New Castle Court House Museum

New Castle Court House Museum Visit the birthplace of the Delaware State and relive history in
Delaware's first Court and Capitol.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, we must cancel our screening of Hamilton on June 26. We apologize for any inconvenience...
06/17/2026

Due to unforeseen circumstances, we must cancel our screening of Hamilton on June 26. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Our screenings of 1776 on July 3rd and National Treasure on August 28th are still on! So, use this extra time to prepare your pups for a night on the Green 🐾🐾🐾

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Image Description: Recreation of Hamilton poster with dachshund silhouette instead of human silhouette. The silhouette is in place of the top point of a star, and text on star reads "Hamilton: An American Music-Howl." Text below the star reads "June 26, 2026 @ 8:00 PM, New Castle Green." There is a red banner across the who image with text reading "Event Cancelled."

MYTH: The assembly's resolution on June 15, 1776, represented freedom for Delawareans.FACT: The assembly's resolution on...
06/15/2026

MYTH: The assembly's resolution on June 15, 1776, represented freedom for Delawareans.

FACT: The assembly's resolution on June 15, 1776, maintained the status quo within the government.

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When the assembly of the Counties of New Castle, Kent, and Sussex upon the Delaware passed the resolution on June 15, 1776, the lives and duties of both government officials and other residents remained unchanged. The passage of the resolution acted more as a precaution in the face of conflict with Great Britain rather than a formal declaration of independence.

The passage of this resolution, like the rest of the American Revolution, also did not represent freedom for ALL Delawareans. Some Delawareans strongly advocated for independence from Great Britain, while others believed that reconciliation was the best option. Additionally, the population of enslaved Black people in the counties (>8,000 people in the 1790 census) did not gain their freedom. In fact, four years after the June 15th resolution was passed, Pennsylvania passed its Gradual Emancipation Act in 1780, and slavery eventually declined in the state. Although this act did not immediately free anyone, it raises a question: if Delaware remained part of Pennsylvania during the American Revolution, would enslaved Delawareans have gained their freedom sooner?

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Image Description: Title at top of image reads "The Truth about Separation Day," and text below lists the myth and truth from earlier in this post. There is a circled 4 in the bottom left corner and a photo on the right of a map of Delaware.

Image Credit: Bradford, T. G., Fielding Lucas, Jr., and George W. Boynton. Delaware. 1838. 35 x 27 cm. Library of Congress Geography and Map Division, Washington, DC. https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3830.ct008433/?r=0.084,0.254,0.369,0.22,0.

School’s out✅ Nice weather✅ Merman ✅New Castle Court House Museum open✅The Separation Day celebration continues today! W...
06/15/2026

School’s out✅
Nice weather✅
Merman ✅
New Castle Court House Museum open✅
The Separation Day celebration continues today! We are open 10-4 with a special Cryptids and Civics program and then come back at 7pm to learn about the grievances in the Declaration of Independence.

Image Description: cut out of Merman from Zwaanendael in front of the New Castle Court House Museum.

MYTH: Separation Day has been celebrated in Delaware since the 18th century.FACT: Separation Day was first officially ce...
06/14/2026

MYTH: Separation Day has been celebrated in Delaware since the 18th century.

FACT: Separation Day was first officially celebrated as part of Bicentennial events in 1972.

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Separation Day celebrations did not begin until nearly 200 years after the historical event. The Delaware American Revolution Bicentennial Commission began observing Separation Day in 1972, and the annual parade began on the official bicentennial of the event in 1976. The research of Delaware historian Dr. John A. Munroe was the motivating factor for recognition of the date as a holiday.

Although the event being commemorated on Separation Day occurred in 1776, it is important to recognize that this holiday was not touted by people from the 1700s, but rather by people 200 years later deciding what events best reflected their vision of America and values to be upheld.

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Image Description: Title at top of image reads "The Truth about Separation Day," and text below lists the myth and truth from earlier in this post. There is a circled 3 in the bottom left corner and a photo on the right of a Bicentennial image reading "Historic Old New Castle" and "Delaware Bicentennial" and showing a Revolutionary War soldier in front of the New Castle Court House and a 76.

Sources:
Frank, William P. “State Observes 197th Birthday At New Castle.” The News Journal (Wilmington, DE), June 16, 1973.
“New Castle to be scene of 2nd annual Separation Day parade Saturday.” The Morning News (Wilmington, DE), May 29, 1977.
Spraker, Eileen C. “Old chapel restored, dedicated.” The Morning News (Wilmington, DE), June 8, 1974.

MYTH: Delaware formally declared independence from Great Britain on June 15, 1776.FACT: Delaware voted for independence ...
06/13/2026

MYTH: Delaware formally declared independence from Great Britain on June 15, 1776.

FACT: Delaware voted for independence alongside the other colonies on July 2, 1776.

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On May 15, 1776, the Second Continental Congress passed a resolution recommending that assemblies throughout the colonies ensure that their governments could function properly without the participation of British officials. This resolution was read in the assembly room of the New Castle Court House on June 14, 1776, and the next day, the assembly issued the following resolution:
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"Whereas it is become absolutely necessary for the safety, protection, and happiness of the good people of this Colony, forthwith to establish some authority adequate to the exigencies of their affairs, until a new Government can be formed; and whereas the Representatives of the people, in this Assembly met, alone can, and ought at this time, to establish such temporary authority: ⁠
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Resolved unanimously, That all persons holding any office, civil or military, in this Colony on the 13th day of June instant may and shall continue to execute the same, in the name of the Government of the Counties of Newcastle, Kent, and Sussex, upon Delaware, as they used legally to exercise it in the name of the King, until a new Government shall be formed, agreeable to the Resolution of Congress of the fifteenth of May last."⁠

This resolution was NOT a formal declaration of independence from Great Britain. Delaware did not formally declare independence from Great Britain by itself; delegates from the assembly voted for independence alongside the other colonies in the Continental Congress on July 2, 1776.

