The first European settlers in this area were Swedes who, in 1638 under Peter Minuet, built a fort just
up the river from New Castle, near what is now Wilmington, Delaware. However, Native Americans had also
sold the same land to the Dutch who, believing they had a prior claim, asserted it in 1651 by building Fort Casimir in today's New Castle. The Swedes retaliated by capturing the fort in 1654 and renaming it Fort Trinity.
That didn't last long, for scarcely a year later Peter Stuyvesant sailed from New Amsterdam (today's New York) with a Dutch fleet, subjugated the Swedish forts, and established Dutch authority throughout the entire area. This marked the end of Swedish rule in Delaware, but the cultural, social, and religious influence of these Swedish settlers remains today. As the town grew, Stuyvesant laid out a grid of streets, established the town common (The "Green") and changed the name of the town again; this time to New Amstel.
Then, the English entered the fray. First, they seized the land from the Dutch and then in 1664 King Charles II of England granted it to the Duke of York. Once again, the settlement's name was changed, and this time it stuck. The town's new name was New Castle.
William Penn, Pennsylvania and the Birth of Delaware
In 1682 the Duke of York handed over a large piece of his American holdings to William Penn. This land included present-day Pennsylvania and Delaware. Penn immediately sailed to America and his first step on American soil took place in New Castle in 1682. On this occasion, the colonists pledged allegiance
to Penn as their new Proprietor, and the first general assembly was held in the colony. Afterwards, Penn journeyed upriver and founded Philadelphia.
However, Penn’s Quaker government was not viewed favorably by the Dutch, Swedish, and English settlers in what is now today’s Delaware. They had no “historical” allegiance to Pennsylvania, so they, almost immediately, began petitioning for their own Assembly. In 1704 they achieved their goal when the three southernmost counties of Pennsylvania, were permitted to split off and became the Counties of Lower Delaware. As the most prominent, prosperous and influential “city” in the new colony, New Castle was designated the capital.
Colonial and Revolutionary Times
Being the colonial capital of Delaware, New Castle grew in size and stature. Larger houses were constructed, and businesses sprang up to accommodate the judges, lawyers, and other professionals who had business in town.
As the Revolution drew near, political debates and protests in the colony were centered in New Castle. It was a hotbed of revolutionary sentiment and the Assembly passed a resolution dissolving our ties with England and Pennsylvania on June15, 1776 (19 days before the Declaration of Independence!). The day that Delaware achieved “independence” was (and remains) an important one in Delaware. It is called Separation Day and it is celebrated in New Castle with a parade and a grand festival every year on the second Saturday in June.
Two signers of the Declaration of Independence lived here – one of them, George Read, is buried in the Immanuel Presbyterian cemetery.
After the Revolution, New Castle’s prominent citizens continued to play a leading role in the creation of the United States as Delaware became the first state to ratify the Constitution.
 |
| Old New Castle Court House |
It was during this era when Delaware’s state lines were surveyed and firmly established. The spire on top of the Court House was used as the center of the 12 mile circle which forms the State’s unique curved northern border. It is an historical oddity that the radius was extended across the Delaware River to the low water mark on the opposite shore in what is present day New Jersey. Therefore, when the Delaware Memorial Bridge was built in the 1950s it fell within Delaware’s boundaries and was constructed without financial participation by New Jersey. And that, wags say, is why this impressive structure is not called the Delaware/New Jersey Memorial Bridge!
Prosperity and Decline
After the Revolution, New Castle prospered for it served as an important conduit for the shipment of goods between North and South. In these times roads were poor so most trade moved by water. To link the North with the South an overland turnpike was built between New Castle and the head of the Chesapeake Bay, which was only 16 miles away. Since it was more economical to transfer goods through New Castle’s port rather than sail 400 miles around the Delmarva Peninsula, this route became commercially strategic and the town benefited greatly.
However, calamity struck when “The Great Fire of 1824” destroyed many of the inns and warehouses located along the waterfront and significantly hampered trade through the port.
Next, New Castle’s prosperity was further threatened by the building of
a canal connecting the Delaware River to the Chesapeake Bay. In response, merchants and other businessmen constructed a railroad
to cover the route from New Castle to the Chesapeake. Known as the New Castle–Frenchtown Railroad, it opened in 1832, the same year as the canal.
But, the small railroad wasn’t enough to maintain New Castle’s dominance. By 1840, a train line was established between Baltimore
and Philadelphia, bypassing the smaller and less significant New Castle.
With trade severely diminished, New Castle’s economy turned increasingly to manufacturing. At times during the 1800s and early 1900s the outskirts of town became home to steel mills, locomotive and aircraft factories, a gas plant, cotton and woolen mills, an umbrella factory, slaughterhouses and tanneries. However, these industries could not fully sustain New Castle’s economy and when the county seat was moved to the larger city of Wilmington in 1881 New Castle’s fortunes fell further.
Preservation, Restoration and Revival
Nineteenth-century New Castle’s decline meant that many owners of homes could no longer afford to make changes to them, which is why so many buildings were preserved. That changed, however, when
 Amstel House
Built 1730's - Saved 1931 | |
New Castle was “rediscovered” during the Colonial Revival phase of the 1920s and 1930s and old buildings began to be torn down and replaced by new construction.
In 1931, to protect New Castle’s heritage, a group of concerned citizens raised funds to buy the Amstel House, which faced an uncertain fate. This was the town’s first formal preservation effort. Shortly thereafter the group evolved into the
New Castle Historical Society which in the 75 years that have followed has worked closely with the city and other civic organizations to save, preserve and restore many of the town’s historic architectural treasures.
New Castle Today
New Castle has been designated a National Landmark Historic Area. All new exterior construction projects in New Castle’s historic district require approval from the Historic Area Commission before a building permit is issued. This review process helps insure that New Castle preserves its historic integrity and character.
 | Town Hall | |
Unlike many historic communities, New Castle is a residential town where people live and work. Each house reflects the individuality of its past and present owners, and great care is taken to respect the town’s storied heritage.
Today, strolling the brick sidewalks of New Castle, listening to the church bells and taking in the large green at the center of town, history comes alive and it’s possible to imagine what village life must have been like in early nineteenth-century America.
Editor's Note: For the serious student of history, further details may found at
The New Castle Community History and Archeological Project website.
)
)
)
)
)
