Milford chronicle., 1960-07-08
Delaware River
Helped To Shape
Destiny Of Country
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(Delaware). However, it is doubt
full that Lord De la War; ever saw
the bay, river and state that today
bear his name.
While the Dutch and English
were first to explore the area and
the Dutch were first to attempt
settlement, the first permanent set
tlement on the Delaware was ac-
complished by the Swedes who
n d Ne Swe d n
on the Delaware beginning with
the voyage of the Kalmar Nyckel
and the Fogel Grip and the land
ing at the site of present day Viii
mington early in 1886. This tiny
settlement in the present day State
of Delaware marked the beginnings
of white government and culture in
this area reminds the Development
Department.
The arrival in 1852 of William
Penn stimulated the rapid growth
of the lower Delaware as a center
of trade, industry and culture
Penn's commonwealth became by
the time of the American Revolu-
tion a center of colonial life and
culture, largely as the result of the
use of the Delaware River Access
to the Delaware enabled Philadel-
phia to become our greatest colon
ial city.
Practical use was made of the
Delaware River by the settlers OF
the areas presently comprising the
States of Pennsylvania, New Jer-
sey and Delaware, and as early as
1896, the river had become a busy
center for trade and shipping.
The Importance of the Delaware
continued long after the colonial
era. 1t became a great shipbuild-
ing center for one thing. On its
banks was established the first
American Navy Yard and on it were
built and launched the first yes
sells to constitute an American
Navy. From it voyaged the first
American ships to venture into the
China trade and those which made
the first extended commercial con-
facts with Russia and with Latin
america.
The Delaware River was also the
scene of the pioneer experiments
in steamboat navigation undertak-
en- by John Fitch in 1888 Later
the first iron and steel ships were
built along the historic Delaware
AS matter of fact, shipyards
along the Delaware River have fig
ured in American naval and mer-
camille history from the earliest
days right down to the present ad-
vises the Development Department
The Delaware has been import
ant also in its upper reaches. II
was the scene of a great lumber
trade as expanding settlement
along the lower portion of the riv-
er produced need for this COM
modify cut from forests of the in
terror. Tall masts for ships were
cut as far as the Catskills and
floated down to ships by way of the
Delaware. Before the coming OF
canals to supplement its waters,
the Delaware was major highway
for the exports of the interior por-
tions of all the states which front
ed upon it. Along its banks flowed
the steadily expanding frontiers OF
settlement into interior areas.
To say that the Delaware is an
historic river is actually putting
mild emphasis upon its import
ance in American history. The fact
that it continues to furnish the
fOl1udo fion for fho i111norfonoo of q
number of major industrial centers
which have grown on it's banks
clearly demonstrates that the Della
ware River and Bay are still pow
erful factors in contemporary af-
fairs concludes the Development
DpnaT-tIl1anf