Over 100 years ago, the beautiful houses on "boathouse row" in Philadelphia were built due to the recent construction of a dam. As the years passed on, the houses became well-known for the city's most popular pastime: rowing!
The calm waters created by the dam allowed countless sportsmen (and eventually women) to practice the water sport. But in the late '60s and early '70s, after over 100 years of action, the famous homes began to slowly go into a state of disrepair.
Desperate for money, the owners used the famous rowhouses as a place for local college rowing teams to store their equipment and boats. But still, the upkeep for these houses was incredibly high.
The houses, old and out of shape, were close to being given up on, and it became clear that they were going to be destroyed and replaced sooner rather than later. That's when one incredibly intelligent photographer came into the picture, who ended up saving the homes and creating a new pastime that people all over the world have fallen in love with: house watching!
Bored by the homes, lighting architect Ray Grenald came up with the idea of surrounding the homes with Christmas lights year-round to make them look sexier and more appealing. He snapped some photos and, soon enough, people fell in love with the boathouses all over again!
For nearly 40 years now, people from all over have come to watch the famous "light show." When you see them in action, you'll agree just how cool it is to see the reflection of these homes on the calm waters. Of course, the upkeep on these lights in itself was a job! Having to change the bulbs twice a year could cost up to $50,000. So eventually, with the advent of LED lighting (which is cheaper and lasts longer,) they finally decided to upgrade. The results are truly stunning!
Watch the video below and you'll be thankful that these historic homes were saved for future generations!
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