The New Castle Court House, built in 1732, is free to visit via guided tours only: Wednesday through Saturday at 10am, 11am, 1pm, 2pm, and 3pm, Sunday at 1:30pm, 2:30pm, and 3:30pm. On June 15, 1776, Delaware's colonial assembly voted here to separate from both England and Pennsylvania simultaneously, creating the State of Delaware. The building is part of First State National Historical Park, the 400th unit added to the National Park System.
Delaware's 1776 vote broke away from both British colonial rule and its administrative connection to Pennsylvania in the same act, a genuinely unusual dual separation, since most colonies only had England to break from.
Entry is only available at specific scheduled tour times rather than open, self-guided access, so arrive for one of the listed departure times specifically rather than expecting to walk in and explore independently.
This isn't a vague claim of significance. It's a specific, numbered point in the Park Service's own history of unit designations, a genuine bureaucratic and historical marker.
New Castle, Delaware sits along the Delaware River, roughly 10 minutes south of Wilmington.
New Castle rewards understanding the genuinely dual nature of Delaware's 1776 independence and planning a visit around the Court House's specific guided tour times. Immanuel Episcopal Church, the town's other major historic landmark, is covered in full below.
Live now
Sourced destination guides and practical travel planning content from TravelersCopilot -- checked against government, UNESCO, and official tourism-authority sources.