Queen Anne’s Railroad connected Milton with big cities

In February 1885, the Delaware Legislature authorized the Queen Anne's Railroad, a Maryland corporation formed the previous year, to extend its lines across the state to Lewes to establish a direct link between Baltimore and the coast. The western terminus was at Queenstown, Md., with connection to Baltimore via steamship. The eastern terminus provided travelers with access to Rehoboth Beach via rail, and steamship connection with Cape May, N.J.

On Aug. 29, 1897, after 40 years of efforts to bring a railway to Milton, the first passenger train arrived in town greeted by residents of the town and surrounding countryside. A station was erected in the area of today’s Reed Trucking in October of that year. Regular passenger and mail service was provided, and a wide variety of freight was shipped and received. For many years, Milton was noted for the export of holly and other seasonal greenery to northern cities.

In 1905, the Queen Anne’s Railroad was purchased by a subsidiary of the Pennsylvania Railroad. By the mid-1920s, limited profits and competition with other lines owned by the company led to a decision to abandon a large portion of the old railway. Facing that prospect, the Denton to Lewes section was purchased by the Maryland & Delaware Coast Railway. This effort proved to be largely unsuccessful, and passenger service was discontinued in October 1931. Once again slated for abandonment, the Ellendale to Milton line was purchased in 1934 for the purpose of continuing a freight link to the town via rail. It would become the last significant operable section of the old Queen Anne’s Railroad.

Today, a large section of the former railroad through Milton is now a walking and biking trail.