City of Wilmington
Fort Christina, New Sweden
City
Downtown Wilmington and the Christina River in 2006
Flag
Nicknames : Chemical Capital of the World , Corporate Capital of the World , Credit Card Capital of the World
Motto : A Place to Be Somebody
Country	United States
State	Delaware
County	New Castle
Area	17. Fort Christina (later renamed Fort Altena) was the first Swedish settlement in North America and the principal settlement of the New Sweden New Sweden ( Nya Sverige in Swedish and Uusi-Ruotsi in Finnish) was a small Swedish settlement along the Delaware River The following places are incorporated as cities in the state of Delaware Delaware City Delaware Dover Delaware The Christina River is a Tributary of the Delaware River, approximately 35 miles (56 km long in northern Delaware in the United States The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Delaware ( is a state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. New Castle County is the northernmost of the three counties of the U 0 sq mi (44 km²)
- land	10. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 9 sq mi (28. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. 2 km²)
- water	6. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 2 sq mi (16. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. 1 km²), 36. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 47%
Center
- coordinates	39°44′45″N 75°32′48″W / 39.74583, -75.54667Coordinates: 39°44′45″N 75°32′48″W / 39.74583, -75.54667
- elevation	92 ft (28 m)
Population	72,664 (2000)
Density	6,698. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International 1 /sq mi (2,586. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. 2 /km²)
Government type	Council-Mayor
Founded	March, 1638
- Incorporated	1731
- Borough Charter	1739
- City Charter	March 7, 1832
Mayor	James M. Baker (D)
Time zone	EST (UTC-5)
- summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
Area code	302
Location of Wilmington in Delaware
Location of Delaware in the United States
Website : www.ci.wilmington.de.us

Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of Events 161 - Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius dies and is succeeded by co-Emperors Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus Year 1832 ( MDCCCXXXII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian James M Baker is the 54th Mayor of Wilmington Delaware. He took office in January 2001 during a Special Meeting of the Wilmington City Council The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. The Eastern Time Zone ( ET) of the Western Hemisphere falls mostly along the east coast of North America and the west coast of South America UTC−5 is the Time offset used in the North American Eastern Time Zone during Standard time and in the North American Central Time Zone during The Eastern Time Zone ( ET) of the Western Hemisphere falls mostly along the east coast of North America and the west coast of South America UTC−4 is the Time offset used in the Atlantic Standard Time Zone in Canada in winter and the North American Eastern Time Zone during 302 is the Area code for the state of Delaware in the United States. Delaware ( is a state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The Christina River is a Tributary of the Delaware River, approximately 35 miles (56 km long in northern Delaware in the United States Brandywine Creek may refer to several places in the United States mostly streams Streams British Columbia The Delaware River is a river on the Atlantic coast of the United States. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley metropolitan area. New Castle County is the northernmost of the three counties of the U The Delaware Valley is a term used widely to refer to the metropolitan area centered on the city of Philadelphia in the United States. A metropolitan area is a large population center consisting of a large Metropolis and its adjacent zone of influence or of more than one closely adjoining neighboring central Wilmington was named by Proprietor Thomas Penn for his friend Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington, who was prime minister in the reign of George II of Great Britain. Thomas Penn (1702 – 1775 was a son of William Penn, founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American Colony that Spencer Compton 1st Earl of Wilmington, KG, KB, PC (1673 &ndash 2 July 1743 was a British Whig Statesman who served George II (George Augustus 10 November 1683 &ndash 25 October 1760 was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (

According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 72,876. ^[1]

Contents 1 History 2 Geography and Climate 3 Demographics 4 Neighborhoods 4.1 North of the Brandywine River 4.2 East of I-95 4.3 West of I-95 5 Crime 6 Public Health issues 7 Public Safety 8 Economy 9 Media 9.1 Radio, television and film 9.2 Publications 9.3 Portrayal in the Media 10 Transportation 11 Sports 11.1 Running Events 12 Recreation 13 Educational Institutions 14 Points of Interest 14.1 Near the city 15 Sister Cities 16 See also 17 References 18 External links

