In the 18th Century, the Delaware River was a place of Commerce
Durham Boats
The Delaware River was home to the Durham flat-bottom boats used, at first, for commerce, and later, made famous during the Revolutionary War for transporting Washington's Troops across the Delaware. These boats were originally designed and built in Durham and were 63 feet long and 15 feet wide. The boats travelled swiftly downstream following the current but it took four men on each side of the boat with long poles to propel the boats back upstream against the current.
Log Rafts on the Delaware
Starting in 1764, log rafts were floated downstream carrying timber from the north to Philadelphia in the south. Sawmills rose up along the river, like the one built by Jacob and Isaac Stover in Erwinna and were used to cut these logs into boards.
In the early 1800s, some 2000 rafts would float down river every season carrying thousands of feet of timber.
Commercial Fishing on the Delaware
Fisheries were set up along the Delaware in the late 18th century and were booming in the early 19th century. Shad were the primary fish harvested during the annual spring spawning runs, generally occurring between February and June. Shad were fished from the shore in large seine nets, each of which required five to seven men to manage.
By the 1840s there were two dozen large fisheries on the Delaware. Collectively they employed a thousand men and during the height of the spring runs would haul in 20,000 fish every twenty-four hours.
Leisure Time Activities on the Delaware River
In the latter part of the 19th century, as other transportation routes grew in popularity (both Canal and Rail), the Delaware Valley region reinvented itself as a tourist destination drawing boating parties and sports fishermen to the area in the summer months.
Boating Parties
It wasn't uncommon to see boating parties on the river, even at night according to an article from the Milford Leader from Thursday July 23, 1891:
"A number of people, old and young, have taken to boat riding on the Delaware these fine moonlight nights. Last Friday night the river was full of boats containing the sunburnt tillers of the soil and their families."
In 1905, at the Milford Memorial Day celebration, a crew from Lafayette came down the river in canoes to launch a commemorative boat to remember all those lost at sea. An article from the Milford Leader described the event in detail:
"The miniature man-of-war, bedecked with flowers, which had been sent forth by Lafayette Post, G.A.R., in the morning, had arrived at this place. There was a general scampering to the river’s brink for the purpose of viewing this token of memorial to the sailors and marines of our Navy. It was in charge of a Grand Army man, who with his companion in a row boat continued their journey to Frenchtown N.J., where it was given over to the Post there, which was to see that it arrived safely to the next Post farther down the Delaware River. Such escort was to be provided it until Trenton was reached, we understood, from where steam vessels would see that it reached Mother Ocean in safety."
An article from the Milford Leader, Thursday July 21, 1887, describes the growing popularity of boating and riverside picnics.
"A party from Easton picnicked at the 'Riverside Grove' last Thursday. They were laden with good things and had an enjoyable time. The grove is getting to be a quite popular resort for picnicking parties and is destined to grow in favor as it's natural beauties become more generally known."
An article in the Milford Leader from Thursday, July 28, 1892 shares some of the youthful escapades typical at the turn of the century.
"Our attention has been called to the fact that a number of half-grown boys and some full grown ones, too, from this and the other side of the river, go in swimming near the Delaware bridge on this side early in the evening which interferes to a considerable extent with those who go boating in the evening. Young men ought to have too much self-respect to appear in a nude state right in sight of our townspeople. We hope they will go below the mills and stay there hereafter while in bathing and not make themselves so conspicuous."
Fishing on the Delaware
Men and women alike took to the river to fish. An article in the Milford Leader from Thursday, June 14th, 1894 describes the plight of one such ill-fated trip.
"The other day two of our females, (one a married one) wended their way to the banks of the Delaware to try their luck fishing, and casting their lines adrift were soon fast in a pike, which they failed to land."
In the early part of the century, local fisherman continued to use nets to catch shad in the spring. Some years the fishing was better than others, according to a Milford Leader article from Thursday May 11, 1916.
"Delaware shad this year seems to be a sad disappointment because of the oily taste so many people say they have. Some have had fine specimens but had to give them to the chickens on account of this oily flavor. This would seem to indicate that the pipeline across the river below Stockton may have a bad leak, or where else could the oil have come from."
Black Bass, trout, eels, and snapper turtles were common prizes pulled from the Delaware River. On Thursday,August 31st, 1882 the Milford Leader reported that:
"Leo Gardner of Easton caught a black bass in the Delaware at Durham on Thursday that weighed 4 pounds and 11 ounces and measures 12 and a half inches in length."
Now almost extinct, the Sturgeon was a rare and notable sighting even a century ago. The Milford Leader notes one such sighting on Thursday July 20th, 1882 and again on Thursday July 17, 1902:
"A large fish supposed to be a sturgeon jumped above the surface of the water in the Delaware last week. It was thought by them that seen it to weigh 200 pounds near Raubsville."
"The guests of Holahan's hotel were treated to the novel site of a 5 foot sturgeon on the Jersey side of the Delaware, just opposite the pavilion (in Upper Black Eddy)"
Not much has changed in the last century. The Delaware River continues to be popular natural attraction today, bringing locals and visitors alike to enjoy canoeing and kayaking, fishing and frolicking.
Credits:
Photos from Images of America: Tinicum Township, Bucks COunty by Patricia Valentine Whitacre and Richard A. Plank as well as photos shared by the Milford Borough Historical Society Facebook Page