A Snapshot of Life in Colonial Wilmington

In the first of many WHS podcasts, Nathan Field interviews local historian Bill Knightly about Wilmington during the Colonial era to set the stage for a 2nd and 3rd podcast with Bill on Delaware during the Revolutionary war itself. 


Some Topics Discussed:

10:00 - What it was like to walk up Market St in 1750

15:00 - The violent rivalry between the 2nd St and 4th St Markets

22:30 - How did Wilmington get its name? 

30:00 – The colonial “tavern scene” 

36:45 - Why Napoleon's rise to power changed the nature of our town

43:15 - Was there an "education system" as that term is understand today?

46:15 - Navigating the Kings Highway (Rt 13) in 18th Century Wilmington

55:00 – Who were the "big employers" of the day?

1:01 - An interesting method for getting rid of criminals 

1:04 - What buildings still stand today from the Colonial Era?  

1:08 - Where in Wilmington did George Washington definitely sleep?