History, News and Stories of Wilmington, Delaware, USA

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• 1638 - Swedes begin settlement in what is now Willmington, Delaware
  
  The World Almanac of the U.S.A, by Allan Carpenter and Carl Provorse, 1996
  
• 1698 - Among Delaware's many historic churches is Old Swedes Church and Hendrickson House Museum, in Wilmington, which has been in use since its completion in 1698.
  
  www.ereferencedesk.com/ resources/ state-facts/ delaware.html
  
• 1802 - Eleuthère Irénée du Pont, a French immigrant, built the state's first gunpowder mill on Brandywine Creek near Wilmington in 1802. The Du Pont Company would eventually become the largest chemical company in the United States.
  
  www.ereferencedesk.com/ resources/ state-facts/ delaware.html
  
•   1847 - EXPLOSION AT WILMINGTON, DEL.
  Correspondence of the Pennsylvanian.
  Gazette Office, April 14, 1847.
  We regret to inform you of the terrible and heart-rending scene which occurred ... Read MORE...
  
  
• 1854 - Wilmington
  Wilmington, a city and port of entry of New Castle county, Delaware, is situated on Christiana creek, immediately above its junction with the... Read MORE...
  
  
•   1855 - POWDER MILL EXPLOSION AT WILMINGTON, DEL. - SIX PERSONS KILLED AND FIVE WOUNDED.
  Philadelphia, Friday, Aug. 3.
  Three of Gareshe's powder mills, near Wilmington, Del., exploded this morning, about 8 o'clock, with most disastrous... Read MORE...
  
  
•   1856 - Tornado
  AT WILMINGTON, DEL.
  Considerable damage was done by the heavy wind. One half of the roof was blown off the public school house in Washington street, ... Read MORE...
  
  
• 1879 - December 13 - 1st federal fish hatching steamer lauched (Wilmington Delaware)
  
  historyorb.com
  
•   1886 - A TERRIBLE COLLISION ON THE WILMINGTON & NORTHWESTERN RAILROAD.
  Wilmington, Del., January 10. - Friday night's snow storm caused the most serious block on the railroad track here that has occurred for years,... Read MORE...
  
  
• 1887 - Steel-hulled racing yacht built in Wilmington, The Volunteer, won America's Cup
  
  www.worldatlas.com/ webimage/ countrys/ namerica/ usstates/ detimeln.htm
  
•   1890 - Dupont Powder Works Explosion
  PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 7. - The shock of the explosion at Wilmington this afternoon was plainly felt in many sections of this city. To those indoors it... Read MORE...
  
  
• 1895 - Wilmington
  Wilmington, a port of entry, the capital of New Castle co., Del., is situated on the Delaware River, and on Brandy wine and Christiana Creeks, which... Read MORE...
  
  
•   1907 - WHOLE FAMILY ASPHYXIATED. MAN, WIFE AND CHILD FOUND DEAD IN WILMINGTON, DEL.
  Wilmington, Del., Feb. 12. - MICHAEL RYAN, aged 35 years; his wife, MAMIE, aged 25, and their infant, MARY A., aged 4 months, who lived at 233... Read MORE...
  
  
• 1907 - December 9 - 1st Christmas Seals sold (Wilmington Del post office)
  
  historyorb.com
  
•   1925 - THEATER RIGGING LOFT COLLAPSES; 12 INJURED. SEVERAL MEMBERS OF CHORUS HURT WHEN PIECES OF MASONRY, SCENERY AND LIGHTS BEGIN TO FALL WITH ROAR LIKE AN EXPLOSION
  PANIC AMONG AUDIENCE PROBABLY AVERTED WHEN MEMBER OF CAST APPEARS ON STAGE AND BEGINS TO SING.
  
  Wilmington, Del., Dec. 11. - (AP) - The roof of the ... Read MORE...
  
  
•   1939 - October 24 – Nylon stockings go on sale for the first time anywhere in Wilmington, Delaware.
  
  www.wikipedia.org
  October 24, 1939
  
• 1940 - September 29 - 1st US merchant ship "Booker T. Washington" commanded by a black captain (Hugh Mulzac), launched at Wilmington Delaware
  
  historyorb.com
  
• 1957 - July 17 - On a warm and sunny day at Wilmington, DE, with a high of 86 degrees, a dust devil suddenly appeared.
  It tore most the roof off one house, and stripped shingles from a neighboring house. A TV aerial was toppled, and clothes were blown off clothes... Read MORE...