Wilmington and Western Railroad wins quarter finals as a write in By Adam Zewe Community News Posted Mar 09, 2009 @ 02:10 PM Prices Corner, Del. — The Wilmington and Western Railroad is heading toward national recognition on the tails-end of a quarter. The historic railroad was selected as the top choice to represent Delaware on a coin in the U.S. Mint’s next state quarter series. The new series focuses sites of national importance in each of the 50 states, District of Columbia and five U.S. Territories, with one quarter being released every 10 weeks beginning in 2010. The Fist State opened the polls in February, asking Delawareans to pick from nine sites across that the state for the quarter. WWRR, which had received 3,769 votes by the time the polls closed on March 2 was a write-in candidate. “We were completely surprised,” said David Ludlow, WWRR executive director. Railroad volunteers spread the word among members and others, encouraging them to write the railroad in, but with so many other statewide sites on the list, Ludlow did not think the railroad would get enough votes. Other sites in the poll included: the Old State House, John Dickinson Mansion, Fort Christina, Howard High School, Holy Trinity (Old Swedes) Church, New Castle Court House, New Castle Historic District, Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge and Bombay Hook Wildlife Refuge. The New Castle Court House (2,477 votes), Howard High School (2,189 votes) and the Old State House (1,620 votes) were runners-up. The winner and runners-up were forwarded to the U.S. Mint, which will decide which site will be displayed on the quarter and will produce the finished design. But even if it is not selected by the U.S. Mint, the statewide poll shows that Delawareans value the Wilmington and Western, Ludlow said. “The railroad heritage and history of this county and Delaware is very important,” he said. “It’s kind of a Delaware gem.” WWRR was established in 1867 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It began as a freight line and now acts as Delaware’s only tourist railroad, running scenic trains between Prices Corner and Hockessin.
