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Shipbuilding

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Dec302022
1879 view of h and h shipyard

Off-chance repair leads to first iron shipbuilding in USA

ShipbuildingBy Dave TablerLeave a comment

Above: The Bangor, first iron steamer in America, built 1843-4 In 1842 the Wilmington outfit Betts, Pusey and Harlan, a builder of railroad cars, was a modest 20 person operation. That was all about to dramatically change, when Samuel Harlan accepted a repair job on the iron cylinder of the wooden steamboat Sun from Captain…

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Nov282022
1868 beers map of lewisville bethel best 479x620

The ‘Chesapeake ram’ put Bethel, DE on the map

ShipbuildingBy Dave TablerLeave a comment

Bethel wasn’t the only successful shipbuilding town in 19th century Delaware. Wilmington, Smyrna, and Milford could all lay claim to strength in that industry. But Bethel, thanks to its location on the Nanticoke River, had easy access to the Chesapeake Bay and its markets. Bethel was surrounded by more extensive stands of virgin oak and…

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Dave Tabler is a Delaware-focused author using his University of Maryland degrees in art history and photojournalism to examine and explore the first state's rich history and publish works of his findings. He also manages AppalachianHistory.net
Recent Blog Posts
  • Unscrambling 19th century cross-writing July 2, 2025
  • Antebellum Black Christmas September 25, 2024
  • Delaware’s Hispanic Christmas Traditions September 12, 2024
  • Kwanzaa’s Impact on Delaware’s Black Community September 11, 2024
Contact Dave
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    Delaware Artist Registry

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