New Castle Court House Museum
| Timeline in the History of the New Castle Court House and the City of New Castle |
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| 1651 |
The Dutch under Peter Stuyvesant build Fort Casimir at present site of New Castle. |
| 1654 |
The Swedes capture Fort Casimir on Trinity Sunday, renaming it Fort Trinity. |
| 1655 |
Peter Stuyvesant reclaims the fort for the Dutch. |
| 1656 |
Ownership is transferred to the City of Amsterdam - the town is named New Amstel. |
| 1664 |
The town is captured by forces of the Duke of York - renamed New Castle. |
| 1682 |
October 27th: William Penn arrives to take possession of New Castle, his first landing in the New World. |
| 1704 |
In November, the first separate Assembly of the Lower Three Counties convenes at New Castle, now the capital of the colony. |
| 1732 |
The center block of the present court house is built, to serve as a meeting place of the Colonial Assembly, and the courts of New Castle County. |
| 1765 |
Two small wings are added to the center block of the court house. |
| 1776 |
June 15th: The last Colonial Assembly adopts a resolution creating the Delaware State. This action severs all ties to Pennsylvania and the English crown. New Castle becomes the first state capital. |
| 1776 |
The first constitution of the Delaware State is written and adopted in the Assembly Room of the New Castle Court House. |
| 1777 |
May 12th: The seat of State Government moves to Dover. |
| 1845 |
Present west wing is built to house the records of the court and New Castle County. |
| 1848 |
Federal district court trials of Thomas Garrett and John Hunn. |
| 1881 |
Courts and county offices are moved to Wilmington, the new seat of New Castle County government. |
| 1950-1960 |
The court house is restored and opened to the public as a museum. |
| Additional Information on New Castle History The Trial of Thomas Garrett & John Hunn City of New Castle Day in Old New Castle George Read House and Gardens New Castle Historical Society New Castle Visitors Bureau |
