Wilmington is Delaware’s largest city and can be found where the Christina River and the Brandywine Creek meet near the Delaware River. The city was colonized by the Swedish, Dutch and British in the seventeenth century. Granted a borough charter in 1739, the city was named Wilmington after Spencer Compton (1673-1743), Earl of Wilmington. The city prospered throughout the Industrial Revolution, but the period of rapid economic growth came with the Civil War. Wilmington’s industries produced ships, railroad cars, gunpowder, shoes, tents, uniforms, blankets, and other goods for the war. By 1920, the population had reached over 110,000 residents. Wilmington experienced significant population loss after World War II as the suburban areas grew and I-95 dissected some of the city’s more stable neighborhoods. The Financial Center Development Act of 1981 created a favorable environment for banks and many of them have relocated or opened operations in Wilmington. Legislation was passed in 1986 that focused on attracting international finance and insurance companies to the city. These acts have helped the city to rebound.