Rodney Square: Wilmington's Civic Heart

Rodney Square, located at 1000 N Market St, Wilmington, DE, has been the symbolic center of Wilmington since the early 20th century. The square's history began between 1825 and 1832 when the Borough of Wilmington assembled six separate parcels of land. From 1827 to 1877, the square was the site of Wilmington's first water reservoir, along with the Water Department offices, a fire engine house, and the City Engineer's office. Following the relocation of the reservoir, the New Castle County Court House was built in the middle of the parcel, opening in 1881 and remaining until 1919. In the early 1910s, DuPont Company Vice President Pierre S. duPont and his personal assistant John Jacob Raskob developed a master plan for the Square that would transform the location into the civic center of Wilmington. Construction of Rodney Square Park began in 1915 and was completed in 1921. The defining symbol of the Square, the equestrian statue of Caesar Rodney created by James E. Kelly, was dedicated on July 4, 1923. Rodney Square's design was influenced by the “City Beautiful Movement,” an urban planning movement led by architects, landscape architects and civic reformers at the turn of the 20th century to improve social order by introducing more beauty in the urban landscape, thereby encouraging civic pride and engagement. The Rodney Square District was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in November 2011. Today, Rodney Square hosts events such as the Downtown Wilmington Farmer's Market and the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival.