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Route 40 Scrapbook
Delaware

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Route 40 - DEGreetings from Delaware In Delaware Route 40 covers a little over fifteen miles. In that short span, there is a wealth of highway culture. If you look beyond the wall-to-wall strip malls, you'll find some real treasures.

Wilmington
Wilmington
Postcard ca. 1960.

Aerial View of Wilmington.

When Route 40 was extended into New Jersey in 1927, it ran through the industrial city of Wilmington.

Delaware Memorial Bridge
Delaware Memorial Bridge
Postcard ca. 1955.

Crossing the Delaware.

The Delaware Memorial Bridge opened for service in the early 1950's and is the first toll thoroughfare found along Route 40 when traveling from east to west. At first it was a single span bridge. The single span is also shown in Ralph Gray and Dean Conger's National Geographic article, "From Sea to Shining Sea: A Cross Section of the United States Along Historic Route 40" (Vol. 120, No. 1. July 1961. pp. 1-61). A second identical span was added in the 1960's.

The back of the 1950's era postcard on the right it reads:

"This 3,650 foot bridge is the sixth longest suspension bridge in the world. From just south of Wilmington, Del. it spans the Delaware River to Deepwater, N.J. where it joins the New Jersey Turnpike. It was dedicated as a memorial to World War II dead of both states."

This view (towards Deepwater, New Jersey) shows the original single span of the bridge. In this view, the Deepwater Canal is visible at the eastern end of the bridge.

Below is another vintage postcard view of the bridge, also looking towards New Jersey. This linen postcard also dates from the 1950's.

Delaware Memorial Bridge
Postcard ca. 1955.
Delaware Memorial Bridge
Postcard ca. 1955.

Here is another view of the bridge, circa 1960. This view is to the west, looking into Delaware.

New Castle
Postcard ca. 1960.

Howard Johnson's.

On the south side of the approach road to the DMB there once stood a massive Howard Johnson complex. Much of the old motel is gone. In its place is Mike's Famous Roadside Rest, a Harley dealership and museum dedicated to the lure of the open road.

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