History

The area now known as Wilmington was first colonized by settlers from Sweden in March, 1638, establishing the colony of Fort Christina, New Sweden. "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. Fort Christina (later renamed Fort Altena) was the first Swedish settlement in North America and the principal settlement of the New Sweden New Sweden ( Nya Sverige in Swedish and Uusi-Ruotsi in Finnish) was a small Swedish settlement along the Delaware River Sweden claimed and, for the most part, controlled the lower Delaware River region (parts of present day Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey), but settled few colonists there^[2][3]. The Delaware River is a river on the Atlantic coast of the United States. Delaware ( is a state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. In 1655 the Dutch arrived and took over the colonies from the Swedes and Finns. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Then in 1664 British colonization began, the area stabilized under British rule, with strong influences from the Quaker communities, and was granted a borough charter in 1739 by King George II which changed the name from Willington, after Thomas Willing the first 'developer" of the land who organized the area in a grid pattern similar to that of its northern neighbor Philadelphia,^[4][5][6] to Wilmington, presumably after Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington. British colonization of the Americas (including colonization under the Kingdom of England and Kingdom of Scotland before the 1707 Acts of Union created A borough is an Administrative division of various countries In principle the term borough designates a self-governing Township although in practice Thomas Willing ( December 19, 1731 – January 19, 1821) was an American merchant and financier and a Delegate to the Continental Congress Spencer Compton 1st Earl of Wilmington, KG, KB, PC (1673 &ndash 2 July 1743 was a British Whig Statesman who served Earl of Wilmington was a title in the Peerage of Great Britain.

The greatest growth in the city occurred during the Civil War. Delaware, though officially a Union State, was divided in its support of both the Confederate and the Union soldiers; the northern part of the state was largely Union, while the southern part of the state leaned toward the Confederacy. The war created enormous demand for goods and materials. Older establishments expanded, and many new industries were attracted to the city. The city turned out products including ships, railroad cars, gunpowder, shoes, tents, uniforms, blankets and other war-related goods. By 1868, Wilmington was producing more iron ships than the rest of the country combined and it rated first in the production of gunpowder and second in carriages and leather. Due to the prosperity Wilmington enjoyed during the war, city merchants and manufacturers expanded Wilmington's residential boundaries westward in the form of large homes along tree-lined streets. This movement was spurred by the first horsecar line, which was initiated in 1864 along Delaware Avenue.

The late nineteenth century saw the development of the city's first comprehensive park system. William Bancroft, a successful Wilmington businessman, led the effort to establish open parkland in Wilmington and was heavily influenced by the work of Frederick Law Olmsted. Rockford Park and Brandywine Park owe their creation to his generous donation of land and efforts.

In 1860, there were 21,250 people living in the city; by 1920, that number had risen to 110,168.

Both World Wars stimulated the city's industries. Industries vital to the war effort - shipyards, steel foundries, machinery and chemical producers - operated on a 24-hour basis. Other industries produced such goods as automobiles, leather products and clothing.

The post war prosperity again pushed the residential development further out of the city. The 1950s saw a large increase in people living in the suburbs of North Wilmington and commuting into the city to work. This lifestyle was made possible by extensive upgrades to area roads and highways and through the construction of I-95, which cut a swath through several of Wilmington's most stable neighborhoods and contributed to significant population losses in Wilmington. Urban renewal projects in the 50s and 60s cleared entire blocks of housing in the Center City and East Side areas. The riots and civil unrest in the city following the 1968 assassination of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. also contributed to urban emigration. Martin Luther King Jr ( January 15, 1929 April 4, 1968) was an American clergyman, Activist and prominent leader On April 9, 1968, Governor Charles Terry, Jr. Events 193 - Septimius Severus is proclaimed Roman Emperor by the army in Illyricum (in the Balkans) Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. deployed the National Guard to the city at the request of Mayor John Babiarz. One week later, Mayor Babiarz requested the National Guard troops be withdrawn, but Governor Terry refused, and kept them in the city until his term ended in January 1969. Urban emigration largely abated, and the city has been able to maintain a population of 70,000 for the last few decades.

The city in the 1980s experienced tremendous job growth and office construction when many national banks and financial institutions relocated to the area after the Financial Center Development Act of 1981 substantially liberalized the laws governing banks operating within the state. Caesar Rodney ( October 7 1728 &ndash June 26 1784) was an American Lawyer and Politician from In 1986, the state adopted legislation targeted at attracting international finance and insurance companies. Today many national and international banks, such as Bank of America, Chase, Barclays among others have operations in the city; typically their credit card operations. Banc of America Securities Bank of America () is the largest bank by asset and second largest commercial Bank by deposits and Market capitalization in United JPMorgan Chase & Co ( is the largest Banking institution in the United States by deposits and market capitalization and is one of the oldest operating Barclays PLC is a major global financial services provider operating in Europe, North America, the Middle East, Latin America, Australia

