Tours show all sides of Milton’s rich history

Over the years, Milton has been defined by four major industries: boats, buttons, beans and beer.

Those industries were the focus of the Milton Historical Society’s July 21 walking tour. Starting at Dogfish Head brewery, the tour, led by Mary White, and started with the history of the town itself. Milton sits at the head of the Broadkill River, so named, White said, after explorer Henry Hudson, who explored Delaware Bay, referred to it as “a broad river.” Before Europeans arrived, the area was occupied by Lenape and Nanticoke tribes. In 1682, William Penn received title to Pennsylvania, which included the three counties of Delaware, and named the lower county Sussex, White said.

Lumber mills and shipbuilding were Milton’s first big industries. The current location of Milton’s wastewater treatment plant, operated by Tidewater Utilities, was originally a mill that lasted into the 19th century.

From the brewery, the tour headed onto Federal Street, and to one of Milton’s other claims to fame as the home of five governors, including Gov. James Ponder, whose former home on Federal Street is now the site of Short Funeral Services. White said the home was built in 1860; Ponder served as governor from 1871 to 1875. White said Ponder was very rich, making his fortune primarily in shipbuilding.

When railroads arrived, and the need for water transportation declined, button-making became Milton’s next big industry. White said shells were sent to Milton from the South Pacific in mahogany containers. The shells would be soaked, put on a lathe and then a hole would be cut. White said these were called button blanks, since they were not finished buttons. Residents also had cottage industries making button blanks, White said. Duds, oddly shaped or cracked blanks, from these cottage operations would be discarded in gardens and on the ground, and walking around town, one can still see button blanks pop up today. On the July 21 tour, a button blank was found near a tree on Chestnut Street near the entrance to Dogfish Head. White said when plastics came along, it marked the beginning of the end of button-making.

White said button factories became extinct in Milton after the passing of worker-safety laws, following which, button companies would contract out with cottage makers. Another cottage industry in Milton was holly wreath-making, which White said went out with plastics and imported hollies.

After walking down Federal Street, the tour then headed to Mulberry Street, stopping at Wagamon’s Pond, which White said, was part of the Broadkill River, until it was dammed by mill owners.

While the historical society has architectural tours, the economic tour also touches on Milton’s varied housing stock, including a number of gothic revival homes, noted for their steeply pitched roofs, as well as smaller, bungalow homes. The tour also included stops at several of Milton’s fraternal lodges, which were a big part of early life in the town.

The tour wrapped where it began, at Dogfish Head, which represented the final two of Milton’s “four B’s.” Milton was home to vegetable canning operations throughout the 20th century, the most prominent being on Chestnut Street on land owned by the Draper family. The last cannery in town was the King Cole Cannery, which closed in 1995. It processed beans, carrots and other canned vegetables. After the cannery closed, the land was redeveloped, with the main cannery area repurposed into Dogfish Head’s brewery. The surrounding land became the Cannery Village housing development.

Historical society President Marie Mayor said the society has been offering the tours for 12 years. Mayor said three tours are offered: architectural, economic and cultural. The programs originate with society members who volunteer to present them.

Executive director Lee Revis-Plank said the “Boats, Buttons, Beans and Beer” tour will be offered one more time this year, 9:30 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 15, at Dogfish Head in Milton. She said the final architectural tour will be Saturday, Sept. 1, and the final Milton Memories tour with Jack Hudson will be Saturday, Sept. 29, the final tour of the year.

All tours are free for members or cost $5 for non-members. The tours last an hour and are limited to 18 people. Reservations are recommended by calling 684-1010 or emailing info@historicmilton.org