Discover 11 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in New Castle (United States). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: New Castle Court House Museum, Amstel House, and Immanuel Episcopal Church on the Green. Also, be sure to include New Castle Presbyterian Church in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in New Castle (Delaware).
Table of Contents
New Castle Court House Museum
Courthouse. The New Castle Court House Museum is the center of a circle with a 12-mile radius that defines most of the border between the states of Delaware and Pennsylvania and parts of the borders between Delaware and New Jersey and Maryland.
It is one of the oldest courthouses in the United States and has played a role in a number of historic events. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1972. The building is also a contributing property to a second National Historic Landmark, the New Castle Historic District. It is part of First State National Historical Park.[1]
Address: 211 Delaware St, 19720-4815 New Castle
Amstel House
Building in New Castle, Delaware. Amstel House, also known as Dr. Finney House, is a preserved building in New Castle, Delaware, United States, built in the 1730s. The decline of New Castle in the 19th century 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 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.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.[2]
Address: 2 E 4th St, 19720-5014 New Castle
Immanuel Episcopal Church on the Green
Episcopal church in New Castle, Delaware. Immanuel on the Green is an historic church in New Castle, Delaware, listed as a contributing property in the New Castle Historic District. The church is situated near the center of New Castle at the northeast end of the Green, or town common, making it a prominent local landmark and tourist attraction. Operating continuously since 1689, it is the oldest Anglican parish in Delaware and the oldest continuously operating Anglican/Episcopal parish in the country. The church building was constructed between 1703 and 1708 and enlarged in 1822. The interior and roof were rebuilt following a disastrous fire in 1980.[3]
Address: 100 Harmony St #1, 19720-4847 New Castle
New Castle Presbyterian Church
Presbyterian church in New Castle, Delaware. New Castle Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian Church congregation located in New Castle, Delaware which conducts worship services weekly within a historic meeting house, which was erected in 1707.
It was founded as a Dutch Reformed Church in 1657 because a clergyman of that faith had accompanied Peter Stuyvesant when building Fort Casimir in 1651. The founding date of the congregation was marked by the arrival of the first permanent pastor for the congregation, Reverend Evardus Welius on August 21, 1657.
By 1664, the British had taken control of the colony from the Dutch, leading to an increase in French Huguenot, English, and Scottish colonists taking residence within the town. Upon the arrival of Rev. John Wilson, as Scotsman, the church took on its distinctive Presbyterian form.
Francis Makemie, Rev. John Wilson, and six other ministers met within Philadelphia in 1706 to organize the first Presbytery in New World.[4]
Address: 25 E 2nd St, 19720 New Castle
First State National Historical Park
National park in New Castle, Delaware. First State National Historical Park is a National Park Service unit which lies primarily in the state of Delaware but which extends partly into Pennsylvania in Chadds Ford. Initially created as First State National Monument by President Barack Obama under the Antiquities Act on March 25, 2013, the park was later redesignated as First State National Historical Park by Congress.[5]
George Read II House
The Read House & Gardens is a historic house museum at 42 The Strand in New Castle, Delaware. The house, built in 1797-1804 for George Read, Jr. was the largest and most sophisticated residence in the state at the time, and is a significant early example of high-style Federal period architecture. The adjacent formal gardens were laid out in the late 1840s by William Couper, the house's third owner. The property was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2016, and is part of the landmark New Castle Historic District. The house is now owned and operated by the Delaware Historical Society as a museum.[6]
Address: 42 The Strand, 19720-4826 New Castle
New Castle Ice Piers
Fishing pier in New Castle, Delaware. The New Castle Ice Piers are historic ice breaks located at New Castle in New Castle County, Delaware. The seven stone piers were constructed between 1803 and 1882. Each pier consists of an outer shell of finished granite blocks with an inner core of rubble.
They were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.[7]
Buena Vista
Buena Vista is a historic home located at New Castle, New Castle County, Delaware. It was built between 1845 and 1847, and is a two-story, five bay, brick dwelling in the Greek Revival style. It has a service wing and a long wing designed by architect R. Brognard Okie containing a long hall and library. It features a full width verandah supported by Doric order columns. It was the home of U.S. Senator and Secretary of State John M. Clayton and U.S. Senator and Delaware Governor C. Douglass Buck, who donated it to the State of Delaware. It is operated as the Buena Vista Conference Center by the State of Delaware.
The estate originally was named in commemoration of the Battle of Buena Vista in the Mexican–American War. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.[8]
Address: 661 S Dupont Hwy, New Castle
Stonum
Building in New Castle, Delaware. Stonum, also called Stoneham, is a historic house at 900 Washington Avenue in New Castle, Delaware. Its main section built about 1750, it was the country home of George Read, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. His advocacy enabled Delaware to become the first state ratifying the declaration. The house was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1973. It is the only building standing associated with this Founding Father.[9]
Address: 900 Washington Street, New Castle
2nd ACT - Antiques
Museum, Antiques, Shopping
Address: 304/306 Delaware St, 19720 New Castle
Glebe House
Glebe House is a historic house located at New Castle, New Castle County, Delaware. It was built between 1821 and 1823 as the glebe house of the rector of Immanuel Church. The house consists of three sections, all brick: a 2+1⁄2-story plus attic, three bay section; a lower middle section of three bays with a shed roof; and a north section comprising the original kitchen.
It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.[10]