Beginning in the 1990s, the city launched a campaign to revitalize the former shipyard area known as the Wilmington Riverfront. The efforts were bolstered early by The Big Kahuna (a now defunct nightclub), Kahunaville (a restaurant, bar and arcade which has also since closed) and the Wilmington Blue Rocks minor league baseball stadium. The Wilmington Blue Rocks are a Minor League Baseball team located in Wilmington Delaware. Development continues as the Wilmington Riverfront tries to establish its cultural, economical, and residential importance. Recent high-rise luxury apartment buildings along the Christina River have been cited as evidence of the Riverfront's continued revival. The Christina River is a Tributary of the Delaware River, approximately 35 miles (56 km long in northern Delaware in the United States On June 7, 2006, the groundbreaking of Justison Landing signaled the beginning of Wilmington's largest residential project since Bancroft Park was built after World War II. Events 1099 - The First Crusade: The Siege of Jerusalem begins Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including

Geography and Climate

Wilmington is located at 39°44'55" North, 75°33'6" West (39. 748563, -75. 551581). ^[7] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 44. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title) is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census 1 km² (17. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 0 mi²). The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. 28. 1 km² (10. 9 mi²) of it is land and 16. 0 km² (6. 2 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 36. 25% water.

The city is located approximately 25 miles (40 km) southwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, one of America's largest cities. Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə Wilmington Train Station is one of the last stops on Philadelphia's SEPTA rail transportation system and is the immediately adjacent stop to Philadelphia 30th St Station on Amtrak. Wilmington Train Station is a passenger rail station in Wilmington, Delaware, formerly known as Pennsylvania Station. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority ( SEPTA) is a regional public authority that operates various forms of public transit &mdash bus The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Doing business as Amtrak, is a Government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971 It is the terminus of an I-295 bypass route around Philadelphia, the other end being Trenton, New Jersey, as well as one of several major cities on I-95. Interstate 295 (abbreviated I-295) in New Jersey and Delaware is a bypass route from a junction with Interstate 95 south of Wilmington Trenton is the Capital of the US state of New Jersey and the County seat of Mercer County. In Delaware, Interstate 95 runs diagonally from the border with Pennsylvania in northeast to the border with Maryland. These transportation links and geographic proximity give Wilmington some of the characteristics of a satellite city, but Wilmington's long history as the most important city in Delaware, its significant urban core, and its independent value as a business destination makes it more properly considered a small but independent city in the Philadelphia metropolitan area, or as locals prefer to call it, the Delaware Valley. A metropolitan area is a large population center consisting of a large Metropolis and its adjacent zone of influence or of more than one closely adjoining neighboring central The Delaware Valley is a term used widely to refer to the metropolitan area centered on the city of Philadelphia in the United States.

Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Record high	75°F (24°C)	78° (26°)	86° (30°)	94° (34°)	96° (36°)	100° (38°)	102° (39°)	101° (38°)	100° (38°)	91° (33°)	85° (29°)	75° (24°)
Normal high	39° (4°)	43° (6°)	52° (11°)	63° (17°)	73° (23°)	81° (27°)	86° (30°)	84° (29°)	77° (25°)	66° (19°)	55° (13°)	44° (7°)
Normal low	24° (-5°)	26° (-3°)	33° (1°)	42° (6°)	52° (11°)	62° (17°)	67° (20°)	66° (19°)	58° (15°)	46° (8°)	37° (3°)	28° (-2°)
Record low	-14° (-26°)	-6° (-21°)	2° (-17°)	18° (-8°)	30° (-1°)	41° (5°)	48° (9°)	43° (6°)	36° (2°)	24° (-4°)	14° (-10°)	-7° (-22°)
Precipitation	3. 4 in. (8. 7 cm. )	2. 8 (7. 1)	4 (10. 1)	3. 4 (8. 6)	4. 2 (10. 5)	3. 6 (9. 1)	4. 3 (10. 9)	3. 5 (8. 9)	4 (10. 2)	3. 1 (7. 8)	3. 2 (8. 1)	3. 4 (8. 6)
Source: USTravelWeather. com[8]

Demographics

As of the census^[7] of 2000, there were 72,664 people, 28,617 households, and 15,882 families residing in the city. A census is the procedure of acquiring information about every member of a given population The population density was 2,585. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 8/km² (6,698. 1/mi²). There were 32,138 housing units at an average density of 1,143. 6/km² (2,962. 4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 35. 52% White, 56. 43% African American, 0. 25% Native American, 0. 65% Asian, 0. 03% Pacific Islander, 5. 16% from other races, and 1. 96% from two or more races. 9. 84% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. The largest ancestries include: Irish (8. Irish Americans (Gael-Mheiriceánach are citizens of the United States who can claim ancestry originating in Ireland. 7%), Italian (5. An Italian American is an American of Italian descent and/or dual citizenship 7%), German (5. German Americans ( German: Deutschamerikaner) are citizens of the United States of Ethnic German ancestry 2%), English (4. English Americans (occasionally known as Anglo -Americans although this may have a wider cultural meaning are Citizens of the United States whose ancestry 4%), and Polish (3. A Polish American is an American citizen of Polish descent There are an estimated 10 million Americans of Polish descent 6%). [2]

There were 28,617 households out of which 27. 1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 26. 6% were married couples living together, 23. NOTICE TO WOULD-BE ROMEOS ************** 8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44. 5% were non-families. 37. 1% of all households were made up of individuals and 13. 0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2. 39 and the average family size was 3. 19.

