Sunday, May 20, 2018

DELAWARE AGRICULTURE HISTORY - TRANSPORTATION


DELAWARE AGRICULTURE
HISTORY & HERITAGE OF THE 1800'S
TRANSPORTATION


Delaware's agriculture industry greatly benefited with transportation improvements
In 1815 steamboats were common on the Delaware River. The Chesapeake & Delaware
Canal opened in 1829. 1832 Delaware Railroad linked the north with the south of Delaware.
All were a help to farmers to get their produce to markets

Supplee-Willis-Jones milk station at Nassau was built in 1920's to ship milk by
railroad to Philadelphia from Lewes & Rehoboth area, making a market for the farmers milk.

The peach growers profited because of the railroad. In 1840 this fruit was shipped
from Sussex by rail, steamship and sail. 1890 saw four million peach trees in Delaware.
The peach blossom was the state flower. In late 1890's “peach yellow' disease shut down
the peach industry and strwaberry's and apples were the major fruit production.

Canning became a major industry in 1855. A cannery in Dover produced canned
fruits, vegetables, deviled ham and plum pudding. It closed in 1976. 1889 Delaware had
49 canning houses producing canned tomato's, sweet corn, peas, lima beans and other
vegetables

A major influence on Delaware Agriculture was John Gillis Townsend involved
in timber, fruit and vegetable production. He was also involved with T. Coleman duPont
in building a highway north to south in Delaware.

The Delaware State University in Dover was established as a land grant college
for students to study agriculture on 1890.

Abstract of Delaware Dept of Agriculture History & Heritage in 1800's



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