Wilmington:
Preservation and Progress

by Gene Castellano

The author’s new book is the first modern history of Wilmington’s business district.  It takes you on an architectural walking tour of Wilmington, Delaware that began in 1984 and concludes nearly thirty years later. During the eighties, Wilmington was bursting with optimism and anxious to reinvent itself from a 19th century manufacturing city into a 20th century financial center.

Armed with progressive new legislation designed to make Delaware more attractive to credit card banks, ranks of public officials, businessmen and developers eagerly sought to transform the city.  Their efforts met many challenges and setbacks, but eventually, progress was achieved.  Although many of the buildings from that era met the wrecking ball and were replaced with modern office towers, others survived with tasteful preservation.

Revisit Wilmington’s architectural heritage through never-before-published photographs taken by the author.  This book is a beautiful “then and now” publication featuring black and white images from the past paired with color images of the present.  Carefully researched vignettes about each location make this book an addition to your Delaware history collection and a nostalgic conversation piece for friends and family.

2014, hard cover, case wrapped, 11” x 8½”, full color, 96 pages
ISBN 978-1-892142-58-0

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