In the city the population was spread out with 25. 9% under the age of 18, 9. 8% from 18 to 24, 32. 0% from 25 to 44, 19. 8% from 45 to 64, and 12. 6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 91. 3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86. 9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,116, and the median income for a family was $40,241. Males had a median income of $34,360 versus $29,895 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,236. Per capita income means how much each individual receives in monetary terms of the yearly income generated in the country 21. 3% of the population and 16. 8% of families were below the poverty line. The poverty threshold, or poverty line, is the minimum level of Income deemed necessary to achieve an adequate Standard of living in a given country 30. 4% of those under the age of 18 and 20. 1% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Wilmington also has a very active and diverse ethnic population. Many pockets of the city are populated by different groups of people with various European heritages. This ethnic diversity contributes to several very popular ethnic festivals held every spring and summer in Wilmington. The most popular festival is the Italian festival. This event, which is run by St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, closes down six blocks in the west side of the city for traditional Italian music, food, and activities, along with typical carnival rides and games. Another festival that draws large crowds is the Greek Festival, which is organized by Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church. This festival is on a smaller scale than the Italian festival but features traditional Greek (Hellenic) food, drink, and music. Other offerings include a delightful crafts area. Another notable annual church festival in Wilmington, the Polish festival, is organized by St. Hedwig's Catholic Church featuring Polish cuisine along with the typical variety of carnival rides and entertainment.

Neighborhoods

The city of Wilmington is subdivided into the following neighborhoods (Map):

North of the Brandywine River Brandywine Hills Harlan Eastlawn Eastlake Ninth Ward Triangle[9] Prices Run Riverside Brandywine Village[10] Gander Hill (Lower Brandywine Village)

East of I-95 Midtown Brandywine Lawyer's Row Upper East Side (East Brandywine) Trinity Vicinity[11] 11th St. Bridge Center City (Downtown) West Center City Quaker Hill[12] The Valley Ships Tavern East Side Southbridge Riverfront[13]

West of I-95 Forty Acres The Highlands Trolley Square[14] Delaware Avenue Happy Valley Wawaset Park Wawaset Heights Little Italy[15] West Hill Cool Spring & Tilton Park Hilltop[16] Woodlawn (The Flats) Westmoreland Greenhill Union Park Gardens Bayard Square Hedgeville Canby Park St. Wawaset Park is a planned community on the western edge of the City of Wilmington Delaware bounded by Woodlawn Avenue Pennsylvania Avenue Greenhill Avenue and West 7th Little Italy is a neighborhood on the west side of Wilmington Delaware. Elizabeth Area Browntown

Crime

Drugs and gangs gained a greater profile in the city throughout the 1980s and 1990s, as did many cities across the country. As a result of these trends, the city encountered an escalation of violent crimes (murder, assault, armed robbery), and put Wilmington among the nation's most dangerous cities for its size.

To counter this crime wave, Wilmington became the first city in the U. S. to have its entire downtown area under surveillance^[17]: some $800,000 worth of video cameras (some bought with public money, some by downtown businesses) have the exteriors of all buildings in view, and the technicians who monitor them dispatch the city's police to the scene of any crime or suspicious activity they see, while it is still happening. Surveillance is the monitoring of Behavior. Systems surveillance is the process of monitoring the behavior of people objects or processes within systems for conformity Recently, the city has expanded the surveillance program into some of the more crime-ridden neighborhoods.

Among the residential streets, the Wilmington Police Department started a program known as jump-outs, in which unmarked police vans would cruise crime-prone neighborhoods late at night, "jump-out" at corners where residents were loitering and detain them temporarily. Loitering (ˈlɔɪtərɪŋ is an Intransitive verb meaning to stand idly to stop numerous times or to delay and procrastinate Using loitering as probable cause, the police would then photograph, search, and fingerprint everyone present. A fingerprint is an impression of the friction ridges of all or any part of the finger This would improve the police's records in case fingerprints or eye-witnesses were available at future crimes, along with catching anyone with drugs or weapons on them. A witness is someone who has firsthand knowledge about a Crime or dramatic event through their Senses (e Controversy spread from the theory that such a practice may be a violation of civil rights. ^[18]

