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Travel | November 17, 2009

Earth, wind and fire: Riding on history IN WilmINgton, Delaware

Gregory Coin's photo
Wilmington Tourism Examiner

   Steam power rules! (Photo courtesy of Wilmington & Western Railroad)

The history of human transportation is told better in and around Wilmington, Delaware than anywhere else on earth! Think I’m exaggerating? 

For the moment we'll skip walking and horseback riding since you can do that pretty much everywhere. So let’s start with the first great innovation in human transportation, wind power. Wilmington Delaware is home to the largest colonial tall ship in the world, the Kalmar Nyckel. The original Kalmar Nyckel was built in Holland and later sold to a Swedish company where it was put into service exploring the “New World.” It was that very ship, in fact, that founded Wilmington under the guiding hand of Captain Peter Minuit in 1638.  Today an authentic replica of the Kalmar Nyckel offers educational programs and public sails on the Christina and Delaware Rivers when it’s not serving in its principal role as Delaware’s seagoing ambassador.

From wind power, the world progressed to steam power. Wilmington has it’s own steam-powered tourist railroad – the Wilmington & Western Railroad -- that ambles through the Brandywine Valley’s picturesque “Chateau Country” throughout the year. And, Wilmington is home to the largest collection of operating steam-powered cars in the world. On selected Sundays throughout the spring, summer and fall visitors can ride a Stanley Steamer and even a steam-powered bus at the Marshall Steam Car Museum at Auburn Heights Preserve. In fact you can also see the grand daddy of today’s big transportation fad, a 1916 electric car, on the grounds of the Marshall family estate before moving on to their three vintage Packard touring cars, powered by what was, in the early 20th century, the latest trend in personal transportation, the combustion engine – which led the world, in turn, to air transportation!

Wilmington is just a few miles south of the nation’s premier aviation museum, the American Helicopter Museum in West Chester, PA. Like the Kalmar Nyckel and the Marshall Steam Car Museum, you don’t have to settle for just looking at these milestones of transportation technology, you can ride on history, as well. On selected Saturdays throughout the year, the Museum offers public helicopter rides. And their ROTORFEST in October is the only all-helicopter air show in America.
 
Just in case you still don’t think the Brandywine Valley is the epicenter for transportation history in America, the fabulous Air Mobility Command Museum is just an hour south of Wilmington in Dover, Delaware.  There, visitors can tour the largest collection of military cargo and refueling aircraft in America. Some days you can also witness practice flights of one of the largest jet carriers in the world, the C-17 Globemaster III.
 
Believe me now? On the off chance you would still rather hoof it, Wilmington has one of the most picturesque riverfront boardwalks in the country as well as several public stables for the equine lover in all of us! Although personally, I’d rather just watch horseback riding at Wilmington’s Delaware Park where the legendary Barbaro competed in his very first race in 2005. But that, as they say, is a story for another day.
 
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Wilmington Tourism Examiner

Gregory Coin is a 19-year resident of Wilmington. He has an MA in humanities, is a professional pianist and has worked with several of the most...

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