Woodside Train Station (ca. 1864)
Woodside Train Station (ca. 1864)
Woodside
was one of a number of Delaware towns that owed its existence to the Delaware Railroad
and to a large extent, a man by the name of Henry Cowgill.
According to local lore, the name "Woodside" was inspired by the piles of wood that were stacked near the station. Farmers
brought corn, wheat, milk and other commodities such as peaches, by wagon to the Woodside Train Station where they were transported by train powered by steam locomotive to urban markets in Wilmington, Philadelphia and New York City.
The Woodside Train Station’s first station master was Henry Cowgill’s son Ezekiel. Ezekiel Cowgill served as station master starting in 1864. In 1865, Ezekiel also became the town’s first postmaster when a post office was added to the small station. The postcard below shows what the Woodside Train Station looked like around 1900. It's appearance had changed very little since 1865.
In 1867, Henry Cowgill took over from his son, serving in the dual roles as the Woodside Train Station master and post master as well as telegraph
operator until his death in 1881.
Railroads changed the face and fabric of the United States during the 19th century. Did you know that Delaware was home to one of the nation's earliest railroads?