Crime Rate per 100,000 people:

	Wilmington	National
Murder	16. 2	6. 9
Forcible Rape	36. 52	32. 2
Robbery	585. 6	195. 4
Aggravated Assault	780. 4	340. 1
Burglary	1105	814. 5
Larceny Theft	2845. 6	2734. 7
Vehicle Theft	693. 8	526. 5

^[19]

Public Health issues

The city has one of the highest per capita rates of HIV infection in the United States, with disproportionate rates of infection among African-American males. Human immunodeficiency virus ( HIV) is a Lentivirus (a member of the Retrovirus family that can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome ^[20][21] Efforts by local advocates to implement needle exchange programs to combat the spread of infection were obstructed for several years by downstate and suburban state legislators but a program was finally approved in June 2006. A hypodermic needle-exchange program is a sometimes controversial Social policy, based on the philosophy of Harm reduction where injection ^[22]

Public Safety

The Wilmington Police Department (WPD) is led by Chief of Police Michael J. Szczerba and is authorized to deploy up to 289 officers in motor vehicles, on foot, and on bicycle in order to protect and serve the citizens of the city. It recently joined the ranks of 350 other departments nationwide in achieving operations accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.

The Wilmington Fire Department (WFD) is led by Chief Willie Patrick Jr. and maintains six engine companies, two ladder companies, a marine fire fighting force, three ambulances, and one rescue squad. In recent years, the department has promoted a ride along program which gives city residents an opportunity to evaluate possible career decisions. In addition, department officials have enacted a program that requires firefighters to be involved with community associations on a regular basis. Wilmington is the only municipality in Delaware with a career fire department.

Economy

Much of Wilmington's economy is based on its status as the most populous and readily accessible city in Delaware, a state that made itself attractive to businesses with pro-business finance laws and a longstanding reputation for a fair and effective judicial system.

Wilmington has become a national financial center for the credit card industry, largely due to regulations enacted by former Governor Pierre S. du Pont, IV in 1981. A credit card is part of a system of Payments named after the small Plastic card issued to users of the system This is a list of the Presidents and Governors of the State of Delaware. Pierre Samuel "Pete" du Pont IV (born January 22 1935) is an American Lawyer and Politician from Delaware The Financial Center Development Act of 1981, among other things, eliminated the usury laws enacted by most states, thereby removing the cap on interest rates that banks may legally charge customers. Usury (ˈjuːʒəri comes from the Medieval Latin usuria, "interest" or "excessive interest" from the Latin usura "interest" Many major credit card issuers, including Bank of America (formerly MBNA Corporation), Chase Card Services (part of JPMorgan Chase & Co., formerly Bank One/First USA), and Barclays (formerly Juniper Bank), are headquartered in Wilmington. Banc of America Securities Bank of America () is the largest bank by asset and second largest commercial Bank by deposits and Market capitalization in United MBNA Corporation was a bank Holding company and parent company of wholly owned subsidiary MBNA America Bank N JPMorgan Chase & Co ( is the largest Banking institution in the United States by deposits and market capitalization and is one of the oldest operating Barclays PLC is a major global financial services provider operating in Europe, North America, the Middle East, Latin America, Australia Barclays PLC is a major global financial services provider operating in Europe, North America, the Middle East, Latin America, Australia The Dutch banking giant ING Groep N.V. headquartered its U. ING Groep NV () (known as ING Group) is a Financial institution of Dutch origin offering Banking Insurance and S. internet banking unit, ING Direct, in Wilmington. ING Direct is a marketing name for a branchless direct bank with operations in Australia, Canada, France, Germany (branded In 1988, the Delaware legislature enacted a law which required a would-be acquirer to capture 85 percent of a Delaware chartered corporation’s stock in a single transaction or wait three years before proceeding. This law strengthened Delaware's position as a safe haven for corporate charters during an especially turbulent time filled with hostile takeovers.

