The Wilmington & Western Railroad offers a chance to revisit the past by taking a trip on a train.

In this edition of Greenville & Hockessin Life, writer Natalie Smith offers a look at the history of one of the area’s true treasures—the Wilmington & Western Railroad. That history can be traced back to 1872, when the Wilmington & Western Railroad began passenger and freight service between Wilmington and Landenberg in southern Chester County, Pa. The Wilmington & Western Railroad is also featured in the photo essay by Jim Coarse.

Far from the maddening pace of big city recording studios, William Mele has owned and operated Moontree Studio in Hockessin since 2012. It is both a recording studio and an incubator for ideas that continues to explore musical possibilities with up-and-coming recording artists. Recently, Greenville & Hockessin Life talked with William, as well as his creative partners Alex and Andrew Major, about the studio’s new recording concept Sound Portals and their advice for young music makers.

Another story in this edition, by writer Ken Mammarella, highlights two hidden gems in the area—Greenbank Mill and Philips Farm. The Red Clay Creek mill dates to 1677, when new owner Robert Philips contracted with neighbor Oliver Evans to install Evans’ innovative milling system, which had three years earlier received America’s third patent. As a result, Greenbank Mill has a place in the history of U.S. manufacturing.

Writer and local historian Gene Pisasale takes a look at the impact that Henry du Pont and his company had on the outcome of the U.S. Civil War. Henry du Pont held the view that secession is treason to the government of the United States, and he did everything he could to ensure that his company’s products, including gun powder, didn’t end up in the hands of Confederates and Confederate sympathizers during the Civil War.

This edition also features a story about the Delaware Knights of Magic as well as a profile of artist Sarah Yeoman, whose teaching has taken her to workshops and seminars all over the country and the world.

We hope that you enjoy these stories as much as we enjoyed working on them and, as always, we welcome your comments and suggestions for stories for an upcoming issue of Greenville & Hockessin Life. We’re already hard at work planning the next issue, which will arrive in the spring of 2024.