ODESSA
A
HAMLET
1993
The
hamlet of Odessa is a Delaware historic town, restored, that
has a degree of international renown. Today, the highway US
13 runs
through
it, two stop lights and your through.
The
1993 mayor, Jim Grant, had received a letter from a Russian
Citizen
living in San Francisco inquiring if Odessa, Delaware had any
connection
with Odessa, Ukraine.
Before
1859 Odessa, Delaware was Cantwell's Bridge, and was a
port on the Aappoquiniink Creek, which shipped 400,000 bushels
of
grains
every year to Odessa, Ukraine, a Russian grain center and for
that
reason , Cantwell's Bridge became Odessa.
The
towns heritage is Dutch, not Russian, dating back to 1630 , when
trapping, fishing and trading were professions of the time and
Odessa's
location, just off the Delaware River, was it's greatest
attribute.
In
the mid 1800's the railroad at Middletown diverted business
from Odessa and up to 1938 was in decline.
H.
Rodney Sharp, who had been the school principal in 1902 ,
bought and restored the old homes and buildings which he donated
to the Winterthur Museum & Gardens which extended
it's 18th century
collection
into the heart of Odessa and holds daily tours in four houses.
The
whole hamlet is a museum, catering to busloads of tourist and
school children and Odessians open their homes and period
pieces to the public.
Odessa
does't have much of a business district, residents need to
go
to Middletown to shop. The town does have two churches, fire
house
and bank, also a library and a few bed & breakfast.
The
mayor says the town does not have much of a budget to work
with
but does have a wealth of history and a wealth of people dedicated
to
nurturing it.
Abstract:
Wednesday, December 1, 1993, Wilmington News Journal,
Delmarva
Crossroads
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