tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945719747276028760.post8958910088087717686..comments2024-03-15T20:16:28.011-04:00Comments on The Mill Creek Hundred History Blog: The Changing Face of Mill Creek HundredScott Palmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10850758840846585533noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945719747276028760.post-59282221528621729702015-06-11T14:07:49.504-04:002015-06-11T14:07:49.504-04:00Tom Marshall, Jr has written in the Friends of Aub...Tom Marshall, Jr has written in the Friends of Auburn Heights Preserve weekly e-newsletters about his father (Clarence), his Aunt Anna, and two Mitchell (of Woodside Farm linage) using the Wilmington & Western and later the B&O to get to Wilmington to attend Wilmington Friends School. They got the 7AM out of Landenberg when it stopped at 7:20AM in Yorklyn, and arrived at 7:55AM in Wilmington. The afternoon train would take them home. Tom Jr. was driven to school most days however he did take the train on occasion while it still ran passenger service.SteamCarriagenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945719747276028760.post-90907265046374483122015-06-11T08:25:30.264-04:002015-06-11T08:25:30.264-04:00Excellent point. It was the first time you could m...Excellent point. It was the first time you could make the commute regularly at anything faster than a walking horse pace. I can't recall if I've come across specific instances, but it could have been used by older kids to get to school in the city, too. I know that the trolley was. The train was probably too expensive for most workers to use on a daily basis, but some people did. I'm reminded of the story of Francis M. Walker (of the Little Baltimore Walkers), an attorney in Wilmington. He commuted regularly from Hockessin to Wilmington, and was the only person to ride both the first train in 1872 and the last passenger train in 1931. I'll agree that the WWRR was an important early step towards a commuter mentality in MCHScott Palmernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945719747276028760.post-59217635741130144962015-06-10T19:02:28.399-04:002015-06-10T19:02:28.399-04:00In reading your excellent post, when I got to your...In reading your excellent post, when I got to your statement "In 1920 it was possible to live in MCH and work in Wilmington, whereas trying that in 1870 would have been quite difficult.", it came to mind that in 1872 that all changed with the Wilmington & Western Railroad. While not serving areas like Pleasant Hill, Corner Ketch, Mermaid, and Pike Creek, the railroad's 3 trains daily in each direction between Landenberg and Wilmington definitely made it easy to live within walking distance of any number of WWRR stations and to get to Wilmington quite easy. I think a good argument could be made that the railroad literally opened up a majority of Mill Creek Hundred to a mobility not available in 1870. While the builders saw the mills as strong revenue generators, the bringing of scheduled passenger service was just as important.SteamCarriagenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945719747276028760.post-5690775242212960002015-06-10T11:33:33.050-04:002015-06-10T11:33:33.050-04:00You're definitely right about how much the are...You're definitely right about how much the area has changed. My own personal memories only go back to the 70's, but even I can see how different the Kirkwood Highway corridor is now as compared to then. Still doesn't look right to me without the Chuck Wagon there. I grew up in Klair Estates, and I remember my mom shopping at the A&P, and going to Almart. In addition to the Nostaglia page I have up, I may from time to time put up posts just to remember certain areas. I know there are lots of stories out there.Scott Palmernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945719747276028760.post-51699058314466447362015-06-09T11:02:23.207-04:002015-06-09T11:02:23.207-04:00Re the remark above about taking someone from and...Re the remark above about taking someone from and dropping them on Kirkwood Highway in 1965....I left the area in 1961 and returned to live here in 2011 and 'taken aback' doesn't cover it! Everything changed! the 'landmarks' of my childhood were either torn down, re-done beyond recognition or relocated. . I live in a house in Hockesson located on what was a farm in the 1960's where my dad hunted deer! Some of the changes are for the better, I suppose, but not all. There are many pleasant communities where families can live, Kirkwood Highway is now one big long shopping district, and Jody Johnsons house is derelict!Bubblankatthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15626623383082925986noreply@blogger.com