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Image Description: Title at top of image reads "The Truth about Separation Day," and text below lists the myth and truth from earlier in this post. There is a circled 2 in the bottom left corner and a photo on the right of the Declaration of Independence.

As we approach the 250th anniversary of Separation Day on June 15, 2026, we want to correct some common misconceptions a...
06/12/2026

As we approach the 250th anniversary of Separation Day on June 15, 2026, we want to correct some common misconceptions about the holiday. Follow along for the next few days to learn the truth about Separation Day.

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MYTH: Delaware became "The First State" with the assembly's resolution on June 15, 1776.

FACT: Delaware became "The First State" by ratifying the US Constitution first on December 7, 1787.

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Delaware's nickname "The First State" is often mistakenly linked to historical events that have nothing to do with its origin, and one of those events is the assembly's passage of a resolution on June 15, 1776. Nowhere in this resolution is the region referred to as a state; it was not until the approval of the first Delaware constitution in September 1776 that it was known as the “Delaware State.” Delaware was also not even the first state to create their own constitution.

The origin of Delaware’s nickname, “The First State,” did not occur until December 7, 1787, in Dover when Delaware became the first state to ratify the US Constitution.

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Image Description: Title at top of image reads "The Truth about Separation Day," and text below lists the myth and truth from earlier in this post. There is a circled 1 in the bottom left corner and a photo on the right of a wooden sign for The Golden Fleece Tavern hanging from a detailed metal bar.

Image Credit: Stroud, Mike. October 17, 2012. Photograph. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=39075.

06/11/2026

Hear ye, hear ye! We have received news that a Loyalist officer is marching north from Lewes to keep an eye on the Separation Day celebrations in New Castle this Saturday! Keep an eye out for this Tory!

In all seriousness, though, we are excited to welcome a historian from the Zwaanendael Museum who will be portraying an officer of the Loyal American Regiment at the New Castle Court House Museum on Saturday, June 13 from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Learn about the uniforms, equipment, and life of a Loyalist in Delaware during the American Revolution.

Motivations for supporting or not supporting the independence movement in the colonies were vast and complex, and we hope you take this opportunity to engage with an undertold perspective of the American Revolution and consider the nuances of history.

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Video Description: Video starts with clip of British flag waving in wind and cuts to clip of man wearing an American Loyalist uniform with the red coat draped over one arm and holding a musket. He walks out of the Zwaandendael Museum front door, looks around, and walks to his left, and there is a label above him reading "Lewes, Delaware." Graphics in the next clip show a silhouette of a person marching over maps of Lewes, Dover, and New Castle. An aerial shot labeled "New Castle, Delaware" shows the New Castle Court House Museum, and in the next shot, the same man from before, now wearing the coat, places a note in the front door. When the note is opened, it shows a British seal and text that can be read at the link below. Text across the rest of the video reads "The Loyalist is occupying New Castle," "Loyalist Occupation at Separation Day," In obedience to his Majesty's orders, British troops have taken possession of the New Castle Court House and its surrounding counties," and "Sat, June 13, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm, 211 Delaware St, New Castle, DE."

Read full transcription of note at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1evTDW_agPdAu6ZYAWkmY5JgXp8DOmMf6Nv5ar4P1vsM/edit?usp=sharing

Join us for the 250th anniversary of Separation Day on Monday, June 15, 2026 at the place where it happened!NOTE: These ...
06/10/2026

Join us for the 250th anniversary of Separation Day on Monday, June 15, 2026 at the place where it happened!
NOTE: These programs are separate from the Separation Day festival and parade on Saturday, June 13 (though we will also be open that day).

🗣️ GUIDED TOURS - To explore the building, you must join a FREE guided tour at one of the scheduled times: 10 am, 11 am, 1 pm, 2 pm, and 3 pm. There are NO self-guided tours.

🧜 CIVICS AND CRYPTIDS - Any time between 10 am and 4 pm, visit the east wing welcome area to learn about the civics of creating a state symbol and explore the history of the Zwaanendael Museum's merman as we work to get him promoted from beloved museum artifact to official Delaware state cryptid.

📜 DECLARATION PROGRAM - At 7 pm, one of our interpreters will present Coming of Age: Grievances of the Declaration of Independence, a guided exploration of the Declaration of Independence using more modern language.

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Image Description: Photo at bottom of image showing the courthouse, a large brick building with symmetrical wings and a large cupola. There is red foliage covering the west wing and a blue car and red car parked in front. Text above photo reads "Separation Day 250th," "Monday June 15 2026," "Guided Tours," "Civics and Cryptids," and "Declaration Program."

THIS Wednesday, June 10, the New Castle Court House Museum will only offer tours at 10:00 am and 11:00 am. There will be...
06/05/2026

THIS Wednesday, June 10, the New Castle Court House Museum will only offer tours at 10:00 am and 11:00 am. There will be no afternoon tours because the Court of Chancery will be hearing cases in our courtroom. This court session, starting at 1:30 pm, will be open to the public, so feel free to stop by to see modern court cases heard in a historic courtroom.

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Image Description: Close-up photo of old book, papers, historical money, candle in candlestick, and two quills in ink well on table covered by green tablecloth. There are black wooden chairs behind table.

Address

211 Delaware Street
New Castle, DE
19720

Opening Hours

Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 1:30pm - 4:30am

Telephone

+13023234453

Website

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