The historic atmosphere of Odessa is the town's most prominent characteristic.The historic district and several individual buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1731, Richard Cantwell erected a toll bridge over the Appoquinimink Creek, called Cantwell's Bridge, and the town took the same name. In 1767, William Corbit opened the first industry in the town, a tannery. 1817 saw a blacksmith shop established, and in 1855 bank was incorporated. Later industries included fertilizers, fruit drying and canning.
The spire on top of the Court House - Delaware's Colonial capitol and first state house - was used as the center of the 12 mile circle forming the northern boundary of Delaware and part of the Mason-Dixon Line. The Delaware River within this radius to the low water mark on the opposite shore is part of Delaware. Thus the Delaware Memorial Bridge was built as an intrastate span by Delaware, without financial participation by neighboring New Jersey.
The borough of Wilmington officially became a city in 1832, when a charter was granted by the State legislature. The Industrial Revolution era was reflected in Wilmington with events such as the 1837 completion of the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad which made the City accessible by water, road and rail on the main north-south transportation route. The area's economy flourished as businesses and skilled labor provided resources for growing industries.
Wilmington, like most eastern cities, has been evolving for over 350 years. After periods of Swedish (1638), then Dutch (1655), then British (1664) colonization, (with Quaker influence) and was granted a borough charter in 1739 by the King of England From the granting of the charter until the Revolution, the town developed steadily into a prosperous business and residential community. During the Revolution, its milling industries, geographic location, key leaders and resources made Wilmington particularly strategic.
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Selling homes in New Castle and Kent County Delaware, Cecil County, Maryland, and Southeast Chester County, Pennsylvania since 1987. Specialist in older homes and working with transferees.
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