Wilmington, Delaware
Encyclopedia
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware
, United States, and is located at the confluence
of the Christina River
and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River
. It is the county seat of New Castle County
and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley
metropolitan area
. Wilmington was named by Proprietor Thomas Penn
for his friend Spencer Compton
, Earl of Wilmington
, who was prime minister in the reign of George II of Great Britain
.
According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 70,851, a decrease of 2.4% from 2000. The metropolitan area which includes the cities of Philadelphia, and Camden, New Jersey
had a 2006 population of 5,826,742, and a combined statistical area of 6,398,896.
who in March 1638 arrived on the Fogel Grip
and Kalmar Nyckel
. They established Fort Christina
at the mouth of the Christina River
at the area known as "The Rocks", located near the foot of present-day Seventh Street. Fort Christina served as the headquarters for the colony of New Sweden
which consisted of, for the most part, the lower Delaware River
region (parts of present day Delaware
, Pennsylvania
, and New Jersey
), but few colonists settled there. Dr. Timothy Stidham (Swedish:Timen Lulofsson Stiddem) was a prominent citizen and doctor in Wilmington. He was born in 1610, probably in Hammel, Denmark
and raised in Gothenburg
, Sweden
. He arrived in New Sweden
in 1654 and is recorded as the first physician in Delaware.
The most important Swedish governor was Colonel Johan Printz, who ruled the colony under Swedish law from 1643 to 1653. He was succeeded by Johan Rising
, who upon his arrival in 1654, seized the Dutch post Fort Casimir
, located at the site of the present town of New Castle
, which was built by the Dutch in 1651. Rising governed New Sweden until the autumn of 1655, when a Dutch fleet under the command of Peter Stuyvesant
subjugated the Swedish forts and established the authority of the Colony of New Netherland
throughout the area formerly controlled by the Swedes. This marked the end of Swedish rule in North America.
Beginning in 1664 British colonization
began; after a series of wars between the Dutch and English, the area stabilized under British rule, with strong influences from the Quaker communities under the auspices of Proprietor William Penn
. A borough
charter was granted in 1739 by King George II, which changed the name of the settlement from Willington, after Thomas Willing
the first developer of the land who organized the area in a grid pattern similar to that of its northern neighbor Philadelphia, to Wilmington, presumably after Spencer Compton
, Earl of Wilmington
.
Although during the American Revolutionary War
only one small battle was fought in Delaware, British troops occupied Wilmington shortly after the nearby Battle of Brandywine
on September 11, 1777. The British remained in the town until they vacated Philadelphia in 1778.
In 1800, Eleuthère Irénée du Pont
, a French Huguenot
emigrated to the United States. Knowledgeable in the manufacture of gunpowder
, by 1802 DuPont had begun making the explosive on the banks of the Brandywine River, just outside of the town of Wilmington. The DuPont
company became a major supplier to the U.S. military.
The greatest growth in the city occurred during the Civil War
. Delaware, though officially remaining a member of the Union
, was a border state and divided in its support of both the Confederate and the Union causes. The war created enormous demand for goods and materials supplied by Wilmington including ships, railroad cars, gunpowder, shoes, and other war-related goods.
By 1868, Wilmington was producing more iron ships than the rest of the country combined and it rated first in the production of gunpowder and second in carriages and leather. Due to the prosperity Wilmington enjoyed during the war, city merchants and manufacturers expanded Wilmington's residential boundaries westward in the form of large homes along tree-lined streets. This movement was spurred by the first horsecar line, which was initiated in 1864 along Delaware Avenue.
The late 19th century saw the development of the city's first comprehensive park system. William Bancroft, a successful Wilmington businessman, led the effort to establish open parkland in Wilmington and was heavily influenced by the work of Frederick Law Olmsted
. Rockford Park and Brandywine Park were created due to Bancroft's efforts.
Both World Wars stimulated the city's industries. Industries vital to the war effort - shipyards, steel foundries, machinery, and chemical producers - operated on a 24-hour basis. Other industries produced such goods as automobiles, leather products, and clothing.
