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A+History
History · Wilmington

Wilmington has 103 places on the National Register, 5 of them National Historic Landmarks

Among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns · #2 of 37 in Delaware. What drives it

Dated to 1638 (Wikidata), with 43% of its homes built before 1940 and 20 historic districts holding 2,676 contributing buildings. Below: 15 old photos and papers, maps from 1884 on, the census since 1820, and every listing on the Register.

1638founded
103on the National Register
43%homes built before 1940
15old photos & papers
42famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Wilmington’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Wilmington began

When was Wilmington founded?

1638

Wilmington dates its founding to 1638 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1820.

First census: 5,268 in 18202020 census: 70,898388 years

How historic is Wilmington?

A+

Among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1821.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Wilmington’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Wilmington is among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns, #2 of 37 in Delaware. All 3 inputs put Wilmington near the top nationally; its age ranks highest.

A+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Wilmington’s overall grade.
Founding era1638, from Wikidata: founded before 1776, an older era than 96% of U.S. townsA+Homes built before 194042.7% of homes (±2.5) · typical DE town 5.9% · U.S. 8.4%A+National Register103 listings, 2,676 historic buildings, 373 per 10,000 residents · typical DE town 29.4 · U.S. 2.4A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Among the top 1%
NewerOlder
Delaware towns of 2,500+ (37)Ahead of 97%

Delaware towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Delaware town has 29.4 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Wilmington’s 373 sits above most of its state (79% of Delaware towns have fewer) while its 2,676 historic buildings outnumber those of 100% of U.S. towns.

NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1638.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would still be A+. The pre-1940 share (±2.5 points) is firm at this size.

Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Wilmington’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A National Historic Landmark103 places on the National Register, 5 of them National Historic Landmarks.A historic districtThe Shipley Run Historic District takes in 408 historic buildings.Older than the countryEstablished in 1638, 138 years before the Declaration of Independence.Lost villages2 post offices opened and closed inside today’s Wilmington, and 8 old place names are still on the map.
★ What stands out · On the National Register

103 listings protect 2,676 historic buildings

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving. 5 are National Historic Landmarks, the highest tier. Boundary changes and added documentation are counted with their listing.

places listed
103
National Historic Landmarks
5
Fort Christina
historic buildings protected
2,676
each building in a district counts
first listed
1966
Fort Christina
Jacob Dingee HouseZachariah Ferris HouseObadiah Dingee HouseBrandywine Village Historic DistrictStarr HouseBreck's Mill AreaWalker's Mill and Walker's BankBrandywine Manufacturers Sunday SchoolOld First Presbyterian Church of Wilmington, built 1740Masonic Hall and Grand TheaterLouis McLane HouseLobdell Estate, Minquadale HomeContinental Army Encampment SiteOld CustomshouseLaurel, built 1956Old Town HallDelaware Avenue Historic DistrictFriends MeetinghouseOld Asbury Methodist ChurchWilmington Amtrak Station, built 1908St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception ChurchBrandywine ParkPyle, Howard, StudiosAugustine Paper MillRockford ParkSchoonover, Frank E., StudiosSTATE OF PENNSYLVANIA (steamboat)Woodward HousesDr. John A. Brown HouseHarlan and Hollingsworth Office BuildingU.S. Post Office, Courthouse, and CustomhouseBaynard Boulevard Historic DistrictQuaker Hill Historic DistrictGlynrichLogan HouseRodney CourtPhilips-Thompson BuildingsLower Market Street Historic DistrictBrandywine Park and Kentmere ParkwayPostles HouseSt. Hedwig's Roman Catholic Church, built 1904St. Mary's SchoolLore, Charles B., Elementary SchoolNew Castle Leather Raw Stock WarehouseNew Century Club, built 1973Eighth Street Park Historic DistrictGrace United Methodist ChurchCool Spring Park Historic DistrictSt. Anthony's Roman Catholic ChurchShipley Run Historic DistrictTrinity Episcopal ChurchBancroft and Sons Cotton MillsPublic School No. 19Charles Schagrin BuildingCrosby and Hill BuildingDelmarva Power and Light Building, built 1932Govatos'/McVey BuildingGray, Charles, Printing ShopHenry Townsend BuildingMax Keil BuildingMax Keil BuildingOld Town Hall Commercial Historic DistrictReynold's Candy Company BuildingWilmington Savings Fund Society, built 1920Braunstein's BuildingEast Brandywine Historic DistrictMain Office of the New Castle Leather CompanyWawaset Park Historic DistrictDupont, P. S., High SchoolWoolworth, F. W., Company BuildingChurch Street Historic DistrictBreck's Mill Area-Henry Clay Village Historic DistrictKingswood Methodist Episcopal ChurchGibraltarTorbert Street Livery StablesWilmington Rail ViaductWilmington YMCADelaware Academy of Medicine, built 1930Delaware Trust BuildingListon Range Front Lighthouse, built 1906Foord & Massey Furniture Company BuildingWilmington ClubBellevue Range Rear Light Station, built 1909West 9th Street Commercial Historic DistrictRodney Square Historic DistrictWater Witch Steam Fire Engine Company No. 5Riverview Cemetery Company of Wilmington, DelawareJackson-Wilson HouseSt. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic ChurchRockwood Estate Historic District, built 1851American Vulcanized Fibre Company-Wilmington PlantScott A.M.E. Zion ChurchCompton Park ApartmentsFort Christina, built 1638★Holy Trinity, built 1698★Eleutherian Mills★Howard High School, built 1928★
BuildingsDistrictsSitesStructures★ landmark

