6 Famous Landmarks in Delaware: History, Art & Coast

Delaware — "The First State" — packs significant history and charm into its small footprint. Six standout landmarks:

1. Fort Christina National Historic Landmark (Wilmington)

• 1638: First permanent European settlement in Delaware Valley (New Sweden)
• Site: Original fort location + Kalmar Nyckel replica (tall ship)
• Significance: Birthplace of Swedish/Finnish America; Lenape homeland

2. Delaware Art Museum (Wilmington)

• Collection: 12,000+ works; Pre-Raphaelite (largest outside UK), American illustration (Pyle, Wyeth), contemporary
• Copeland Sculpture Garden: 9 acres, 17 large-scale works
• Focus: Howard Pyle (Brandywine School), John Sloan, Helen Farr Sloan

3. Hagley Museum and Library (Wilmington)

• Site: Original DuPont gunpowder mills (1802) on Brandywine River
• 235 acres: Restored mills, workers' community, Eleutherian Mills (du Pont family home)
• Library: Premier business/tech history collection (DuPont, RCA, Sperry, etc.)
• Story: Innovation, industrialization, labor, Brandywine Valley

4. Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library (Winterthur)

• Former home: Henry Francis du Pont (1880–1969), premier decorative arts collector
• 175-room mansion: 90,000 objects (1640–1860 American furniture, ceramics, textiles, silver)
• 60-acre garden: Naturalistic design; year-round color
• Library: 87,000+ volumes on American material culture

5. Cape Henlopen State Park (Lewes)

• 5,193 acres: Beach, dunes, pine forest, WWII observation towers (Fort Miles)
• Activities: Swimming, fishing, biking (3+ mi), hiking, camping, disc golf
• Nature: Piping plovers, horseshoe crabs, migrating raptors
• Seaside Nature Center: Touch tanks, programs

6. Rehoboth Beach (Sussex County)

• "Nation's Summer Capital": 1.5 mi boardwalk, clean beaches, family-friendly
• Boardwalk icons: Funland (rides), Dolle's (saltwater taffy), Grotto (pizza), Nitrow (frozen custard)
• Outlet shopping: Tanger Outlets (100+ stores) nearby
• Events: Sea Witch Festival (Oct), Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival, Christmas parade

Bonus: Nearby Gems

• Nemours Estate (Wilmington) — du Pont mansion, French gardens
• New Castle Historic District — colonial capital, cobblestones, Jessop's Tavern
• Bombay Hook NWR — migratory bird paradise
• Dogfish Head Brewery (Milton) — craft beer pioneer