(1) A river in southeastern
Pennsylvania which runs through
Philadelphia. The largest tributary of the
Delaware River.
Re-discovered by
Dutch settlers in the 17th century. I say 're-discovered' since the
Lenni Lenape knew about it long before.
The name comes from the Dutch phrase Schuyl Kil which means hidden creek or river. It was called that because it was overgrown with reeds. The easiest way to discover it was to fall in.
Schuylkill is now pronounced SKOOkl or SKOOkill by Philadelphians. In 1995, I met some visitors from The Netherlands and asked them how they would pronounce it. They said it was not modern Dutch, but they would pronounce it something like SHOWLkill or SHAHLkill.
(2) Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1811; county seat Pottsville. A coal mining center in northeastern Pennsylvania.
(3) Schuylkill Haven, a town in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania near the confluence of the east and west branches of the Schuylkill River.
(4) The Schuylkill Expressway, a major thoroughfare from the western (Main Line) suburbs into Philadelphia. Sardonically referred to as the 'Sure-Kill Distressway' because of its high traffic density, particularly before the reconstruction project of a few years ago.
(5) An amateur athletic association: "Founded in 1858, the Schuylkill Navy of Philadelphia is the oldest amateur athletic governing body in the United States. The
Schuylkill Navy comprises the ten clubs of Boathouse Row" (source -- the Schuylkill Navy website).