Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1936-04-10
THE INTERESTING TOWN
or MILLSBORO
By ]. NJ. Bennett

NJ NAg MINA VI TIT bEHuAlluA EAlu
airy that forms the lower part OF In
dian River, and nestled on eithei
I side OF that siivan fringed jem o
natural beauty that juts back tel
miles from the ocean is situated IN,
quiet but prosperous little town o.
MillsborO. This town, which had ii
humble beginning on the east banl
OF that placid stream which now di.
vides Indian River and DagsbOrC
Hundreds, for many years was
known as Rock Hole because of the
abundance Of rock fish that was
found here. Rock was by no means
the only kind Of fish Astounding in
} Indian River, however, and soon
fishing became one of the chief
sources of reverence for the early
residents. Even today this ancient
but honorable occupation furnishes
the principal means of livelihood tor
many MillsbOrians. No wonder this
is true, for at times the crystal wa
ter is literally COlored with fish
which have migrated from the ocean
in such great numbers that one can
dip I'D several al a time with an or
binary crab net. while the expert
fisherman. using boats and regular
fishermen's nets bring them in by
the thousands.
Sometime after the founding of
Rock Hole a settlement was made
on the beautiful fats west OF the
! river. This new settlement soon
grew into the village Of Washington
$50 called, according to tradition,
because Washington and some of his
soldiers had camped heTe) and was
destined to surpass the older village
of Rock HOle-which had by now
changed its name to MillsbOrOugh-
and finally 10 absorb it; the whole
taking the name of MillsbOr0. This
name was chosen because Of the
fact that the wheels of four busy
mills were now being turned bv the
ample supply nf water furnished by
a large dam that had been con- /
structed in the river just above tide |
water. Today but one picturesque |
old mill of this type remains to acd /
to the charming beauty of the water
front, to recall one of the source .
from whence MillsbOTo derived its
name. Though the proprietor and
operator of this lone old mill walks
with a cane, he seems to take much .
pride in showing the younger gem
Grafton through the old dusty quar-
ters. where he still completes with
the modern factories in grinding the
golden grain.
As strange as it may seem. smelt-
ing iron ore and manufacturing iron .
implements was once thriving in
dustry at MillsbOrO Many farm tools (,
especially the pillow, were made
here, as well as the water pipes Tor
the CrotOn iron Works in New YORK
the ratings that once enclosed indie
pendenCe Square, and the castings
for the Eastern Penitentiary.
Though this industry no longer pre-
walls. many of he older residents
can still remember not only the
busy factory but also the great car
avian of wagons chat used to file by
bearing the Important ore.
The tannery business once Hour
ished here also and many of the
town people found employment pre-
paring leather for the distant city
market as well as for the local
cObblcrs. This industry furnished
profitable employment for many
husky f0resters who peeled the bark
FROM the great trees. for teamsters
who hauled the bark TO the tanuery'
and for the cattle raisCrs who iur-
nished the hides to be tanned.
One the grounds now occupied by
Company there once
stood a box factory that sawed into
lumber and converted into practical
articles many magnificent tree
brought from the virgin forests of
Sussex county Today Houston
White Company gives employment
10 dozens of industrious MillsbOr-
ians who continue in broader way
The noble work of making useful
articles out of wood.
Though canning had small he
and hard struggle in Mills
borO during the last century. TODAY
Turing the proper season II is one
If the leading Industries of this scc-
ion. The chicken industry does not
late back so far, but at present il is
to such an extent i'm the
,icinity of MillsbOrO that several
arge feed stores as well as hatch
,rics have sprung up, giving EN-
DlOyment to many.
The country surrounding Mills
IorO has been under cultivation and
ubiect to general farming ever
incc the early pioneers ventured to
lear fields in this locality, when
he whole region was covered with
igantic forests and the land inhab-
ted only by the enemies of civili-
alton. Truck farming, however, has
prung up in recent years, proving
cry profitable. The prosperous far
lers of this vicinity have done much
oward enabling the town to boast
{ splendid stores. first-class bank
nd many other business activities.
Oday a branch of the Pennsylvania
.ailrOad together with net work
( concrete highways, including the
lmous DUPONT Boulevard, connect
IillsborO with the rest of the world
Back in the days of the stage
zach. MillsbOfO being located at the
cad of navigation. was the terminus
f a prosperous stage route that led
trough Dover to the northern cities.
he arrival of both the stage coach
nd boats were of general interest
} the citizens because they brought
OF only the latest news of the time,
ut also interesting and profitable
-avelers to the town. AS the hour