In 1906, Frank Shuman developed the first solar-powered steam engine in his backyard on Disston Street.

This innovative moment in Tacony’s history is a great source of pride for our neighborhood and has brought us recognition around the world. In 2014, Shuman was featured by Neil deGrasse Tyson in an episode of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey.

At community events and in public spaces, Tacony residents have sometimes adopted a sun as a symbol for a special moment in our neighborhood’s history.