The post war prosperity again pushed the residential development further out of the city. The 1950s saw a large increase in people living in the suburbs of North Wilmington and commuting into the city to work. This lifestyle was made possible by extensive upgrades to area roads and highways and through the construction of Interstate 95
, which cut through several of Wilmington's neighborhoods and contributed to significant population losses in the city. Urban renewal projects in the 1950s and 1960s cleared entire blocks of housing in the Center City and East Side areas.
Riots and civil unrest in the city following the 1968 assassination of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
and in response, on 9 April 1968, Governor Charles L. Terry, Jr.
deployed the National Guard
and the Delaware State Police
to the city at the request of Mayor John Babiarz. One week later, Mayor Babiarz requested the National Guard troops be withdrawn, but Governor Terry refused, and kept them in the city until his term ended in January 1969. This is reportedly the longest occupation of an American city by state forces in the nation's history.
In the 1980s, the city experienced tremendous job growth and office construction when many national banks and financial institutions relocated to the area after the Financial Center Development Act of 1981 substantially liberalized the laws governing banks operating within the state. In 1986, the state adopted legislation targeted at attracting international finance and insurance companies. Today, many national and international banks, including Bank of America
, Chase
, and Barclays, have operations in the city, with these typically being their credit card operations.
, the city has a total area of 17 mi2. Of that, 10.9 mi2 is land and 6.2 mi2 is water. The total area is 36.25% water.
The city is located at the confluence of the Christina River
and the Delaware River
, approximately 25 miles (40.2 km) southwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
. Wilmington Train Station is one of the last stops on Philadelphia's SEPTA rail transportation system and is also served by Northeast Corridor
Amtrak
passenger trains. Wilmington is also one of the major cities served by I-95
, although the twin-span Delaware Memorial Bridge
, a few miles south of the city, provides direct highway access between Delaware and New Jersey, carrying the I-295 eastern bypass route around Wilmington and Philadelphia, as well as highway U.S. 40, which continues eastward to Atlantic City, New Jersey
.
These transportation links and geographic proximity give Wilmington some of the characteristics of a satellite city to Philadelphia, but Wilmington's long history as the most important city in Delaware, its significant urban core, and its independent value as a business destination makes it more properly considered a small but independent city in the Philadelphia metropolitan area
.
Wilmington lies along the Fall Line
geological
transition from the Mid-Atlantic Piedmont Plateau
to the Atlantic Coastal Plain
. East of Market Street, and along both sides of the Christina River, the Coastal Plain land is flat, low-lying, and in places marshy. The Delaware River here is an estuary
at sea level (with twice-daily high and low tides), providing sea-level
access for ocean
-going ships.
On the western side of Market Street, the Piedmont topography is rocky and hilly, rising to a point that marks the watershed between the Brandywine River and the Christina River. This watershed line runs along Delaware Avenue westward from 10th Street and Market Street.
These contrasting topography and soil conditions affected the industrial and residential development patterns within the city. The hilly west side was more attractive for the original residential areas, offering springs and sites for mill
s, better air quality, and fewer mosquitoes.
(Köppen climate classification
Cfa).
of 2010, there were 70,851 people, 28,615 households, and 15,398 families residing in the city. The population density
was 6,497.6 per square mile (2,508.8/km²). There were 32,820 housing units at an average density of 3,009.9 per square mile (1,162.1/km²) and with an occupancy rate of 87.2%. The racial makeup of the city was 58.0% Black, 32.6% White, 0.4% Native American, 1.0% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 5.4% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. 12.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. As of the census
of 2000, the largest ancestries included: Irish
(8.7%), Italian
(5.7%), German
(5.2%), English
(4.4%), and Polish
(3.6%).
There were 28,615 households out of which 25.0% had own children under the age of 18 living with them, 23.5% were married couples
living together, 24.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 46.2% were non-families. 38.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the city, the population was spread out with 24.4% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.3 years. For every 100 females there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.4 males.
