Fort Delaware State Park

Fort Delaware State Park is a fascinating historical site located in Delaware City, Delaware. The park is situated on Pea Patch Island in the middle of the Delaware River and spans 288 acres. It was initially constructed in the mid-1800s to protect the harbors of Wilmington, Delaware, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The park is known for its historic Fort Delaware, which served as a Union prison camp during the Civil War, housing up to as many as 12,595 Confederate prisoners of war at one time. The fort continued to protect the mouth of the Delaware River through World War I and II. After being declared surplus property by the United States Department of Defense in 1945, the fort was transferred back to the State of Delaware and became a state park in 1951.

Today, the park offers a unique blend of history and nature. Visitors can tour the parade ground, officers’ quarters, barracks, kitchen, blacksmith shop, and ordnance room, and watch as the Fort’s Columbiad cannon fires a live gunpowder charge. The park also offers seasonal Civil War and living history reenactments and programs.

In addition to its historical attractions, the park is also home to a variety of wildlife. The Pea Patch Island Nature Preserve contains a heronry where herons, ibises, and egrets nest. Other nesters that can be found on the island include osprey and bald eagles.