Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-07-20
Many Changes In Wilmington.

| Asfaln att DoN bNNdafANA AfN AnG 1Eid-
ware State Fair. in order to protect
he powder mills.
Many Changes In Wilmington.
In those days, according TO the Judge.
Market street, as far as any business
activities were concerned. extended
only as far as the old Town Hall,
which still stands between Fifth and
Sixth streets. Ii was the custom for
the farmers TO drive their teams up
10 the curb along Market street to
sell their wares. The largest hotel
was the Bulls Head, which was To-
Gated on West Fourth street. There
was only one shipyard at that time
that the Judge could recall and that
was located near the Bush Line wharf
1t built monitors, small low-rigged
boats. with small turrets, and for
which Wilmington had received some
prominence. The best school in those
days. he said. was situated on the
corner of Eighth and West streets and
was known as Grimshayy's School
The pupils were brought from around
the country in stage coaches and by
trains. such things as automobiles and
A great stopping off place in those
days was Cross Keys Tavern, which
was located on the spot where Smith
& Strevig's drug store now stands,
at Delaware avenue and Adams street.
The B. & O. railroad station site was
a famous skating lake, instead of being
station on the main line, as ii is at
the present day. The 3. & o. did not
operate here then. What is now called
the Highlands was then the estate OF
Rev. Samuel Brinclxle. The old fair
grounds We're known as the cattle
grounds" Beyond the fair grounds
there were but few houses.
When the judge was asked what
Market street looked like al night, he
replied that he never got the oppor-
tunity to see Market street by night
when he was boy and any way il
was long way from his fathers
house and consequently quite a treat
to be allowed to come in town at all.
The judge said that when he was a
boy Saturday night in summer was
big time for all the swimmers in town,
as they all went to the Rrandywine
and tested their skfll by performing
different feats. No boy, no matter how
old he might be. was considered man
until he was able to swim across the
creek unaided. There was also a lot
of fishing in the creek.
The place now known as Rising sun
was great rendezvous in those days
for all the young sports" in town.
They frequented a tavern which was
l.. fsT \ 4 Z >
A little beyond the spot where the b.
& o. station now stands was then
known as Parksville and was con-
sidered small town outside of Will
mington. In the year 1863 the city
of Philadelphia was considered to be
quite a distance away. although the
train service was fairly good.
The judge visited some Of The old
landmarks by which he always re-
called his boyhood DAYS. last Sunday
He remarked today that Old Swedes
Church had not changed a particle,
but that Christ Church, which he at
tended as a boy. had changed a great
deal. What was IN his day spoken Of
as Squirrel Run Woods and which was
great picnic ground, still is used as
such Ii is just above Henry Clay.
The remains of du Pont powder mill
which was ruined By an explosion ia
the year 1909 still can be seen along
the Brandywine, according to the
Judge He said that the Brandywin,
was crossed in his day by a ferryboat,
which was operated by the passenger
by pulling on a rope which was at
tached 10 the bank
aioore seems much younger than be
is He is Of fine physique and would
be taken for man Of about as years
Nearly all of his old friends have died