Fort Delaware State Park
Delaware City, Delaware
(302) 834-7941

Access to Fort Delaware is by ferry.

Civil War Living History

Fort Delaware, the Union fortress dating back to 1859, once housed Confederate prisoners of war. It was originally built to protect the ports of Wilmington and Philadelphia.

Visitors take a ½ -mile ferry ride from Delaware City to Pea Patch Island. A jitney provides transport from the island dock to the granite and brick fortress. Here, costumed interpreters take you back to the summer of 1864.

Fill your day with hands-on history. Help the blacksmith hammer out new parts for a cannon or work with the laundress. Be on hand when the 8-inch Columbiad gun fires a live gunpowder charge! See a replica of Pea Patch Island as it appeared in 1864 and artifacts from the Island’s past.

Make a day of it – there is a food concession stand on the island. And if you like, you can bring a picnic lunch to enjoy in our picnic area – tables and grills are provided.

Travel on to Fort Mott State Park in New Jersey, and visit Finn’s Point National Cemetery, the final resting-place for 2,400 Confederate prisoners who died at Fort Delaware.

 

From: Delaware Parks and Recreation

For More Information Vist The Fort Delaware State Park Website