On Saturday, May 17th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. the town of Old New Castle will hold an event to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of A Day in Old New Castle, https://www.historicnewcastle.com/, one of the state’s earliest commemoration of historic preservation. On that day in 1925 local residents, business owners and visitors showed their love of the town’s many historic homes and municipal buildings with all kinds of Jazz Age fanfare. It was significant at the time because although Americans had for centuries revered certain historic sites like Mount Vernon, on that day they were commemorating the historic preservation of an entire town.
It's going to be a fun event, with live music and other types of performances and tours of wonderful historic buildings https://newcastlecity.delaware.gov/historic-buildings/, including the Amstel House, Dutch House, the Old New Castle Courthouse and the Read House and Gardens. You can also stroll down block after block of Colonial and Victorian-era homes that have been masterfully preserved. There are also wonderful restaurants for lunch or dinner, including Jessop’s Tavern https://jessops-tavern.com/, Nora Lee’s https://noralees.com/, and Zollie’s https://zolliesjazzcucina.com/, which will cap the day with a 1920s style Swinging Soiree.
This event will be fun for people of all ages since it also features lots of activities for kids and cars from 1900 to the 1940s presented by the Brandywine Car Club and steam cars from the Marshall Steam Car Museum.
And if you’re interesting in living in one of those historic homes . . . take a look at this 200-year-old beauty https://www.activeadultsdelaware.com/listing/DENC2071678/28-the-strand-new-castle-de-19720/, with wonderful historic features that’s just a stroll away from all of the wonderful sites.
MORE TIPS ON HISTORIC DELAWARE NEIGHBORHOODS
While Old New Castle is one of Delaware’s premier historic towns, you can find similar features in Milton, Lewes, Milford, Dover and Newark. What all of these communities have in common are:
- Many preserved and restored homes from the Colonial, Victorian and Craftsman eras
- Pleasantly walkable streets where the homes are right on the sidewalk and often surrounded by lush, beautiful gardens
- Vibrant downtowns filled with boutiques, antique shops, restaurants and historic commercial buildings
- Lots of special events celebrating heritage and culture
Here are some spotlights:
Milton https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_Historic_District_(Milton,_Delaware)#:~:text=Milton%20Historic%20District%20is%20a,surrounding%20residential%20areas%20of%20Milton is a lovely town about 30 minutes from the ocean and a very short drive to the Delaware Bay beaches. Walk around and you’ll find lots of Gothic Revival, Federal, Second Empire and Queen Anne-era homes, along with a thriving downtown anchored by the Milton Theatre https://www.miltontheatre.com/, with year-round performances and educational and social activities.
Milford https://delawarebayshorebyway.org/destinations/historic-milford/ has a downtown with more than 90 historic homes and commercial buildings on tree-lined streets, along with a vibrant restaurant scene. This lovely town is only about 45 minutes from the ocean and a short drive to the beaches along Delaware Bay.
Newark https://mainstreetnewark.com/, home of the University of Delaware, is a wonderful college town filled with historic buildings. The campus itself is also comprised of wonderful landmarked Federal architecture https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_College_Historic_District#:~:text=Old%20College%20Historic%20District%20is,Mechanical%20Hall%2C%20and%20Elliott%20House, and neighboring streets offer scores of historic homes for folks who love a walkable lifestyle.
In Dover https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dover_Green_Historic_District historic reminders are everywhere among the storied buildings of Delaware’s state capital. There are almost 80 landmarked structures, including municipal buildings, commercial buildings (which house wonderful restaurants) and homes.
And in Lewes, the First Town in the First State https://www.lewes.com/, you’ll find blocks and blocks of beautiful old homes and a downtown that’s a foodie paradise, all situated along the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal and close to Cape Henlopen State Park.