterfront Center , a nonprofit educational organization, was formed in 1981 on the belief that waterfronts often represent the best opportunity for community enhancement and enrichment.

The chief goal of the Center is to assist communities in making the wisest and best choices for long-term use of waterfront resources for maximum public benefit. 

Along with organizing a major annual international conference on waterfront planning, development and culture, since 1983 they have also run specialty workshops on topics like aquarium planning and management, gambling pros and cons, project financing and "the spirit of cities." 

The most interesting, and likely one of the best, places gain information on what other parts of the country, and the world, have done is its international awards program, "Excellence on the Waterfront."  It began in 1987 and recognizes the top projects and visionary plans annually.

River Forest Island, BaJiZhou, Changsha, Hunan Province, China

Riverfront Precedents Part 1

A river basin is the land water flows across or under on its way to a river. Just as a bathtub catches all the water that falls within its sides, a river basin sends all the water falling on the surrounding land into a central river and out to an estuary or to the sea.

There are 18 major river basins in the 48 states of the contiguous US.

Much of the map pictured below is dominated by the massive catchment area for the Mississippi River, including the Upper and Lower Mississippi River Basins, along with the Missouri River Basin and the Arkansas-White-Red Basin, as seen in pink.

Created by Imgur user Fejetlenfej , a geographer and GIS analyst with a ‘lifelong passion for beautiful maps,’ it highlights the massive expanse of river basins across the country – in particular, those which feed the Mississippi River, in pink
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3860062/The-veins-America-Stunning-map-shows-river-basin-US.html#ixzz4m3g5DpuX

There are 250,000 rivers running through America.  Rivers have played an integral part in the history of the human race’s development from the Nile to the Mississippi.  It shouldn't surprise anyone that there are countless examples of innovative and unique ways we have used and adapted to our rivers.  There are too many examples to count, but here is a very interesting one.

The Spruce Street Harbor Development in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is an excellent example of the possibilities of a publically accessible riverfront destination. Named one of the best places to visit in Philadelphia by national press, Spruce Street Harbor Park sustained by colorful hammocks, floating gardens, beautiful lights, refreshing craft beer, and food from popular Philly restaurants, making it a summer gathering space for locals and visitors alike (Delaware Waterfront).

Located in the Marina at Penn’s Landing, the Oasis consists of three landscaped barges, a net lounge, and floating gardens. The barges feature an ADA-compliant boardwalk, beautiful raw metal railings, and tons of seating.

Richland Library resources and the history of Columbia's waterways

Historical Images of Columbia’s Rivers, Canals and Bridges

Treetops and power lines in the Congaree River during a flood from the Walker Local History Digital Collection (Postcards of the Midlands)

The Walker Local and Family History Center at Richland Library Main has an excellent Digital Collection of historical documents and images.  If you are interested in seeing more images, primarily photographs and postcards, of Columbia’s rivers, canals and bridges, use search terms like River, Canal, Bridge, "Congaree River", "Broad River" and "Saluda" to search our Digital Collections.

Columbia Canal Locks (1895) Russell Maxey Photograph Collection

View on Columbia Canal (1925) Postcards of the Midlands Collection

Columbia, S. C. Gervais St. Bridge over Congaree River (1920) Postcards of the Midlands Collection

Print resources that include information about the history of Columbia’s waterways include the following:

Scenes from Columbia's Riverbanks: A History of the Waterways, by Vennie Deas-Moore (2008) – ACCESS Code HISTORY SC Moo or LH NATURE Rivers Moo

“Follow the winding ways of the Congaree, the Broad and the Saluda through history, and learn how three splendid and historic waterways shaped the industries and communities of Columbia.
The history of Columbia dates to 1786, when the South Carolina General Assembly moved the seat of government from Charleston to a plateau overlooking the Congaree River at the confluence of the Broad and Saluda. These three rivers helped transport people and goods, power textile mills, generate energy and support a growing community. Now, former industrial sites are giving way to recreational areas, and the heritage and natural beauty of the rivers emerge afresh. Author and photographer Vennie Deas-Moore captures both the beauty and the history of these waterways in this lovely volume.”

Carolina Riverboats and Rivers: The Old Days, by Earl White (2002) – ACCESS Code TRANSPORT Water Whi

“Carolina Riverboats and Rivers is a unique book, as important to local history buffs as it is the nation, capturing the spirit of river transportation with hundreds of rare photographs, newspaper clippings, and even firsthand accounts from the men who plied the rivers in the Carolinas.  Earl White masterfully brings together a vast wealth of research in the way that only an author who truly loves his subject can.”