Graffiti Pier

This guide to Graffiti Pier in Philadelphia traces a coal loading dock on the Delaware River that once moved as many as three million tons of Reading Railroad anthracite a year before falling into bankruptcy and shutting down in 1991. It follows what happened after Conrail closed the gates without fencing the site off, and how graffiti writers, swimmers, and photographers gradually claimed the crumbling pilings for themselves. You'll hear how a spot built for hard industrial work became, unplanned, a favorite hangout. Look for the collapsed roof beams above you, framing the view photographers chase at sunset.