Architectural styles listings

Italianate15
Second Empire10
Queen Anne10
Late Victorian8
Federal7
Gothic Revival7
★ Landmark
Fort ChristinaBuilt 1638
★ Landmark
Holy TrinityBuilt 1698
★ Landmark
Eleutherian MillsDistrict
★ Landmark
Lombardy HallBuilding
★ Landmark
Howard High SchoolClassical Revival · Built 1928
Jacob Dingee HouseBuilding
Zachariah Ferris HouseBuilding
Obadiah Dingee HouseBuilding
All 105 listings
Brandywine Village Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1971Starr HouseBuilding · listed 1971Breck's Mill AreaDistrict · listed 1971Lower Louviers and Chicken AlleyBuilding · listed 1972Walker's Mill and Walker's BankBuilding · listed 1972Brandywine Manufacturers Sunday SchoolBuilding · listed 1972Old First Presbyterian Church of WilmingtonBuilding · listed 1972Masonic Hall and Grand TheaterBuilding · listed 1972Louis McLane HouseBuilding · listed 1973Lobdell Estate, Minquadale HomeBuilding · listed 1973Continental Army Encampment SiteSite · listed 1973Old CustomshouseBuilding · listed 1974LaurelBuilding · listed 1974Old Town HallBuilding · listed 1974Delaware Avenue Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1976Friends MeetinghouseBuilding · listed 1976Old Asbury Methodist ChurchBuilding · listed 1976Wilmington Amtrak StationBuilding · listed 1976St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception ChurchBuilding · listed 1976Brandywine ParkSite · listed 1976Pyle, Howard, StudiosBuilding · listed 1978Augustine Paper MillBuilding · listed 1978Rockford ParkSite · listed 1978Schoonover, Frank E., StudiosBuilding · listed 1979STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA (steamboat)Structure · listed 1979Woodward HousesBuilding · listed 1979Dr. John A. Brown HouseBuilding · listed 1979Harlan and Hollingsworth Office BuildingBuilding · listed 1979U.S. Post Office, Courthouse, and CustomhouseBuilding · listed 1979Baynard Boulevard Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1979Quaker Hill Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1979GlynrichBuilding · listed 1979Logan HouseBuilding · listed 1980Rodney CourtBuilding · listed 1980Philips-Thompson BuildingsBuilding · listed 1980Lower Market Street Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1980Brandywine Park and Kentmere ParkwayDistrict · listed 1981Postles HouseBuilding · listed 1982St. Hedwig's Roman Catholic ChurchBuilding · listed 1982St. Mary's SchoolBuilding · listed 1983Lore, Charles B., Elementary SchoolBuilding · listed 1983New Castle Leather Raw Stock WarehouseBuilding · listed 1983New Century ClubBuilding · listed 1983Eighth Street Park Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1983Grace United Methodist ChurchBuilding · listed 1983Cool Spring Park Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1983Brandywine Powder Mills DistrictDistrict · listed 1984St. Anthony's Roman Catholic ChurchBuilding · listed 1984Shipley Run Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1984Trinity Episcopal ChurchBuilding · listed 1984Bancroft and Sons Cotton MillsDistrict · listed 1984Public School No. 19Building · listed 1984Charles Schagrin BuildingBuilding · listed 1985Crosby and Hill BuildingBuilding · listed 1985Delmarva Power and Light BuildingBuilding · listed 1985Govatos'/McVey BuildingBuilding · listed 1985Gray, Charles, Printing ShopBuilding · listed 1985Henry Townsend BuildingBuilding · listed 1985Max Keil BuildingBuilding · listed 1985Max Keil BuildingBuilding · listed 1985Old Town Hall Commercial Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1985Reynold's Candy Company BuildingBuilding · listed 1985Wilmington Savings Fund SocietyBuilding · listed 1985Braunstein's BuildingBuilding · listed 1985East Brandywine Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1985Main Office of the New Castle Leather CompanyBuilding · listed 1985Wawaset Park Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1986Dupont, P. S., High SchoolBuilding · listed 1986Woolworth, F. W., Company BuildingBuilding · listed 1987Church Street Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1987Breck's Mill Area-Henry Clay Village Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1988Kingswood Methodist Episcopal ChurchBuilding · listed 1989GibraltarBuilding · listed 1998Torbert Street Livery StablesBuilding · listed 1998Wilmington Rail ViaductStructure · listed 1999Wilmington YMCABuilding · listed 2002Delaware Academy of MedicineBuilding · listed 2003Delaware Trust BuildingBuilding · listed 2003Liston Range Front LighthouseBuilding · listed 2004Foord & Massey Furniture Company BuildingBuilding · listed 2006Wilmington ClubBuilding · listed 2006Bellevue Range Rear Light StationStructure · listed 2006West 9th Street Commercial Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2008Rodney Square Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2011Water Witch Steam Fire Engine Company No. 5Building · listed 2011Riverview Cemetery Company of Wilmington, DelawareSite · listed 2012Downtown Wilmington Commercial Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2017Jackson-Wilson HouseBuilding · listed 2017St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic ChurchBuilding · listed 2021Rockwood Estate Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2023LouviersBuilding · listed 1971Newark Union Church and CemeteryBuilding · listed 2020American Vulcanized Fibre Company-Wilmington PlantBuilding · listed 2020Scott A.M.E. Zion ChurchBuilding · listed 2024Compton Park ApartmentsBuilding · listed 2024Independence MallBuilding · listed 2025The Bank of Delaware BuildingBuilding · listed 2026