According to ACS 1-year estimates for 2010, the median income for a household in the city was $32,884, and the median income for a family was $37,352. Males working full-time had a median income of $41,878 versus $36,587 for females working full-time. The per capita income
for the city was $24,861. 27.6% of the population and 24.9% of families were below the poverty line. 45.7% of those under the age of 18 and 16.5% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.).
The current mayor of Wilmington is James M. Baker (D). Mayor Baker became the first 3-term mayor upon his re-election in 2008. Norman D. Griffiths is the City Council President.
The Delaware Department of Correction Howard R. Young Correctional Institution, renamed from Multi-Purpose Criminal Justice Facility in 2004 and housing both pretrial and posttrial male prisoners, is located in Wilmington. The prison is often referred to as the "Gander Hill Prison" after the neighborhood it is located in. The prison opened in 1982.
Many Wilmington City workers belong to one of several Locals of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
union.
, Delaware Avenue, Trinity Vicinity, and Upper/Lower Market Street.
.
Also in 2002, the Wilmington Police Department started a program known as jump-outs in which unmarked police vans would patrol crime-prone neighborhoods late at night, suddenly converge at street corners and temporarily detain loiterers
; photographing and fingerprint
ing the detainees. Along with apprehending anyone with drugs or weapons, it was thought that this program would improve the police's database of fingerprints and eye-witnesses for use in future crime investigations. Some citizens protested that such a practice was a violation of civil rights.
In 2010, Wilmington had 27 homicides, which exceeded the previous record of 26 set in 2008. In 2011, community mobilization against crime was reported to be on the rise in the city.
The Wilmington Fire Department (WFD) is led by Chief Willie Patrick Jr. and maintains four engine companies, two ladder companies, and a marine fire fighting force. In recent years, the department has promoted a ride along program which gives city residents an opportunity to evaluate possible career decisions. In addition, department officials have enacted a program that requires firefighters to be involved with community associations on a regular basis. Wilmington is the only municipality in Delaware with a career fire department.
On July 1, 2009, due to the national financial crisis and projected city budget shortfall, the department laid off firefighters for the first time in city history. The lay off reduced the department's manpower pool from 173 to 165 uniformed personnel. The eight laid off firefighters were able to return to work as members are the department retired with the final firefighter was recalled to duty after 13 months. In addition to the lay offs, the department initiated a rolling by-pass of three engine companies (Engine 1, Engine 4, and Engine 6). After further budget shortfalls and city cuts the department was once again required to cut costs. This time the city's only heavy rescue company, Rescue 1, was eliminated. However all personnel remained employed. On January 1, 2011 Rescue 1 was taken out of service and personnel transferred. The department converted two engine companies into squad companies. Engine 1 was re-designated as Squad 1 with the old Rescue 1 being re-designated as Special Operations 1 (SO1). Engine 3 was re-designated as Squad 3 and the old reserve Rescue 101 was re-designated Special Operations 3 (SO3). Even with the elimination of Rescue 1, the Department continued the rolling by-pass of an engine company. The rolling by-pass now effected Engine 4, Engine 5, and Engine 6. The Department found some financial relief in 2011 when it was awarded the federal SAFER grant. This enabled the department to fund 13 positions returning the department's staffing to 173 uniformed personnel. Even with the federal grant the department has stated that the need to continue the rolling by-pass should dramatically decrease however it would not eliminate the need.
infection in the United States, with disproportionate rates of infection among African-American males. Efforts by local advocates to implement needle exchange programs to combat the spread of infection were obstructed for several years by downstate and suburban state legislators but a program was finally approved in June 2006.
Much of Wilmington's economy is based on its status as the most populous and readily accessible city in Delaware, a state that made itself attractive to businesses with pro-business finance laws and a longstanding reputation for a fair and effective judicial system. Contributing to the economic health of the downtown and Wilmington Riverfront regions has been the presence of Wilmington Station, through which 665,000 people passed in 2009.
