First State National Historical Park


Famous as the First State to ratify the Constitution, Delaware was born out of a conflict among three world powers for dominance of the Delaware Valley. From this beginning, the region developed a distinct character that tolerated diversity in religion and national origin and valued independence.

First State National Historical Park is made up of six individual sites throughout Delaware and southeastern Pennsylvania that explore early settlement through the ratification of the US Constitution. Please visit the individual pages for directions or hours of operation.

  • Biking
  • Mountain Biking
  • Fishing
  • Freshwater Fishing
  • Fly Fishing
  • Food
  • Picnicking
  • Hands-On
  • Citizen Science
  • Hiking
  • Front-Country Hiking
  • Horse Trekking
  • Horseback Riding
  • Living History
  • Junior Ranger Program

  • Burial, Cemetery and Gravesite
  • Colonization and Settlement
  • Enslavement
  • Farming and Agriculture
  • Plantations
  • Forts
  • Incarceration
  • Jails and Prisons
  • Maritime
  • Monuments and Memorials
  • Religion and Spirituality
  • Churches
  • Social Movements
  • Urban America
  • Wars and Conflicts
  • American Revolutionary War
  • Women's History
  • Forests and Woodlands
  • Trails

The Dover Green

Red, yellow, and green leaves lay on the grass in front of a colonial building.

Each fall, an 18th Century Market Fair is recreated to commemorate the original purpose of The Green.

John Dickinson Plantation

A view of the front of the John Dickinson House on the Plantation.

John Dickinson is most famously known as the "Penman of the Revolution" at this site, visitors learn the stories of the many residents: tenant farmers, indentured servants, free and enslaved Black men, women, and children and the Dickinson family.

Old Swedes Historic Site

A brick bath leads to a door of an old church surrounded by vegetation.

Old Swedes Historic Site contains burials that can be traced back to the original settlement of the Swedes.

New Castle Court House

Pews line the side of the room leading to the English style court room.

The New Castle Court House Museum was the first court of Delaware and has seen a variety of significant moments in history.

Brandywine Valley

Rolling agricultural hills on a bright sunny day.

The Brandywine Valley unit is most known for its recreational opportunities.

Fort Christina

A replica of the original Kalmar Nyckel ship sails by the monument at Fort Christina.

This site commernmates the Swedes original landing and the fort that once stood in the area.