Founded on unrealized ambitions, Delaware City is in the midst of its biggest redevelopment in living memory
August 1, 2019 — outandabout.com — Delaware City’s auspicious name is a window into the aspirations of its founders, who hoped their small town would be a rival to Philadelphia.
Their lofty ambitions were grounded in geography and economics. The town was founded in 1826 at the entrance to the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, which opened three years later. Sitting aside the canal and serving as gatekeeper for the goods passing between Baltimore and Philadelphia, Delaware City held the potential to become a major trade hub.
