Who Discovered the Schuylkill River?

Most likely, the Schuylkill River was first discovered by the Delaware Indian tribe who had been living there for a long time before it was discovered by Europeans. However, if you are asking who discovered the river among the Europeans, it was a man named Arendt Corssen.

The Schuylkill River that runs through much of the state of Pennsylvania, including the city of Philadelphia, was given the name it has today by the settlers of Dutch origin. In particular, the man who was credited with discovering the Schuylkill River and naming it was Arendt Corssen. 

• Corssen was exploring the area for the Dutch East Indies Company.
• When viewed from the Delaware side, Corssen believed that he discovered the river’s head. The river was nearly hidden by the thick vegetation on Leagues Island, which also caused the river’s convergence with the Delaware River.
• In fact, the river was named Schuylkill because that is the Dutch translation for “hidden river.”

However, its been recorded that the Delaware Indian tribe had already been settled around this area for quite some time when Corssen "discovered" its presence behind the island. These original Delaware tribes had already named it “Ganshohawanee,” which translates to “rushing waters.”

Schuylkill River and the War

Soon after its discovery by the Dutch, the Revolutionary War tore through the area, and the Schuylkill River played such a role in the war that Benjamin Franklin specified in his will that any damage to this river’s ecosystem was to be restored through the use of funds left by Franklin himself.

Today, the river is a major waterway and thoroughfare through most of the state of Pennsylvania, as well as a frequently used source of recreation.