Tuesday, September 11, 2018

1965 Sussex County of Constance Brown Broadkill River.


NOVEMBER 13 1965
SUSSEX COUNTY BY CONSTANCE BROWN
BROADKILL CREEK

For the last few years a lot of dredging has opened old water ways that
time and mankind have filled with junk and silt.

One of these waterways, the Broadkill, from Milton to the Delaware Bay,
the dredging has brought some interesting items out and into the spotlight.

The remains of an old Chesapeake Bay oyster schooner has been
brought up on the banks for people to see. In 1915 this schooner went
to pieces in the river an there are some today residents that remember
her stories. Two more sailing vessels have been found and set on the
rivers edge. Other items found are on display at the Hardware Store of
Lou Darby on Union Street in Milton.

The Broadkill, from Milton to the Delaware Bay is now 40 foot wide
and 11 feet deep.

In the center of town, Milton has had the “Hazzard Slip” dredged to
make a fresh water marina. During the dredging many large “white
cedar” logs, underwater more that 100 years provide evidence of the
ship building at Milton. The mayor, Graham Dill, a local waterman,
quotes a book by Charles T. Conwell, another Milton waterman, saying
238 ships were built in Milton, owing to the fact there was a forest of
the proper lumber for ship building.

Then, there are many stories from old timers , of the abundance of
oysters taken from the Broadkill and Delaware Bay by the sailing vessels
of the port in Milton.

This abstract, September 11, 2018, by Harrison H., from Constance
Brown's column in Saturday November 13 1965 Wilmington Morning
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