National Register of Historic Places

Wilmington Rail Viaduct

Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware
Listed
November 10, 1999
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
99001276

About this property

The Wilmington Rail Viaduct is a series of fills and bridges, about 4 miles (6.4 km) long, that carries the Northeast Corridor through the city of Wilmington, Delaware, above street level. Constructed between 1902 and 1908, the structure consists principally of fills supported by heavy stone retaining walls, punctuated with plate girder bridges over streets, and augmented by a few sections of brick arch viaduct. Its construction is typical of the Pennsylvania Railroad's architectural practices at the time, and the viaduct has been documented by the Historic American Engineering Record and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Built by the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) as part of a series of grade crossing eliminations along the Northeast Corridor, the elevation of the rail line necessitated several other changes to rail infrastructure in Wilmington, including the construction of the Wilmington Shops at the east end of the viaduct, and the construction of the Wilmington Station and adjacent Pennsylvania Railroad Office Building along the elevated right-of-way.

Location

Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware
39.73831, -75.54683

Categories

TRANSPORTATION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Old Asbury Methodist Church
Industrial
0.1 mi
Philips-Thompson Buildings
Industrial
0.2 mi
St. Mary's School
Industrial
0.2 mi
St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church
Industrial
0.2 mi
Old Customshouse
Early Republic
0.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Brandywine — Birmingham Hill
1777Revolutionary War
6 mi
Battle of Birmingham Hill (Brandywine)
1777Revolutionary War
6 mi

Questions about this property

When was Wilmington Rail Viaduct listed on the National Register?

Wilmington Rail Viaduct was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 10, 1999.

What type of historic resource is Wilmington Rail Viaduct?

Wilmington Rail Viaduct is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Wilmington Rail Viaduct?

The period of significance for Wilmington Rail Viaduct is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Wilmington Rail Viaduct?

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