Whale of a tale

Before the New Jersey Aquarium, now known as Adventure Aquarium, and the Baltimore Aquarium, there was the Aquarama. And it was right here in South Philly at 3300 Broad St.

During its existence in the 1960s, the Aquarama made quite a splash.

One visitor remembers a three-story tank in the center of the place and more tanks lining the walls. A ramp with a railing encircled the center tank so folks could walk around, perusing the contents.

The aquariums were filled with exotic fish and other aquatic life. There was even a porpoise tank.

Before the "Voice of the Flyers" was indeed that, the late Gene Hart was an announcer and an assistant public relations director for the Aquarama. When Philly landed an NHL franchise, Hart submitted some audition tapes and got the gig, but he still worked full-time for the aquarium, according to the Flyers Web site.

Well-known radio and television personality Ed Hurst originated a live teenage dance telecast from the Aquarama on Saturday afternoons. "Ed Hurst at Aquarama" aired on Channel 3, said WHYY-TV personality/producer Ed Cunningham.

Hurst reminisced about his old aquatic haunt for WHYY-TV Channel 12’s popular series "More Things That Aren’t There Anymore," which Cunningham produced and appeared in.

Inspector Bill Colarulo of the Police Public Affairs Unit remembers taking a class trip there when he was 7 as a second-grader at Stella Maris. In addition to the indoor aquarium, aquatic shows were staged outside. Colarulo still remembers the names of the two whales that performed for his class in an outdoor pool.

"Willie and Winky. I still remember that. I got such a kick out it," he said.

A native of South Philly, Colarulo said he thought the Aquarama was "cool" because it was a fun place in his neighborhood.