Wilmington, Delaware
Hagley Museum and Library
In its early years, before it became known as a behemoth in the chemical and textile industries, DuPont was instrumental in defending, expanding and preserving the United States. Initially a gunpowder manufacturer, the company supplied the fledgling country with material for ammunition during the War of 1812 and again for the Union Army during the Civil War, as well as for dynamite used for blasting railway passages during westward expansion.
The Hagley Museum and Library, opened in 1957, encompasses 235 acres along the Brandywine River where DuPont was first established and includes original mills, gardens and the family’s ancestral estate. Exhibits throughout the facilities include displays about the history of the family, the DuPont business and evolving American technologies, as well as artifacts such as the first wedding dress and football shorts made from nylon.
In June, the Hagley Museum unveiled an operational 19th-century water turbine to power a mill for a demonstration on gunpowder production.
“We’re actually using the water power again,” said marketing manager Margaret Marcozzi. “We’re using the same water from the Brandywine they originally used when they started the company.”
