First State National Historical Park

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Red, yellow, and green leaves lay on the grass in front of a colonial building.
Each fall, an 18th Century Market Fair is recreated to commemorate the original purpose of The Green.
A view of the front of the John Dickinson House on the Plantation.
John Dickinson is most famously known as the "Penman of the Revolution" at this site, visitors learn the stories of the many residents: tenant farmers, indentured servants, free and enslaved Black men, women, and children and the Dickinson family.
A brick bath leads to a door of an old church surrounded by vegetation.
Old Swedes Historic Site contains burials that can be traced back to the original settlement of the Swedes.
Pews line the side of the room leading to the English style court room.
The New Castle Court House Museum was the first court of Delaware and has seen a variety of significant moments in history.
Rolling agricultural hills on a bright sunny day.
The Brandywine Valley unit is most known for its recreational opportunities.
A replica of the original Kalmar Nyckel ship sails by the monument at Fort Christina.
This site commernmates the Swedes original landing and the fort that once stood in the area.
Photos: National Park Service

About First State National Historical Park

Famous as the First State to ratify the Constitution, Delaware was born out of a conflict among three world powers for dominance of the Delaware Valley. From this beginning, the region developed a distinct character that tolerated diversity in religion and national origin and valued independence.

Plan a Visit

NPS DesignationNational Historical Park
Park State / Territory MembershipDelaware, Pennsylvania
Current Alerts1
Visitor Centers1
Campgrounds0
Things To Do0

Core visitor information on this page is sourced from the National Park Service. NPD proximity sections use NPS reference coordinates and straight-line distance. Local source bundle updated Sep 27, 2026. View the official NPS page.

Weather & Conditions

For details and information, visit, http://www.nps.gov/frst/index.htm.

NPS Reference Location

Park state / territory membership: Delaware, Pennsylvania. This map uses the National Park Service reference coordinate. It may represent an administrative or reference point rather than a park entrance, trailhead, visitor center, or the nearest access point. Use the official NPS directions below when planning travel.

Operating Hours

The New Castle Court House Museum is open Wednesday - Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Sunday 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tours are available at 10:00 a.m., 11:00a.m., 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. During tours, visitors are welcome to check out the waiting area to pick up information, ask questions, or get their passport stamped. The New Castle Court House Museum is closed on Tuesdays.

Friday10:00AM - 3:30PM
MondayClosed
Saturday10:00AM - 3:30PM
Sunday1:30PM - 4:00PM
Thursday10:00AM - 3:30PM
TuesdayClosed
Wednesday10:00AM - 3:30PM

Activities

BikingMountain BikingFishingFreshwater FishingFly FishingFoodPicnickingHands-OnCitizen ScienceHikingFront-Country HikingHorse TrekkingHorseback RidingLiving HistoryJunior Ranger Program

Current Alerts

Safety Alert Hazardous Trees in the Brandywine Valley

Numerous trees in the Brandywine Valley are down across the roads and trails due to the recent storm. Please use caution while driving and hiking never walk directly under a tree that is hanging. Park staff is working to improve conditions.

Getting There

First State National Historical Park is made up of six individual sites throughout Delaware and southeastern Pennsylvania that explore early settlement through the ratification of the US Constitution. Please visit the individual pages for directions or hours of operation.

View Official Directions

Contact & Address

The NPS-listed address may be an administrative office, visitor center, mailing/contact location, or other park facility rather than a park entrance.

NPS-Listed AddressFirst State National Historical Park, New Castle, DE, 19720
Phone302-317-3854
Emailfirststate@nps.gov

Topics & Themes

Burial, Cemetery and GravesiteColonization and SettlementEnslavementFarming and AgriculturePlantationsFortsIncarcerationJails and PrisonsMaritimeMonuments and MemorialsReligion and SpiritualityChurchesSocial MovementsUrban AmericaWars and ConflictsAmerican Revolutionary War

Visitor Centers

Sheriff's House Welcome Center

The Welcome Center is located in Historic New Castle inside the Sheriff’s House. The center will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday.…

Nearby National Park Service Sites

These sites are ordered by straight-line distance between NPS reference coordinates. This is useful for comparison, but it is not road mileage. Trails, parkways, rivers, and distributed units may extend far from their reference point.

Nearby Cities for Trip Planning

These cities are ordered by straight-line distance from the NPS reference coordinate. They are comparison starting points, not official park gateways or road-distance estimates. Trails and other distributed units may extend far beyond this reference point.

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