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Timeline

Wilmington, 1638 to 1940

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 17th century
  2. 1638
    FoundingWilmington is established
  3. 1638BuiltFort Christina is built
  4. 1698BuiltHoly Trinity is built
  5. 18th century
  6. 1740BuiltOld First Presbyterian Church of Wilmington is built
  7. 1789In the archivePerspective view of the country between Wilmington and the Delaware - taken from the hill…
  8. 19th century
  9. 1814In the archiveBridge at Wilmington over the Brandywine
  10. 1821Post officeThe Wilmington post office opens
  11. 1840In the archiveBrandywineFlour Mills1840
  12. 1859In the archiveAdvertisement for Grand Holiday Scheme! Lottery for the Benefit of the State of Delaware,…
  13. 1863In the archiveInstantaneous view of Market St
  14. 1886Post officeThe Kentmere post office opens
  15. 1889Post officeThe Highlands post office opens
  16. 1890In the archiveOld barley mill. Wilmington, Del
  17. 1898Post officeThe Kentmere post office closes
  18. 1899Post officeThe Highlands post office closes
  19. 20th century
  20. 1928BuiltHoward High School is built
  21. 1928Born hereDaniel Nathans is born here
  22. 1940CensusPopulation peaks at 112,504
The story

How Wilmington came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Wilmington.

Read it all →

Wilmington is built on the site of the settlement Kristinehamn, which was planned by Peter Mårtensson Lindeström to be the capital of the colony of New Sweden, and Fort Christina, the first Swedish settlement in North America. The modern city also encompasses other Swedish settlements, such as Timmerön / Timber Island (along Brandywine Creek), Sidoland (South Wilmington), Strandviken (along the Delaware River near Simonds Gardens) and Översidolandet (along the Christina River, near Woodcrest and Ashley Heights).

