History:
For more than a century, railroading was Wilmington's chief industry. In 1840 the Wilmington & Weldon Railroad was completed and was the longest continuous rail line in the world at 161 miles long.
Near the turn of the century several railroads up and down the eastern seaboard, including the Wilmington & Weldon, merged to become the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. The ACL company headquarters was located here in Wilmington.
During its heyday the railroad was referred to as the "aorta” of Wilmington. It contributed to the area's commercial and industrial growth and provided jobs and revenue for the local economy. In 1960 the Atlantic Coast Line moved its headquarters from Wilmington to Jacksonville, Florida. It was the largest single move of employees ever staged by a southeastern industry. The railroad moved over 1,000 employees, their families, their belongings, and the company files and office equipment over 450 miles by rail.
Started in 1980 with two women with a table of ACL Railroad artifacts, the Wilmington Railroad Museum is dedicated to preserving the rich history of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad and the history of railroading in the southeastern United States.
Your Wilmington Railroad Museum has an extensive library of railroading history. A few of the available articles are repeated here. To research the full set of available information please visit the museum.
