Shipbuilding on the Broadkill

Shipbuilding on the Broadkill (HMP07)

Location: Milton, DE 19968 Sussex County
Buy Delaware State flags at Flagstore.com!
Country: United States of America
Buy United States of America flags at Flagstore.com!

N 38° 46.725', W 75° 18.615'

  • 0 likes
  • 0 check ins
  • 0 favorites
  • 381 views
Inscription
Like the Native Americans before them, the European settlers of the 17th and 18th centuries utilized the Broadkill River as a means of transportation. Clearing of lands resulted in an abundance of grain and wood products. To transport these products to market, local craftsmen fashioned small vessels from the timbers of the prime hardwood forest that covered the land. Expanding settlement and the resulting increase of exports led to the construction of larger vessels capable of sailing to more-distant ports. As the number and size of these vessels increased, the reputation of local builders began to grow as well.
Located at the highest point of navigation, the tiny village of Milton offered the advantage of proximity to the inland forests, and by the early 1800s a majority of the shipyards were located here. While earlier vessels had been built for local commerce, the Broadkill industry's reputation for quality fueled a demand for ships by outside interests. The size of vessels grew steadily, and local shipwrights were routinely producing ships for the coastal and Trans-Atlantic trade by the mid-19th century. Increasing preference for steam-driven ships, the physical limitations of the river, and the lack of quality timber, resulted in the rapid decline of the industry in the 1890s. By the dawn of the 20th century the Broadkill's "golden age" as a center for shipbuilding was over.
Details
HM NumberHMP07
Tags
Marker NumberSC-143
Year Placed2001
Placed ByThe Delaware Public Archives
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Tuesday, October 7th, 2014 at 9:32am PDT -07:00
Pictures
Sorry, but we don't have a picture of this historical marker yet. If you have a picture, please share it with us. It's simple to do. 1) Become a member. 2) Adopt this historical marker listing. 3) Upload the picture.
Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)18S E 473051 N 4292270
Decimal Degrees38.77875000, -75.31025000
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 38° 46.725', W 75° 18.615'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds38° 46' 43.50" N, 75° 18' 36.90" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)302
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 113 Union St, Milton DE 19968, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

Is this marker missing? Are the coordinates wrong? Do you have additional information that you would like to share with us? If so, check in.

Nearby Markersshow on map
Check Ins  check in   |    all

Have you seen this marker? If so, check in and tell us about it.

Comments 0 comments

Maintenance Issues
  1. Is this marker part of a series?
  2. What historical period does the marker represent?
  3. What historical place does the marker represent?
  4. What type of marker is it?
  5. What class is the marker?
  6. What style is the marker?
  7. This marker needs at least one picture.
  8. Can this marker be seen from the road?
  9. Is the marker in the median?