Tuesday Talks: Gil Sparks: The Chatham Railroad and its Importance to the Town’s Development

The talk will trace the 50-year history of The Chatham Railroad from 1887 to 1937, including its key role in the mobility of Chatham\’s residents and the advancement of the town’s economy.

The talk will also draw on the photographic collection of the Chatham Railroad Museum to illustrate the stations on the line, the equipment used, the route of the railroad, and its connection to the national railroad system.

A. Gilchrist (“Gil”) Sparks is a retired Delaware corporate lawyer and a lifelong railroad enthusiast. He met his wife of 55 years in Chatham and has had a second home in Chatham for 35 years.

Since 2021 Gil has been co-director of the Chatham Railroad Museum after serving a number of years as a volunteer. Among the many leadership positions Gil has held during his career are Chairman of the Delaware State Board of Bar Examiners, the Corporation Law Committee of the Business Law Section of the American Bar Association, the Corporation Law Section of the Delaware Bar Association, the Tulane Corporate Law Institute, and the Board of Trustees of the University of Delaware. He is a graduate of Yale University (B.A.) and the University of Pennsylvania (J.D.), received an honorary degree from the University of Delaware, and was awarded the Order of the First State by the Governor of Delaware.