Wilmington has become a national financial center for the credit card
industry, largely due to regulations enacted by former Governor Pierre S. du Pont, IV
in 1981. The Financial Center Development Act of 1981, among other things, eliminated the usury
laws enacted by most states, thereby removing the cap on interest rates that banks may legally charge customers. Many major credit card issuers, including Bank of America
(formerly MBNA Corporation), Chase Card Services (part of JPMorgan Chase & Co.
, formerly Bank One/First USA), and Barclays Bank of Delaware (formerly Juniper Bank
), are headquartered in Wilmington. The Dutch banking giant ING Groep N.V. headquartered its U.S. internet banking unit, ING Direct, in Wilmington. The United Kingdom's HSBC
has their American operations
headquartered in Wilmington. Wilmington Trust
is headquartered in Wilmington at Rodney Square
. Barclays and ING Direct have very large and prominent locations located along the waterfront of the Christina River
. In 1988, the Delaware legislature enacted a law which required a would-be acquirer to capture 85 percent of a Delaware chartered corporation's stock in a single transaction or wait three years before proceeding. This law strengthened Delaware's position as a safe haven for corporate charters during an especially turbulent time filled with hostile takeovers.
Wilmington's other notable industries include insurance (American Life Insurance Company [ALICO], Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Delaware), retail banking
(including the Delaware headquarters of: Wilmington Trust
, PNC Bank, Wachovia Bank, JPMorgan Chase, HSBC
, Citizens Bank
, Wilmington Savings Fund Society
, and Artisans' Bank), and legal services. A General Motors plant was closed in 2009. Delaware's only two remaining homegrown 2006 Fortune 1000 companies, E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
and Hercules
, both have their global headquarters in downtown Wilmington. This is two less than previous years due to the acquisition of MBNA by Bank of America, and Conectiv through Pepco Holding's subsidiary, Delmarva Power. In addition, the city is the corporate domicile of more than 50% of the publicly traded companies in the United States, and over 60% of the Fortune 500
.
Delaware chartered corporations rely on the state's Court of Chancery
to decide legal disputes, which places legal decisions with a judge instead of a jury. The Court of Chancery, known both nationally and internationally for its speed, competence, and knowledgeable judiciary as a court of equity, is empowered to grant broad relief in the form of injunctions and restraining orders, which is of particular importance when shareholders seek to block or enjoin corporate actions such as mergers or acquisitions. The Court of Chancery, as a statewide court, may hear cases in any of the state's three counties. A dedicated-use Chancery courthouse was recently constructed in Georgetown, Sussex County, which has hosted high-profile complex corporate trials such as the Disney shareholder litigation.
Delaware has among the strictest rules in America regarding out-of-state legal practice, allowing no reciprocity to lawyers who passed the bar in other states.
minor league baseball stadium. The Wilmington Rowing Center boathouse is located along the Christina River on the Riverfront. Development continues as the Wilmington Riverfront tries to establish its cultural, economical, and residential importance. Recent high-rise luxury apartment buildings along the Christina River
have been cited as evidence of the Riverfront's continued revival. On June 7, 2006, the groundbreaking of Justison Landing signaled the beginning of Wilmington's largest residential project since Bancroft Park was built after World War II
. Outlets shops, restaurants and a Riverfront Market have also opened along the 1.2 miles (1.9 km) Riverwalk.
, via Amtrak
's Northeast Corridor
. SEPTA
Regional (commuter) Rail provides frequent additional local service to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
. Amtrak has a major maintenance shop and yard in northeast Wilmington that maintains and rebuilds the agency's Northeast Corridor electric locomotive fleet. The Amtrak Training Facility is also located in Wilmington, as well as Amtrak's Consolidated National Operations Center (CNOC).
Two freight railroads, CSX and Norfolk Southern, also serve Wilmington. Each has a major freight yard in the area; CSX operates the Wilsmere Yard to the west of the city and Norfolk Southern operates the Edgemoor Yard to the northeast of the city.
