There is a small riverfront town in Delaware, with colonial houses and cobblestone streets, that draws in visitors from all over the world. There's no amusement parks. There's no big businesses. People come to see New Castle because of its authentic historical buildings and landscape.
Overlooking the Delaware River, this unique town is the oldest continuously occupied town in the Delaware Valley. Unlike many historic communities, New Castle is a residential town where people work and live, surrounded by houses, buildings, and museums that reflect the town's rich historical past.
Brian Cannon is the Lead Interpreter at the New Castle Court House Museum. Built in 1732, the building is coming up on 300 years. It's also known as the most historic building in the state of Delaware.
The building was first erected as an English courthouse, Cannon told The Buzz, and the first floor had a court room that ran until 1776.
“That's when we had a problem with England that we don't talk about,” he joked.
Right above the courtroom in the same building is an assembly room. This was the very room where it was decided that ties with the King of England would be broken. This freed the court not only from Europe, but from Pennsylvania. It would still be a few months before Delaware became its own state.
Over the years, the court house building was rented out for a variety of things, including gymnasiums and a restaurant. But in the 1950s, New Castle started to get a bit concerned about preserving their historic buildings, and they created an area that protected these buildings, including the courthouse. It soon became a museum, as did many other buildings in the city.
One popular historical site is the George Reed House, built by George Read II.
“His father,” noted Cannon, “was one of our three delegates and signers of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.”
Historic church building in New Castle [Photo/Visit Delaware]
The George Read House is a 22-room, 14,000-square-foot building that features a simple Philadelphia architectural style. It also possesses “advanced technological systems” for the time, and beautiful gardens.
Then there's the Amstel House, built in the 1730s by an affluent townsperson. Tour guides, which take you through the streets to see the various buildings, will often compare this home to the Dutch House, built in 1690. This is the oldest building in the town, but also more of a working class family home, which gives visitors an idea of how various people lived in New Castle throughout its early years.
But the Amstel House has a pretty unique claim to fame that may make it stand out for more than its added attention to detail.
“In 1789, George Washington was on his way to New York to become president. He was a retired general and a farmer from Pennsylvania,” explained Cannon.
You might see where this is going.
“Washington actually gave a bride away at a wedding that took place at that house,” said Cannon. “There's a spot by the mantle with a star, where he reportedly stood and talked to the guests about his many ideas for the nation. Just imagine you're getting married. Who in the world would you invite to your wedding that could be equal to having George Washington?”
All of these historical buildings are within a six-block historic district that allows visitors to see over 400 years of history and 300 years of building development in one trip. Unlike many historic towns and attractions, New Castle is not built to show you one moment in time.
Depending on your interests, said Cannon, there should be something for you to marvel at in New Castle.
“I actually spent an hour showing this one architect bricks,” he laughed. “You would have thought I was taking him to Disney World. He was just fascinated.”
Then there is Fort Delaware State Park, where visitors can not only take tours, but watch interpretive stories. This park was once a POW camp, and now it's a site for many war reenactments.
“My favorite thing to do is the walking tours,” Cannon noted. “You can go into museums and homes and hear the stories. But when you want to see what the town is like... You take people to where the 1651 Dutch fort was. Where they traded with Native Americans. You take them to the taverns.”
Cannon is 72 years old, and he recalled that everyone could do all of their shopping and dining here in New Castle until around the 50s.
“I like to follow my own nose. My own script. I show the visitors what they want,” he said. “I just want to show off the town in a way that you can't from just looking at it.”
But the town isn't static, either. It may never change its buildings or landscape, but there's always new events happening throughout the year. The Kalmar Nyckel, the Tall Ship of Delaware, will be arriving in New Castle May 10 and 11, June 19 through 25, July 13 through 15, and August 21 through September 10.
Visitors can take a sail on this full-scale re-creation of Peter Minuit's original flagship that founded the colony of New Sweden on the Delaware River.
The first weekend in May marks May Market, a New Castle tradition that brings an expansive collection of flower and plant vendors to the historic town. Proceeds benefit the gardens of New Castle's historic Arstel and Dutch Houses.
Stepping into New Castle is like stepping back in time, seeing the history of the first American settlers. You see their trading post with the Native Americans. You see the assembly room where they signed the Declaration of Independence. You see the homes of wealthy families from the late 1700s. You see the taverns they frequented. You see old cannons that were used in the war. It’s just fascinating.
“You have to know where you came from to know where you're going,” said Cannon. “This town is the perfect place to see that.”