Fort Delaware State Park: A Civil War Fortress

Fort Delaware State Park, situated on Pea Patch Island in the Delaware River, offers a captivating glimpse into Civil War history. Constructed in 1859 to protect the ports of Wilmington and Philadelphia, the fort served as a prisoner of war camp for Confederate soldiers. Today, visitors can explore the well-preserved granite and brick fortress and experience life in the 1860s through engaging reenactments. Take a half-mile ferry ride from Delaware City to Pea Patch Island, where you'll find the imposing Fort Delaware. Costumed interpreters bring history to life, demonstrating blacksmithing, laundry, and cannon firing. Explore the prison camp trail and observe the heronry, one of the largest mixed-species nesting colonies in the eastern United States. Pea Patch Island itself has a unique history, starting as a mud bank in the Delaware River in the 1700s. Legend says it got its name from a ship carrying peas that crashed, spilling its cargo and leading to a pea plant explosion. The island was fortified in 1814, and the current fort was completed in 1860. Fort Delaware also played a role in later wars, including World War I and World War II.