Wilmington Railroad Museum

For more than 125 years, 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 20th 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 contributed heavily to the area's commercial and industrial growth and provided jobs and revenue for the local economy.  In 1960 the ACL moved its headquarters from Wilmington to Jacksonville, FL.  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 more than 450 miles by rail.