A partial collection of people, places and events that have made
Chesapeake City the unique and desirable location that it has become today.
2000 - Present
Oct. 6, 2007 - New Chesapeake City
Library Opens
2006 - Schaefer's Restaurant Closed
Fire Destroys V.F.W.
Nov. 10, 2000 - Worker killed when bridge scaffolding collapses
1976 - 1999
199? - Chesapeake Inn Opens
1995 - New High Level, 6 Lane, St. Georges Bridge Opened
Dockside Restaurant Fire
1979 - Unsolved Murder SCC -
Lamont Carl "Monty" Biggs - Age 32
Jan. 20, 1978 - Biddle Street Row House Fire
1977? - Taggart Apartments Fire
1950 - 1975
1975 - Official Little League -
Charter
1968 -
Pilot Boat Accident
1960s - Canal Widening - Properties Lost
December 1963 - Commercial Airliner Crash in Elkton, MD
1961 - Brantwood Golf Course Opening
1960 - New High Level, 4 Lane Summit Bridge Opened
June 1959 - First Graduation - Bohemia Manor High School
September 1958 - Bohemia Manor High School Opens
(Chesapeake City & Cecilton High Schools Combined)
September 1958 - C.C.H.S. Converted to Elementary only
June 1958 - Final High School Graduation C.C.H.S.
May
1956 - Galena Explosion Kills CC Fireman Picture
October 1954 - Hurricane Hazel Visits Chesapeake City
1952 - Large Yacht Explodes & Burns in Canal
Story
May 1952 - Tanker Hayes Burns &
Sinks in C&D Canal - 4 Killed Pictures/Story
1900 - 1949
September 21, 1949 - New High
Level, 2 Lane Bridge Dedicated in CC
Ferry Service Ends
1943-1949 - Route 213 rerouted for new bridge -
Properties Lost
1945 - World War II Ends
January 1943 - Vehicle/Passenger Ferry (Gotham) Service Begins
August 1942 - Passenger Ferry Service Begins (Through January 1943)
July 28, 1942 -
Chesapeake City
Drawbridge Accident Picture
Jan. 31, 1942 - New High Level, 4 Lane Bridge Opened in St. Georges, DE
1939 - Chesapeake City Water &
Sewer Plants Operational
(Goodbye outhouses, chamber pots, Sears catalogs and well water)
Jan. 10, 1939 - St. Georges Drawbridge
Destroyed by Accident
(2 Bridgetenders Killed)
1939 - World War II Begins
1938 - Canal Dredged to 27' Deep
and 250' Bottom Width
1928 - Ches. City Volunteer Fire
Co. Ladies Auxiliary Organized
May 12, 1927 - Waterwheel/Liftwheel Operation Discontinued
1921-1927 Locks Eliminated and
Canal Converted to Sea Level Waterway
12' Deep - 90' Bottom Width
Four Vertical Lift Bridges Plus Railroad Bridge.
East End Of Canal Relocated From Delaware City To Reedy Point.
1920 - Electricity is becoming a popular item in most homes.
August 13, 1919 - Canal Purchased by Federal Government for $2,500,000
1914-1918 - World War I
1911 - Chesapeake City Volunteer
Fire Company Organized
1907 - Cyclone Destroys Barn & Windmill Near Chesapeake City
Prior to 1900
1854 - Second Engine
Operational
Waterwheel/Liftwheel Diameter: 38' - Width: 10' - Buckets: 12
Approx. 42,000 Gallons -or- 170
Tons Per Minute
Coal Usage: 8 Tons Per Day
1852 - Cypress and Iron Waterwheel Operational - 1 Engine
1839 - Chesapeake City
Incorporated
1837 - Steam Pumping Station Constructed
1833 - President Andrew Jackson Visits Chesapeake City
October 17, 1829 - Chesapeake & Delaware
Canal Opened For Business.
14 Miles Long - 10' Deep - 36' Channel Width - 66' Waterline Width
Four 100' X 22' Locks: Chesapeake City(2), St. George(1) & Delaware City(1)
Locks: The Delaware, The Maryland, The Pennsylvania & The United States.
The two Chesapeake City Locks were later combined to make one larger lock
and the other two locks were enlarged to 220' X 24'.
Three swing bridges and one covered wooden bridge spanned the canal.
1824-1829 Chesapeake Village Begins - Result of C&D Canal
1824 - Work Resumed - Route
Changed
Route from Back Creek to Delaware City, DE with 4 locks.
1806 - Work stopped due to lack of funds.
1804 - Ground Breaking
Route from Christina River to Elk River to include 14 locks.
1802 - Chesapeake & Delaware Canal Company incorporated.
Mid 1700s - Surveys conducted for five possible canal routes.
Mid 1600s - Augustine Herman
proposes canal to reduce
Baltimore-Philadelphia water route by 300 miles.