Riverfront in Wilmington in New Castle County, Delaware — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
The Great Railroad Boom
Riverfront Wilmington
" every convenience that could be thought of has been secured."
reported about the car built for Henry M. Flagler, in Every Evening, Wilmington, January 4, 1887
Wilmington manufacturers found that the craftsmen who could fit out the interior of a luxury yacht or steamer could do equally well with railcars.
When Florida real estate developer and railroad baron Henry M. Flagler wished to have his own private railroad car built in 1886, he contracted with the Delaware Car Works of Jackson & Sharp. The car shown above, which he named The Rambler, contained a parlor, bedroom, dining room and kitchen. The restored car is displayed at Flagler's Palm Beach mansion, now the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum.
Entire new industries grew out of the demand for railroad equipment. Around 1830, Jonathan Bonney and Charles Bush began making machinery castings and railroad car wheels at Second and Lombard Streets. George Lobdell soon joined them and became the head of the firm called the Lobdell Car Wheel Company. In 1844 they moved to the banks of the Christina. By 1912 over 300 people worked at the plant turning out wheels for railroad cars and streetcars. The company thrived through the First World War but went into decline about 1926 and never recovered.
[Captions:]
Composite
this page online
Bird's eye view of Pusey & Jones manufacturing facilities.
Composite view of the Lobdell Car Wheel Company founded in 1836. The company provided castings of all sizes and uses. They boasted in 1898 of an output of 500 car wheels per day.
Above: This interior view of a club car built by Harlan & Hollingsworth gives a hint of the beauty and luxury of some of the railcars built for late nineteenth century travel.
Erected by Riverfront Wilmington.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical date for this entry is January 4, 1887.
Location. 39° 44.17′ N, 75° 33.118′ W. Marker is in Wilmington, Delaware, in New Castle County. It is in Riverfront. It is on Rosa Parks Drive east of South Market Street (Business U.S. 13), on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 80 Rosa Parks Drive, Wilmington DE 19801, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Philadelphia. It is also in the American Mid-Atlantic and on the Delmarva Peninsula. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Netherland and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Underground Railroad (within shouting distance of this marker); The Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park (within shouting distance of this marker); Frank Furness Railroad District (within shouting
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), March 1, 2019
2. The Great Railroad Boom Marker
This is a previous iteration of the marker. While the inscription is identical, there are differences in formatting, particularly the font.
Another marker is no longer nearby. The Big Quarterly (was about 300 feet away but has been replaced with another marker now near it).
Credits. This page was last revised on July 4, 2024. It was originally submitted on March 2, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 794 times since then and 21 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on July 4, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 2. submitted on March 2, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 3. submitted on July 4, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
