Evening journal., 1897-06-29
FIFTY YEARS AGO.
HOW WILMINGTON LOOKED HALF
A CENTURY BACK.

TEREST AS THEY APPEAR ON
AN OLD IMPLICATION OF OLD
KINGS ROAD AND LOVE LANE.
J. Curtis Wlgglesworth, OF this city,
Is the possessor of an old map Of the
city Of Wilmington, published IN 1850
by Richard Clark, No 3S4 South Third
street, Philadelphia. The survey was
made by l. G. Sidney, G. e., Of No. 80
Walnut street, Philadelphia. Through
the courtesy OF Mr. Wigglesworth an
Evening Journal reporter was allowed
to make an examination OF this map
and note the developments and progress
made in this city during the last fifty
years The map contains Autographs
of the City Hall, Old Swedes Church,
Wesleyan Female Academy, St
Peters Female Academy and St.
Mary's College. A glimpse at the map
is all that is necessary to see the won
derful progress and development made
by this city in the last half century.
The boundary at that time was be-
tween the two creeks, and on the east
the railroad, while the oid Kings. road
was the western limit This road start
ed in at what Is now Delaware avenue
and Adams street and ran IN a zigzag
course to what is now Front and
Broome streets. The residence and bust
ness portion OF the town was between
Front and Twelfth streets and Lombard
and Washington streets, very few
houses Being west OF washington street
The Newport turnpike was then known
as the Wilmington and Christiana turn
pike. Where the Court House now
OF gff rafn
works. The Central Hotel, which
stands on French street above Sixth,
was then occupied by the Wesleyan Fe-
male College.
st. Mary's College took up the block
between Jefferson and Madison streets
and Delaware avenue and Tenth street
Many old Wilmingtonians received
their education in this institution
which was founded by Father Reilly
The Friendship Fire Company was To-
Gated on Orange street above Tenth.
There were market houses at Second
and Market, Twelfth and Market anC
on Fourth street between Market ant
Orange streets The old almshouse was
situated on the old Kings road, be.
tween Second and Third streets. Love
lane is down on this old map as run
ming from Fourth and Washington
streets to Eighth and Franklin streets
1t probably got it's name from the Low
ers who made IL promenade on Sum
mer evenings.
Fifty years has scarcely changed it II
a sentimental sense for where Il end
ed is now Eighth Street Park and
lovers paradise. .ifonemay judgefromth
numerous couples seen spOoning Their
on a Summer evening. st. Peters h
G. Church was then as now situated, a
Sixth and West streets. The arsena
was located at Eighth and Washington
streets, where West Presbyteria,
Church now stands.
I The Harlan and Hollingsworth Com
! panys shipyards were located betwee
Walnut and Poplar streets. The Ken
a nett turnpike began at Adams stree
, where the Drovers' Hotel was located
> Potters field was on Eleventh stree
between King and French streets, whil
~. S. Hilles conducted a brickyard o
Eleventh street between Walnut an
: | Poplar streets. The Presbyteria
= Church and cemetery took in the bloc
Y between Ninth and Tenth streets an
l. Market and King. The Historical 81
!. ciety's building was occupied as
lchurch. AT Ninth and Market street
the present location OF the Equitab
: building, there was a row Of res
dences.
3 The names OF Morrow, Duncan an
n Bringhurst are the only ones famili,
e to this generation as conducting place
r Of business on Market street. IT
IS Friends meeting were locate
: then the same as now, at Fourth an
West and Ninth and Tatnall street
The Delaware Bank, st. Paul's Churc
: City Hall and Hanover Church we
sights which interest the present gel
Grafton. as they did that OF fifty yea
b ago.
(, The blocks between Seventh al
II Ninth streets and Poplar and Lombal
5. were occupied by the brickyards OF
a Coke.
- The estimated population in 1850 WI
$4,000. Now a conservative estima
* would place it at 10000, or more tn;
~ four times what il was then. III
growth in commerce and business n
n been correspondingly as large. VIII
;e were vacant lands or cultivated farr
" have given way TO the march OF pr
"a gress. and now west OF Washingt,
!. street, which was then the weste
limit of the residence portion of q
= city. there Is square after square of fl
= residences, business houses and factc
le les. The growth in the other sectio
n of the city has been just AS large.
AS an illustration Of the growth
IL the city, the number of churches
II. cited At that time there was not
a single church, west OF Washingt
,a street. Now there is any number
~ beautiful and modern places Of worsh