Wilmington's other notable industries include insurance (American Life Insurance Company [ALICO], Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Delaware), retail banking (including the Delaware headquarters of: Wilmington Trust, PNC Bank, Wachovia Bank, JPMorgan Chase, HSBC, Citizens Bank), Wilmington Savings Fund Society, Artisans' Bank, and legal services. Retail banking refers to banking in which Banking institutions execute transactions directly with consumers rather than corporations or other banks Wilmington Trust ( was founded on July 8, 1903 as a banking trust and safe deposit company by DuPont president T PNC Financial Services ( is a US -based Financial services Corporation, with Assets (as of December 31, 2006) of Wachovia Corporation ( based in Charlotte North Carolina, is a diversified Financial services holding company provided via its operating subsidiaries a broad JPMorgan Chase & Co ( is the largest Banking institution in the United States by deposits and market capitalization and is one of the oldest operating HSBC Holdings plc ( (,,,) is a Public limited company incorporated in England and Wales, headquartered in London. Several banks are commonly known as Citizens Bank. Citizens Financial Group Inc Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB, currently branded as WSFS Bank, is a federal savings bank headquartered in Wilmington Delaware, U Delaware's only two remaining homegrown 2006 Fortune 1000 companies, E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company and Hercules, both have their global headquarters in downtown Wilmington. E I du Pont de Nemours and Company (,) is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a Gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée Hercules Inc ( is an S&P 500 chemical company in Wilmington DE that was created in 1912 as Hercules Powder Company from DuPont as a result of government This is two less than previous years due to the acquisition of MBNA by Bank of America, and Conectiv through Pepco Holding's subsidiary, Delmarva Power. Pepco Holdings Inc (or "PHI") is a Holding company incorporated in February of 2001 for the purpose of effecting the acquisition of Conectiv Power Delivery Pepco Holdings Inc (or "PHI") is a Holding company incorporated in February of 2001 for the purpose of effecting the acquisition of Conectiv Power Delivery In addition, the city is the corporate domicile of more than 50% of the publicly traded companies in the United States, and over 60% of the Fortune 500. Please do not add the complete list of fortune 500 companies The list is copyrighted by Fortune which makes money by selling the content

Delaware chartered corporations rely on the state's Court of Chancery to decide legal disputes, which places legal decisions with a judge instead of a jury. The Delaware Court of Chancery is a Court of equity in the American state of Delaware. The Court of Chancery, known both nationally and internationally for its speed, competence, and knowledgeable judiciary,^[23], as a court of equity, is empowered to grant broad relief in the form of injunctions and restraining orders, which is of particular importance when shareholders seek to block or enjoin corporate actions such as mergers or acquisitions. The Court of Chancery, as a statewide court, may hear cases in any of the state's three counties. A dedicated-use Chancery courthouse was recently constructed in Georgetown, Sussex County, which has hosted high-profile complex corporate trials such as the Disney shareholder litigation. Michael Eisner (born March 7, 1942) was CEO of The Walt Disney Company from September 22, 1984 to September 30

Delaware has among the strictest rules in America regarding out-of-state legal practice, allowing no reciprocity to lawyers in other states. ^[24] As a result, Wilmington has a rather large per capita population of attorneys.

Media

Radio, television and film

• Wilmington is home to five FM radio stations as well as three AM radio stations. In addition, most of the major Philadelphia radio stations decently cover Wilmington.
• Wilmington is part of the Philadelphia television market. Four of the market's stations are licensed to Wilmington--WTSD-CA, W40AZ, WPPX, WHYY-TV. W40AZ is a low-power analog repeater of Smile of a Child, a digital television channel Owned and operated by Trinity Broadcasting Network. WPPX is the ION Television network affiliate for the Philadelphia area broadcasting on channel 61 For the former channel 12 in Wilmington see WVUE (Delaware. WHYY-TV, channel 12 is a Non-commercial, PBS member station licensed

Publications

• The local newspaper is The News Journal, founded as the Delaware Gazette in 1785, with a current daily circulation of more than 100,000. The News Journal is a Newspaper near Wilmington Delaware owned by Gannett. ^[25]

Portrayal in the Media

• During the 2003-2005 TV Season, the city of Wilmington's skyline and other aerial shots of the city were featured as the stand in for the fictional town of Arcadia in CBS's Joan of Arcadia. CBS Broadcasting Inc ( CBS) is an American radio and Television network. Joan of Arcadia is an American Television Fantasy / Family Drama, which originally aired on Fridays 8-9 p
• Wilmington is portrayed as the fictional location of the film version of the novel Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk, as evidenced in the narrator's business card including the suburban Wilmington zip code 19808 and the Delaware area code 302,and his apartment building having as its motto "A Place To Be Somebody". Fight Club is a 1996 novel by Chuck Palahniuk, chronicling the experiences of an anonymous Protagonist who is struggling with a growing discomfort Other references include Delaware state flags, Delaware license plates, new fight clubs in New Castle, Delaware City, and Penns Grove (NJ), and the presence of credit card companies. However, city officials rejected the filmmakers' request to film in Delaware. The movie's exteriors were filmed around Los Angeles.

