By Grace H. Ziesing

Welcome to the inaugural issue of River Chronicles, a new journal presented by AECOM’s Burlington, New Jersey, Cultural Resource Department. In River Chronicles, we will explore the deep cultural history of Philadelphia’s Delaware River waterfront through the lens of archaeology. The impetus for this examination is a unique and wonderful archaeological project sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration in support of efforts to improve Interstate 95 (I-95) through the city of Philadelphia. As you will read in Stephen W. Tull’s introductory essay, the archaeology project is a regulatory requirement, but the rich cultural history it is resurrecting has inspired us here at AECOM to go beyond the usual compliance documentation. River Chronicles is one such vehicle for this wealth of information.