Blackwell Street at the Turn of the Century

We here at the Richards Building need to give a shoutout to Facebook user, Howard James Vose, for sending in this incredible photo looking West down Blackwell Street around the turn of the century (around 1900, in case that wasn't obvious).  It’s truly incredible to see how so much has changed; but even more importantly, how much has stayed the same!  Gone are the days of downtown trolley cars, but in their place, local buses travel down Blackwell and a very bustling train transports commuters to New York, Hoboken, and beyond.

Notably, in this photo, you see some of the mainstays of Blackwell Street: The Baker Theater and Opera House, as well as the general store at the Richards Building.  As we continue the renovation, it’s great to get inspiration from this old photograph that shows items displayed in the street-facing windows.  Our construction crews are hard at work restoring the grandeur of this prominent downtown Dover destination.