Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-01-15
SKATING "REMINISCENCES
OF Times Long Ago When People "Did
Know How to skate"--The Historian
on the Barley Mill Dam.

of Times Long Ago When People "Did
Know How to Skate"--The Historian
on the Barley Mill Dam.
On Friday afternoon last there was
another large gathering of skaters at
that favorite resort, on the Brandywine,
the old Barley Mill dam. The ice is
improving every day. Large numbers
of visitors of both sexes lined the river
bank, gazing interestedly at the skaters.
1t was a regular old winters evening on
the ice. The weather was delightful.
The sunset impaired an additional charm
to the quickly fitting hours. All enjoyed
themselves. No prettier nor more I'M
MIGRATING picture could be witnessed.
The rich flush of health and unconscious
expression of pleasure upon every face,
born of the quick, graceful skating
movement, was the keynote of the de-
lighttul surroundings Very few Of
the visitors failed to notice the beautiful
effect of winter scenery in the park
Standing at the upper end of the Bar
ley Mill dam and gazing beyond the
crowd of dark forms that fitted past
over the white field of ice to the distance
whore the first dam is the limit Of the
skating range, bystander Of historical
"reminiscences indicated the point on
the right bank of the river where tradi
ton says the old Kings Highway en-
bouches to the ford above the first dam.
1t was here, he added, that Washington
crossed in his mastery retreat before "A
horde of Hessians and red-coats. The
Continentals waded through the stream
gaining the land at the ravine just
opposite which trayerses Elliott's woods.
Here tradition says they baited then
tired horses in the little grassy detile
The officers horses, the story goes were
fed with wheat, a contribution possibly
from the adjoining Tatnall's Mills
Every spring time, the truthful narrator
continued, you can go on those hillsides
and pick scattered blades of wheat
these blades are the undoubted scions
of the revolutionary seeds dropped from
the mouth bags Of the patriot steeds Of
4 Washington's staff.
The great skating resort of quarter
of a century ago was the Wilmington
Skating Park which was located where
the b. y o. passenger station, Delaware
avenue and du Pont street, now stands
1t was established by the enterprising
Joshua T. Head, who at that time
/ (1S64l was the chief promoter of thu
Wilmington city railway. He estab
lished il in order to popularize the stree
railway. The enterprise was q com
plete success. People crowded there
day and night in thousands. A higl
fence was built all around it. 1t WA
illuminated at night A fee Of 25 cent
was demanded for admittance. The bes
people Of the city frequented it. Mr.
Head eventually placed his son, Edwin
II. Head, then quite youth, in full
charge of the skating park. A result
was that young Head developed int
one of the finest skaters the city ha
had. In those days skating was aseienct
and to gain any rcpute in the art re
quired unusual ability. Among TIL
other admirable young skaters Of thos
days were John M. G. Rodney AM
Horace w. Cause. The resort main
tanned its position successfully as al
amusement place for several years.
On the east side from 1860 to 1864 tn
popular skating resort was the tloodet
lots between Seventh and Eighth street
and Poplar and Pine. These pond
during good frosty seasons used +
be black with people. Everyon
skated then, old and young, gray
headed citizens, 60 and even 70 year
are recalled as having been seen disport
ing themselves on the ice.
Many hundreds Of skaters were o
the Shellpot creek on Friday. The ic
is reported very good II is said that
straight run of two miles can be mad
us far as sellers place.