New Castle DE
First State National Historical Park
This is a recent addition to the National Park System and has a number of stations in Delaware. We went to New Castle because it was settled in 1651 and is the place where William Penn landed in the "new land" and took possession of his territories. It is the home of the First State National Historical Park.
We walked around the town with Abby.
Old tombstones between buildings. the stones are from the 18th century, so I don't understand the sign.
William Penn
The Sheriff's House is undergoing restoration and will become the new Visitor's Center.
The side of the Sheriff's House is where the County Jail once stood.
The back view of the Sheriff's House.
This is a road and it was hard to walk on and bumpy to drive on.
The Arsenal... Ammunition was stored here for the War of 1812. It's the Visitor's Center now.
That's a patriotic eagle sitting on the cannon.
These are "sleeper stones" from the New Castle and Frenchtown Railroad. Sleeper Stones are what the railroad ties rested on.
The Courthouse was built in 1732. This is where New Castle, Kent and Sussex declared their independence from Pennsylvania and Great Britain in 1776 to become the First State of Delaware. It is the museum now. We ran out of time and steam on this hot day and hope to get back to see the museum.
The Old Town Hall and Marketplace... It has been a fire station as well as a barber shop. It is now the home of the New Castle Weekly newspaper.
Penn's Place... We had lunch in a little garden behind this building called the secret garden at Trader's Cove.
Chancellor Kensey Johns House. He was Chancellor of the Court. Built in 1789
The Van Dyke House
The New Castle Opera House 10000 to 15000 people came to it's dedication in 1880.
Here's a story... https://oakknollbooks.wordpress.com/tag/new-castle/
The Amstel House Probably the most elegant house in town when built by Dr. John Finney in 1730. Later, it was the home of Governor Van Dyke. George Washington attended the wedding of Van Dyke's daughter in this house.
The Green... What the sign says plus it was pasture for the livestock.
The Dutch House It is the oldest house in New Castle, built in 1690ish.
We saw this funny looking thing mounted under some of the windows along the street and wondered what it was.. A historian happened by as we stood musing about this thing and told us what it was.
I found this at https://philly.curbed.com/2013/3/21/10261688/society-hill-mirrors-pay-tribute-to-philandering-forefather
If you've ever spent time in Society Hill, you may have noticed the busybody mirrors that hang from second and third story windows. A busybody mirror is a collection of three mirrors hung from a window with a metal rod, arranged so that a person inside the house can see who is at the door without being seen.
Though some sources claim that the mirrors were invented by none other than Benjamin Franklin himself, legend has it that Franklin first discovered busybody mirrors while serving as the revolutionary ambassador to France, during his many productive meetings in Paris's red light district. Legend also holds that Franklin used his busybody to slip out the back door when he saw his mother-in-law on his stoop.
I think there's an App for that now.
I think there's an App for that now.
Old Library Museum.. closed to the Public... It houses the collections of the New Castle Library Company.
The Academy.... This was the first private school for the children of the privileged.
Immanuel Church... The first Anglican Church in Delaware. This building, I believe, was the school.
The cemetery by the Church contains many of the prominent historic figures and even one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, George Read.
To see what other famous people are buried here, check out:
https://www.findagrave.com/php/famous.php?page=cem&FScemeteryid=640529
The Read House... This is actually George Read II house. The George Read who Signed the Declaration was his father. His house was next door and burned down in 1824.
The Strand is the last street, before the riverfront. It once housed inns, taverns, and even a few brothels, when New Castle was a busy port. At the end of Packet Alley was the main public wharf.
New Castle - Frenchtown Railroad Ticket Office. it's now preserved in Battery Park.
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