National Parks of Delaware
There is currently only one National Park Service Site in Deleware and three associated sites.
Official National Parks of Deleware
- First State National Historical Park
Associated sites of Deleware
- Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail
- Chesapeake Bay Gateway Network
- Washington-Rochambeau National Historic Trail
Cover photo credit – Brubakerslegacy – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
Delaware
Delaware National Parks
First State National Historical Park
First State National Historical Park protects the history of early colonial Delaware and the events leading up to Delaware being the first state to ratify the United States Constitution. The park spans sites mostly in Delaware with a few sites in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. This region was settled by Dutch, Swedes, Finns, and English. The park protects the cultural landscape of the Brandywine River Valley and examines the early settlers relationship with the Native Americans in the region.
The park is made of seven sites. They are Beaver Valley, Fort Christina National Historic Landmark, Old Swedes Church, New Castle Court House Museum, The Green, John Dickinson Plantation, Ryves Holt House.
The First State was created in 2013 by President Obama as a National Monument. In 2014, Congress elevated the monument to a Historical Park.
Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail
Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail is about 3,000 miles of water routes along the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The rivers are located in the following states – Washington D.C, Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The water routes follow the voyages of Captain John Smith between 160 -1609. Smith produced the first maps of the region.
The much of the Historic trail is included in the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network. The trail passes thru many state and local sites where you can rent canoes and kayaks. Boat tours are offered in the bay.
Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail was established on December 19, 2006.
Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network
The Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network is a collection of over 150 parks, refuges, museums, historic communities, and water trails along the Chesapeake Bay watershed. This network included sites in Washington D.C, Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.
The Chesapeake Bay watershed drains into the large estuary called the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay is a 200-mile long bay that connects the Susquehanna River and the Atlantic Ocean. Over 15o rivers and streams drain into the bay. The bay ranges from 2.8 miles wide to 30 miles. There is an estimated 11,684 miles of shoreline.
Visitors to the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network can explore a range of sites and learn about the history, culture and natural importance of the area.
Washington-Rochambeau National Historic Trail
Washington-Rochambeau National Historic Trail is a 680-mile long Historical Trail. The trail is sometimes known as the Washington–Rochambeau Revolutionary Route. The route follows the road used by George Washington’s Continental Army and Jean-Baptiste de Rochambeau’s Expédition Particulière took on their way from Newport, Rode Island to Yorktown, Virginia. Yorktown was the final battle of the American Revolutionary War.
Washington-Rochambeau National Historic Trail is primary an auto trail. While the route forces on the march to Yorktown, the trail passes thru or near many other important revolutionary war sites. Delaware sites include the Hale-Byrnes House.
Washington-Rochambeau National Historic Trail passes thru Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Washington D.C, and Virginia.
View all the National Park Service Sites in neighboring states:
Jennifer has been obsessed with national parks as a child. This Tennessee native spent her childhood exploring the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and traveling with her parents to National Parks and around the Caribbean. She is always planning her next adventure and is ready to see the world while trying to visit all 59 National Park (*She is ignoring the hunk of concrete that just became a national park).