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

Wilmington, decade by decade

7 decades in the archive, from the 1780s to the 1900s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1780s–1860s7 items
Perspective view of the country between Wilmington and the Delaware - taken from the hill S.W. of the academy1789Perspective view of the country between Wilmington an…DocumentBridge at Wilmington over the Brandywine1814Bridge at Wilmington over the BrandywineBrandywineFlour Mills18401840BrandywineFlour Mills1840PostcardAdvertisement for Grand Holiday Scheme! Lottery for the Benefit of the State of Delaware, to be drawn at Wilmington, De…1859Advertisement for Grand Holiday Scheme! Lottery for t…Instantaneous view of Market St1863Instantaneous view of Market StWilmingtonc. 1865WilmingtonWilmingtonc. 1865Wilmington
1890s–1900s8 items
Old barley mill. Wilmington, Del1890Old barley mill. Wilmington, DelBrewery advertisement in 1900, Joseph Stoeckle's Diamond State Lager Beer and Porter Brewery1900Brewery advertisement in 1900, Joseph Stoeckle's Diam…Winter scene, Brandywine Park1900Winter scene, Brandywine ParkSwedes' Landing, Wilmington, Del–postcard–early 20th century1903Swedes' Landing, Wilmington, Del–postcard–early 20th …Postcard1906-09-21 Market Street lookng North from Eighth, Wilmington, Del A19061906-09-21 Market Street lookng North from Eighth, Wi…PostcardBVillage19061906BVillage1906PostcardBirdseye view of Wilmington, Del. - George A. Wolf1908Birdseye view of Wilmington, Del. - George A. WolfPostcardBirdseye view of Wilmington, Del. - George A. Wolf1908Birdseye view of Wilmington, Del. - George A. WolfPostcard
1910s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
On the map

Wilmington on the map, 1967 to 1993

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Wilmington. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Wilmington on the 1967 USGS mapWilmington on the 1987 USGS mapWilmington on the 1993 USGS map1967Wilmington South sheet · 1:24,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Wilmington.

Every building

Wilmington, building by building, 1884–1901

Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.

Wilmington fire insurance map, 1884, sheet 11884Sheet 1 of 44
Edition
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Bridge at Wilmington over the Brandywine
Retake this viewBridge at Wilmington over the Brandywine, 1814

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Wilmington’s page.

Retake this view · +15
People over time

Wilmington, census by census

020,00040,00060,00080,000100,000120,0001850190019502000Peak: 112,504

Peaked at 112,504 in 1940; 70,898 people lived here in 2020.

21 censuses, 1820–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Wilmington’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

42 famous people were born in Wilmington

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
E
Elisabeth ShueAmerican actress · b. 1963
Aubrey PlazaAmerican actress, producer and comedian · b. 1984
Daniel NathansAmerican microbiologist · b. 1928
K
Krišjānis KariņšLatvian politician · b. 1964
H
Hunter BidenAmerican businessman and lobbyist · b. 1970
Beau BidenAmerican politician and lawyer · b. 1969
Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners, places now gone and burying grounds

Wilmington’s post office has been open since 1821. Two other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.

Wilmington
1821–today
Kentmere
1886–1898
Highlands
1889–1899
18201920today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Brandywine HillsCanby Park EstatesConcordKentmereLandlithMiddleboro EastSouth WilmingtonWawaset Park
Gone or out of use
Drew-Pyle Intermediate SchoolschoolVandeveerslocale
4cemeteries and burying grounds inside Wilmington
CathedralMount Salem United Methodist ChurchRiverviewWilmington and Brandywine

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Help out

Finish Wilmington’s story

Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewBridge at Wilmington over the Brandywine: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Edgemoor1 historic placeBElsmereIts storyC

Questions about Wilmington’s history

What year was Wilmington founded?

In 1638, according to Wikidata. Wilmington’s post office opened in 1821, and the census of 1820 counted 5,268 people here.

How does Wilmington rank for history?

Wilmington is among the most historic 1% of U.S. towns, #2 of 37 in Delaware. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Wilmington?

103 listings, 5 of them National Historic Landmarks: 75 buildings, 22 historic districts with 2,257 contributing buildings, 5 sites, and 3 structures. 2,676 historic buildings in all.

How old are the homes in Wilmington?

43% of Wilmington’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.5 points), against a typical 5.9% for a Delaware town; the median home was built in 1946.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (12), the Library of Congress (3), Wikidata (3), the National Register of Historic Places (105), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.