Fort Delaware State Park
Board the Delaware City ferry to an 1859 Union fort where reenactors, a cannon demonstration, and the prisoner-of-war story meet the river landscape.
Artwork inspired by Howard Pyle
Fort Delaware occupies Pea Patch Island, where its guns guarded the approaches to Wilmington and Philadelphia. Built before the Civil War, the fortress later held Confederate prisoners. Its thick granite-and-brick walls make sense from the water: this was a working harbor defense, not a castle stranded in a field. The half-mile ferry crossing helps explain why the island mattered.
Inside, interpreters evoke 1864 through military and civilian roles, while exhibits and a gun demonstration explain the fort’s machinery and daily life. Ask whose experiences survive in the prison-camp records, beyond uniforms and cannon. Begin at the mainland ticket shop; a tram connects the island dock to the fort, but walking remains. Allow several hours for the ferry, grounds, and return.
- Built
- 1859
- Crossing
- Half-mile ferry
- Fort era
- Civil War prison camp
Quick guide
- Start on the mainland
- Collect tickets at 55 Clinton Street, then cross by ferry.
- Look from the water
- The fort’s position explains its harbor-defense purpose.
Know before you go
- Study the approach
- The river channels made this an advantageous defensive island.
- Hear the gun
- Ask how the large cannon was aimed and served.
- Look beyond uniforms
- Seek the stories of imprisoned men and civilian workers.
- Plan the return
- The ferry is scheduled; do not treat the island as an anytime walk-in park.
Good to know
A regular state-park vehicle entrance fee is not a Fort Delaware ferry ticket. Online sales may close on departure morning, with same-day office sales subject to availability. Check in early; wear sturdy closed-toe shoes for uneven ground.
Notice these
- River-island fortification
- Civil War interpretation
- Cannon demonstration