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Marshallton, DE is located along the Red Clay
Creek in New Castle County. The Kiamensi Bridge is pictured
above. The Hickman House, pictured below, is on the National Register
of Historic Places.
This small village boasts of 5 structures on The National Register
of Historic Places, with 4 more eligible. It also has approximately
100 structures built c1900 or prior with the oldest constructed
in the 18th century.
Home of Baseball Legend Judy Johnson
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A site along the Red Clay Creek in New Castle County,
Delaware, Marshallton has been a mill site
for over 240 years. Around 1765 Solomon Hersey built a grist mill on
the current site of the Ametek mill, which retains the mill race
from Hersey's Mill. It wasn't until 1836 that John Marshall
purchased and expanded the Mill. Marshallton was born. The mill seat
changed hands many times up until 2003 when a flood finally closed
the site forever.
Up
until 1836 Marshallton was known as Hersey bridge. This bridge
is still in its original location crossing the historic Red
Clay Creek. This small village boasts of 5 structures on The
National register of Historic Places, with 4 more
eligible. It also has approximately 100 structures built c1900
or prior with the oldest constructed in the 18th
century.
It was also along this section of the Red Clay Creek that
General George Washington prepared his troops for battle with
Gen. Howe, approaching from the Elkton area. Earthworks were
set up on the East side of the Red Clay Creek, in the center
of Marshallton. As we know Gen. Howe rerouted and went to
Chadds Ford and Washington followed for the Battle of the
Brandywine. Preparations for a Historical Marker not just for
the earthworks but for other sites are in the process.
The Marshallton area was not a large commercial area but a
rural, self sufficient area that had a handful of slaughter
houses, where livestock would be delivered to the Marshallton
Station and walked up the then Lincoln Highway to a holding
area waiting for assignment.
A few general stores, post office, pool hall, barber shop,
some residents had livestock which sold fresh milk and eggs to
its residents at that time and even a small library in a
private residence gave the Village a Norman Rockwell
feel.
There was also a squab industry. The birds were raised for
shipment to Philadelphia and New York. Some of the early
schools in Marshallton were no more than a room above a store
or wherever room was available. One being the colored school.
It wasn't until 1932 that the current
Marshallton school was built.
Some of the major early names from the area would be the Cranstons, the Balls, and The Gilberts. Let us not forget
William Julius "Judy" Johnson, a star Negro Leaguer,
who was was elected to Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. His
home, listed on National Register of Historic places, was also
lived in by his daughter and his son-in-law Bill Bruton, who
played for the Braves. |