Brandywine Springs ledger
Creation: 1890-1891Abstract
Brandywine Springs, located on the Newport-Gap Turnpike about five miles west of Wilmington, Delaware, was first developed as a spa by the Brandywine Chalybeate Springs Company in 1827. Richard W. Crook (1850-1948) later leased the property in 1886 and converted it into a typical nineteenth-century streetcar amusement park, although he was unable to complete the streetcar connection with Wilmington until 1901. The entries in the ledger are in the hand of William Jenks Fell (1839-1903), the lessor of the park, and describe expenditures on improving the rides and concessions.
Dates
- Creation: 1890-1891
Creator
- Fell, William Jenks, 1839-1903 (Person)
Extent
1 volume(s)
Historical Note
Brandywine Springs, located on the Newport-Gap Turnpike about five miles west of Wilmington, Delaware, was first developed as a spa by the Brandywine Chalybeate Springs Company in 1827. This first phase of its existence ended around 1850, and for a number of years, it was leased to proprietors for operation as a boarding school or picnic ground. Richard W. Crook (1850-1948) leased the property from the Fell family in 1886 and converted it into a typical nineteenth-century streetcar amusement park, although he was unable to complete the streetcar connection with Wilmington until 1901. The park was purchased by the Wilmington & Philadelphia Traction Company in 1916 and closed at the end of the 1923 season.
Scope and Contents
The entries are in the hand of William Jenks Fell (1839-1903), the lessor of the park, and describe expenditures on improving the rides and concessions. It also notes excursions to the park by the church and school groups during the 1890 season.
Existence and Location of Originals
The volume is a photocopy of the original which was once in the possession of historian C. A. Weslager.
Access Restrictions
No restrictions on access; this collection is open for research.
Language of Materials
English
Finding Aid & Administrative Information
- Title:
- Brandywine Springs ledger
- Date:
- 2022
- Description rules:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description:
- English
- Script of description:
- Latin
Repository Details
Repository Details
Part of the Manuscripts and Archives Repository
