Delaware’s Historic Homes

Explore historic homes in Delaware, where each location tells a rich legacy that may be decades or even centuries old. It is all brought back to life with guided tours and historic interpreters. Here’s a look at some of the top historic homes, heading from north to south. 

Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library (Wilmington): This regal estate is home to the nation’s premier collection of American antiques.

Hagley Museum and Library (Wilmington): Where the DuPont Co.’s story began. Tour the ancestral home and see the original gunpowder mills.

Nemours Estate (Wilmington): This awe-inspiring location combines classic French-style with ornate gardens.

Historic New Castle: A stroll through the cobblestone streets and along the river will take you to Amstel House, the Dutch House and Read House and Gardens, all dating back to the 1700-1800s.

Historic Houses of Odessa (Odessa): Surround by 30 acres of historic grounds and gardens with beautifully restored 18th and 19th century houses.

Belmont Hall (Smyrna): This Georgian mansion from 1773 is surrounded by stately trees and gardens.

John Dickinson Plantation (Dover): The home of one of America’s found fathers who was known as the “Penman of the Revolution.” The site tells the stories of tenant farmers, indentured servants, free and enslaved Black men, women and children who lived, worked and died on the plantation.

Historic Lewes: As you explore the First Town in the First State, you’ll tour Ryves Holt House, the oldest stating house in the state as well as the Cannon Ball House which still bears the battle scars of the British bombardment of Lewes during the War of 1812.