Transportation

Wilmington is served by the Wilmington Rail Station, with frequent service between Boston, Massachusetts, and Washington, DC, via Amtrak's Northeast Corridor, with additional local service to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania via SEPTA Regional (commuter) Rail. Wilmington Train Station is a passenger rail station in Wilmington, Delaware, formerly known as Pennsylvania Station. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Doing business as Amtrak, is a Government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971 The Northeast Corridor ( NEC) is the busiest passenger rail line in the United States by ridership and service frequency Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority ( SEPTA) is a regional public authority that operates various forms of public transit &mdash bus Two freight railroads also serve Wilmington, CSX and Norfolk Southern. This article is about the present railroad formed in 1990 For the former regional railroad in Virginia and North Carolina a small part of the new one see Norfolk Southern Both railroads operate major freight yards in the area; CSX operates the Wilsmere Yard to the west of the city and Norfolk Southern operates the Edgemoor Yard to the northeast of the city. Amtrak has a major maintenance shop and yard in northeast Wilmington that maintains and rebuilds the agency's Northeast Corridor fleet. The Amtrak Training Facility is also located in Wilmington, as well as CNOC, Amtrak's Consolidated National Operations Center.

DART First State (Delaware Authority for Regional Transit) operates public bus service with approximately 40 bus lines serving the city and the surrounding suburbs as well as inter-county service to Dover and seasonal service to Rehoboth Beach. The Delaware Transit Corporation, trading as DART First State is the primary public transportation system that operates throughout Delaware, USA See also DART First State DART First State operates 43 fixed-route bus routes throughout northern New Castle County, serving the cities of Wilmington and The city of Dover is the capital and second largest city in the U Rehoboth Beach is a city in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. New Jersey Transit provides rush hour bus service to Salem County, New Jersey on the 423 Route. The New Jersey Transit Corporation (usually shortened to New Jersey Transit, NJ Transit or NJT) is a statewide Public transportation system serving Salem County is a County located in the US state of New Jersey. See also New Jersey Transit Bus Operations New Jersey Transit operates or contracts out the following bus routes across the Delaware River from Camden Greyhound operates interstate bus service out of the downtown bus terminal at the rail station.

Interstate 95 splits Wilmington roughly in half, and provides access to major markets in the Northeast and nationwide, as does Interstate 495 just east of the city. In Delaware, Interstate 95 runs diagonally from the border with Pennsylvania in northeast to the border with Maryland. Interstate 495 (abbreviated I-495) in Delaware is a six-lane bypass of Interstate 95 around the city of Wilmington Delaware.

Wilmington is also served by the Port of Wilmington, a modern full-service deepwater port and marine terminal handling over 400 vessels per year with an annual import/export cargo tonnage of 5 million tons. The Port of Wilmington handles mostly international imports of fruits and vegetables, automobiles, steel, and bulk products.

The closest major airport is Philadelphia International Airport. A few miles south of Wilmington is New Castle County Airport. New Castle Airport, also known as the New Castle County Airport, is a public Airport located in unincorporated New Castle County, Delaware The airport is primarily used for corporate charter flights, recreational flights, and by both the Delaware Army National Guard and Delaware Air National Guard.

Sports

Club	League	Sport	Venue
Wilmington Blue Rocks	Carolina League	Minor League Baseball (upper single-A)	Daniel S. Frawley Stadium
Delaware Destroyers	EBA	Basketball	William "Hicks" Anderson Community Center
Delaware Smash	World TeamTennis	Tennis	DuPont Country Club

Running Events

The Delaware Distance Classic is a 15K Road Race held in October. The Wilmington Blue Rocks are a Minor League Baseball team located in Wilmington Delaware. The Carolina League is a Minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic region of the United States. Daniel S Frawley Stadium is a Stadium in Wilmington Delaware. The Delaware Destroyers is a basketball team based in Wilmington, Delaware. This article is about the African food for the acronym see EBA Eba is a Staple food eaten in West Africa, particularly The Delaware Smash is a World TeamTennis club based in Wilmington Delaware. World TeamTennis is a league of team Tennis in the United States. The Delaware Distance Classic is a 15K Road Race held in October around Wilmington Delaware. It is the event of the year for the Pike Creek Valley Running Club (PCVRC). The course has rotated every few years based on sponsorship. The event began in 1983 as a fund raiser for the PCVRC but the Special Olympics has been the beneficiary for the last few years.

