Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition/Wilmington (1.)

WILMINGTON, the largest city of the State of Delaware, United States, and the county seat of New Castle county, is situated between Brandywine and Christiana creeks and on the Delaware river. The site is low, but with sufficient slope to afford suitable drainage. The surrounding country is fertile and well cultivated. Wilmington is a railway centre of considerable importance, being entered by the Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Baltimore, the Baltimore and Ohio, and the Wilmington and Northern Railways. The Brandywine and Christiana creeks are navigable for large vessels. The city is laid out quite regularly. The population, which in 1870 was 30,841, in 1880 was 42,478. The manufactures in 1880 gave occupation to 7852 persons, the principal branches being the manufacture of paper, iron and steel, shipbuild ing, and the making of waggons and carriages, steam-engines, bricks, morocco leather, glass, cotton, gunpowder and other explosives, matches, and flour.

Wilmington was settled by Swedes in 1638. The settlement was conquered by the Dutch, who in turn handed it over to the English. It was chartered as a city in 1832, and since the middle of the century has grown rapidly.