Delaware Route 52 - History

History

On January 21, 1811, the Wilmington and Kennett Turnpike Company was incorporated to build a toll road from Wilmington to the Pennsylvania border at Centreville. The road was built between 1811 and 1813 at a cost of $30,000. The charter of the turnpike gave Christiana Hundred the option to purchase the road in 1820 and remove the tolls. The Kennett Pike had two toll gates north of Wilmington. In 1919, Pierre S. du Pont bought the road and the toll gates were removed. The road widened and paved following the sale and eventually sold to the Delaware State Highway Department. When Delaware designated state highways by 1936, DE 52 was designated onto its current alignment. In 2002, DE 52 was designated as part of the Brandywine Valley Scenic Highway in the Delaware Scenic and Historic Highways system; it was designated a National Scenic Byway in 2005.

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