Do you ever want to know what life was like in Delaware at the turn of the century? It turns out, it wasn’t all that different than life today! Of course, there were massive civil rights issues and widespread inequality, but the agriculture-based economy was strong, Delawareans loved their ponds and lakes, and life was pretty simple. Check out these photos to see for yourself what vintage Delaware was really like.
- Agriculture has always been incredibly important to Delaware! Here, a local cannery gets to work during the height of tomato season.
Delaware Public Archives
- Little Creek was a small fishing village in the 1930s… and it still is today!
John VachonPhotogrammar
- This hotel and bank in Dover were a central part of the town’s architecture.
Photogrammar
- Here’s the largest jewelry store in Wilmington, in 1910. It was one “square” long, which I assume means it took up an entire city block!
Delaware Public Archive
- Like modern Delawareans, those living in the early 1900s loved to spend time on our state’s gorgeous ponds. Here, two women collect lilies on Derby Pond.
Delaware Public Archives
- Not everyone got to relax in the summer sun. Migratory workers in Bridgeville lived in prison-like encampments.
Jack Delano/Photogrammar
- Labor reforms later made these types of conditions illegal.
Jack Delano/Photogrammar
- The other side of the coin… opulent mansions owned by the wealthiest Delawareans began to appear, like this one on the Green in Dover.
John VachonPhotogrammar
- Overall, though, life was not too bad. This worker leaning on a drugstore window in Dover shows off a typical Delaware lifestyle at the time.
John VachonPhotogrammar
- Do you recognize this street? It’s Main Street, in Lewes, by the old Churchyard.
John Vachon/Photogrammar
- This gorgeous church is in Woodside, in 1910. Though technology was far behind where it is today, architecture was still impressive!
Delaware Public Archives
- The Little Assawoman Bay has always been a place to cool off. Did you splash and play here when you were a kid, too?
Photogrammar
If you love looking at these vintage Delaware photos, you’ll enjoy our collections of 14 Then And Now Photos In Delaware That Show Just How Much It Has Changed, These 11 Rare Photos Show Delaware’s Farming History Like Never Before, and Rare Footage In The 1940s Shows Delaware In A Completely Different Way. Spend a day delving into the history of the First State!
Delaware Public Archives
John VachonPhotogrammar
Photogrammar
Delaware Public Archive
Jack Delano/Photogrammar
John Vachon/Photogrammar
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