Governor William H. H. Ross
Born on June 2, 1814 in Laurel, Delaware, William Henry Harrison Ross was the son of Caleb and Letitia Lofland Ross. He was educated in local public schools and later attended Claremont Academy in Pennsylvania. As a young man Ross was employed in a variety of business pursuits in his native community including the operation […]
Ellendale’s Railroad Square
Ellendale’s Railroad Square was a major rail junction and a beehive of economic activity in Sussex County. The first section of the Junction and Breakwater Railroad from Harrington to Milford was completed in 1859. In March 1860, the Company’s Survey Team, consisting of T.F. Tilghman as chief engineer, 1 surveyor, 1 rodman, 2 chainmen, and […]
The Barracks
This longtime Smyrna landmark was constructed by Robert Holliday in the late 18th century. The first known residents of the home are believed to have been the family of his daughter, Susannah Holliday Wilson. The origin of the name “The Barracks” is uncertain, but records confirm that it was known as such from an early […]
Fort DuPont
This fort was originally established in 1863 as the Ten Gun Battery opposite Fort Delaware. In 1897 construction began on concrete gun batteries armed with long-range rifles, rapid-fire rifles and mortars. The fort was renamed in honor of Rear Admiral Samuel F. DuPont, U.S. Navy, for his distinguished service in 1899. During World War II […]
Freedom Lost
By the late 1700s the institution of slavery was declining in Delaware and there was a dramatic growth in the state’s free black population. Demand for slave labor in the Deep South continued to grow and large numbers of free blacks were kidnapped and sent south via networks operated by criminal gangs. The Abolition Society […]
