MITON MEMORIES
COASTAL TRADE SAILING
SCHOONERS
MANNED BY MILTONIANS
Once upon a time Milton
made schooners , manned by Miltonians sailed the Atlantic
coast, proud as any
other on the ocean trade traffic lanes. Times change, so did
the
Broadkill River. It is
hard to believe that shipping and shipbuilding was Milton's big
money making source.
The shipyards at the foot of Union ad Federal, Chestnut Street
have disappeared.
Schooners, such as the Henry Waddington, are now memories and
paintings. Between 1814
and late 1880's , 135 ocean going vessels were built and
captained by Milton
residents.
Milton is seven miles
from the Delaware Bay, at the head of navigation of Broadkill
River. Milton had
excellent facilities for shipping.
Baptist Lay of Drawbridge,
east of Milton on the Broadkill, is the father of shipbuilding
in Milton, his first ship
being built in late 18th century. Cornelius Coulter,
became
engaged in shipbuilding in
1800. Shipbuilding reached it's peak at Milton during the Civil
War and began tapering off
in 1880. The availability of white oak, the railroad, steam
power steel bottom ships,
led to it's end.
Captain T. C. Conwell
owns the painting of the Schooner Henry Waddington, a black
hulled schooner. Milton was
once called Conwell's Landing so he goes back away in
in Milton and the Broadkill
.
The Henry Waddington, a
post Civil War vessel built in Milton, 1881 by David H.
Atkins, owned and sailed
by Captain William H. Megee of Milton.
Abstract: William Frank,
Wilmington Morning News, 17 July 1957, Harrison H.
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