Recreation

The Wilmington State Parks are a group of four parks in Wilmington. The Wilmington State Parks are a group of four parks in Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware in the United States. This is a list of all State parks of Delaware, operated by the Delaware Division of Parks and Recreation. The four parks are Brandywine Park, including the Brandywine Zoo and Baynard Stadium, Alapocas Woods Natural Area, H. Fletcher Brown Park and Rockford Park. Admission to the parks is free, but a fee is charged for admittance to the zoo. A zoological garden, shortened to zoo, is an institution in which living animals are exhibited in captivity The parks, within minutes of each other, are open year round from sunrise to sunset. Sunrise is the instant at which the upper edge of the Sun appears above the Horizon in the East. Sunset, also called sundown in some American English Dialects is the instant when the trailing edge of the Sun 's disk disappears below The zoo is open daily from 10:00am until 4:00pm, May through November. Rockford Tower and Rockford Park is open from 10:00 until 4:00pm on Saturdays and Sundays, from May 1 until October 31. The parks are patrolled by Delaware State Park Rangers whose headquarters office is in Brandywine Park. ^[26]

Educational Institutions

Wilmington is served by the Colonial, Red Clay, Brandywine, and Christina School Districts for elementary, junior high, and high school public education. Red Clay Consolidated School District (abbreviated Red Clay or RCCSD) is a public School district in northern New Castle County, Delaware Brandywine School District (abbreviated BSD) is a public School district in northern New Castle County, Delaware in the United States ₠The Christina School District is located in Wilmington Delaware, is the largest Public school system in Delaware.

There are also private schools such as Salesianum, St. Mark's, Archmere Academy, Ursuline Academy, Wilmington Friends School, Tower Hill School, The Tatnall School, St. Elizabeth High School, Padua Academy, Nativity Preparatory School, Albert Einstein Academy, Wilmington Montessori School, St. Salesianum School is an independent Catholic Secondary school for boys located in Wilmington Delaware. St Mark's High School is a coeducational Roman Catholic High school located at 2501 Pike Creek Road Wilmington Delaware Archmere Academy is a Roman Catholic College preparatory school of 508 students in Claymont Delaware. Established in 1893 by the Ursulines in Wilmington Delaware, Ursuline Academy is a Private school which offers Early Childhood ( Montessori Wilmington Friends School, the oldest existing school in Delaware is a preschool through 12th grade Quaker school in Wilmington Delaware. There are also schools named Tower Hill School in Atlantic Pennsylvania, Red Bank New Jersey, Randolph Massachusetts and Witney, The Tatnall School is a private school in Greenville Delaware, for students from three years old through 12th grade St Elizabeth High School is a Coeducational Catholic High school in Wilmington Delaware. Padua Academy is an all-girls Catholic High school in Wilmington Delaware. Wilmington Montessori School is a Montessori Elementary school located in Wilmington Delaware, USA. Mary Magdalen, St. Anthony Grade School, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary School.

Wilmington also hosts several charter schools, including the Charter School of Wilmington and East Side Charter School. Charter schools are elementary or secondary schools in the United States that receive public money but The Charter School of Wilmington is a high school in Wilmington Delaware, with approximately 1000 students Wilmington also has Cab Calloway School of the Arts, which was founded in 1992 as a magnet school focusing on the performing arts. The Cab Calloway School of the Arts is an arts-oriented Magnet school in Wilmington Delaware, operated by the Red Clay Consolidated School District, that

Universities and Colleges

• Delaware College of Art and Design
• Delaware Technical & Community College
• Drexel University - Wilmington Campus
• Springfield College - Wilmington Campus
• University of Delaware - Wilmington Campus & Downtown Building
• Widener University - Wilmington Campus, Widener University School of Law & University College
• Wilmington University
• Delaware State University - Wilmington Campus
• Goldey-Beacom College

Points of Interest

• Brandywine Park^[27]
• Brandywine Zoo^[28]
• Delaware Art Museum
• Delaware Center for Contemporary Art^[29]
• Delaware Theatre Company^[30]
• DuPont Playhouse
• Grand Opera House
• The Kalmar Nyckel Foundation & Tall Ship Kalmar Nyckel
• Nemours Mansion and Gardens
• Old Swedes Church
• Riverfront Market
• Rockford Tower
• Ursuline Academy (Example of Collegiate Gothic architecture)
• Wilmington Blue Rocks, Carolina League baseball
• The Wilmington Library^[31]

Near the city

• Mt. Cuba Center
• Cooch's Bridge
• Hagley Museum and Library
• Winterthur Museum and Country Estate
• Brandywine Battlefield

Sister Cities

Wilmington has six sister cities^[32] , as designated by Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI):

• Fulda, Germany
• Kalmar, Sweden
• Ningbo, China
• Watford, England, UK
• Olevano sul Tusciano, Italy
• Osogbo, Nigeria

See also

• Flag of Sweden
• List of notable people from Wilmington, Delaware

References

External links

• Wilmington, Delaware
• Downtown Wilmington
• Wilmington Riverfront
• Wilmington Visitors Bureau
• Historic Wilmington Archive

---

© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic