Historic New Castle

Historic New Castle is one of the most intact colonial-era towns on the East Coast of the United States, occupying a compact peninsula on the Delaware River six miles south of Wilmington. The town preserves more than three centuries of layered history beginning with Dutch settlement in 1651, through Swedish and English colonial periods, to the prosperous merchant era of the 18th and 19th centuries. William Penn arrived on American soil for the first time at the New Castle wharf in 1682, receiving the symbolic keys to Pennsylvania at The Green — the central square that still anchors the historic district and remains one of the finest colonial greens in America.

The principal sights are arranged within easy walking distance of one another. The New Castle Court House (c. 1732), now part of First State National Historical Park, served as Delaware's first capitol building and was the site where delegates voted to ratify the U.S. Constitution in 1787; it is open to visitors free of charge with period-furnished courtroom and assembly rooms. The Old Dutch House (c. 1700), believed to be the oldest surviving dwelling in Delaware, offers guided tours. The Amstel House (c. 1738) showcases colonial domestic life with period furnishings and a reconstructed kitchen garden. Battery Park at the southern end of town provides sweeping views over the Delaware River, historic cannons, and a restored bandstand.

Cobblestone Delaware Street running from The Green toward the river is lined with 18th-century brick townhouses, many still in private residential use. The most rewarding route is to walk the perimeter of The Green, follow Harmony Street to the river, and return along Delaware Street. The town hosts Old New Castle Day, an annual heritage open-house event in May when normally private historic buildings open to the public. New Castle is easily combined with a visit to First State National Historical Park units in Wilmington and Dover on the same itinerary.