DART First State
(Delaware Authority for Regional Transit) operates public bus service
with approximately 40 bus lines serving the city and the surrounding suburbs as well as inter-county service to Dover
, the state capital, and seasonal service to Rehoboth Beach
on the Atlantic Ocean
. They also offer RideShare Delaware
, a program which links commuters looking for carpools or vanpools. In addition, the site offers transit riders, walkers or bikers a Guaranteed Ride Home in the event of a work emergency. Greyhound operates interstate bus service out of the downtown bus terminal at the rail station.
Interstate 95
, which splits Wilmington roughly into eastern and western halves, provides access to major markets in the Northeast and nationwide. Interstate 495
is a bypass
just east of the city, and Interstate 295 is south of the city, crossing the Delaware River
into New Jersey
.
The closest major airport is Philadelphia International Airport
. A few miles south of Wilmington is New Castle County Airport
, which is primarily used for corporate charter flights, recreational flights, and by both the Delaware Army National Guard and Delaware Air National Guard.
s. The Port of Wilmington handles mostly international imports of fruits and vegetables, automobiles, steel, and bulk products.
, closes down six blocks in the west side of the city the second week of June every year for traditional Italian music, food, and activities, along with carnival rides and games. Another festival that draws large crowds is the Greek Festival, which is organized by Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church. This festival is on a smaller scale than the Italian festival but features traditional Greek (Hellenic) crafts, food, drink, and music. Another notable annual festival in Wilmington, the Polish festival, is organized by St. Hedwig's Catholic Church and features Polish cuisine with carnival rides and entertainment. Haneef's African Festival celebrates the heritage of the African American majority in the city.
Wilmington is also home to the annual Big August Quarterly
, a historic event since 1814 celebrating African American religious freedom. IndiaFest is another cultural festival held in the city and is hosted by the Indo American Association of Delaware.
Wilmington also celebtrates Hispanic week, which coincides with National Hispanic Month festivities, September 15-October 15. The festival culminates with a pageant and desfile (parade) along 4th street. Concerts featuring top rate Latin music acts, Latin cuisine and a carnival are held at the riverfront on the last weekend. Activities are also held at St. Paul's Catholic Church
is an week-long outdoor music festival held each summer in Wilmington's Rodney Square
.
The Peoples' Festival is an annual tribute to Bob Marley
, a one-time Wilmington resident. Started in 1994 to honor Marley, the event brings together Reggae and World Beat music artists, playing both original music as well as Bob Marley and the Wailers songs. The festival is held on the Wilmington riverfront each summer.
The Riverfront Blues Festival is a 3-day music festival in the Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park in Wilmington. The festival, which features prominent blues acts as well as artists from the local area, takes place each August.
is a 15K Road Race held in October. It is the event of the year for the Pike Creek Valley Running Club (PCVRC). The course has rotated every few years based on sponsorship. The event began in 1983 as a fundraiser for the PCVRC, but the Special Olympics has been the beneficiary for the last few years.
The Caesar Rodney Half Marathon is a 21.0975 kilometres (13.1 mi) road race held each year on the second Sunday in March, starting in 1964. Billed by race organizers as the "granddaddy of Delaware road races," the Caesar Rodney Half Marathon and the city that hosts it welcomes more than 1,000 runners from 20 states and several countries around the world. The out-and-back race takes participants from the starting line at Wilmington's Rodney Square
through the streets of Wilmington, past the scenic revitalized riverfront, through Rockford Park and back to Rodney Square at the Caesar Rodney statue. Proceeds benefit the American Lung Association
of Delaware.
are a group of four parks in Wilmington operated by the Delaware State Park system. The four parks are Brandywine Park, including the Brandywine Zoo
and Baynard Stadium, Alapocas Woods Natural Area, H. Fletcher Brown Park and Rockford Park. Admission to the parks is free, but a fee is charged for admittance to the zoo
. The parks, within minutes of each other, are open year round from sunrise
to sunset
. The zoo is open daily from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm, May through November. Rockford Tower and Rockford Park is open from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm on Saturdays and Sundays, from May 1 until October 31. The parks are patrolled by Delaware State Park Rangers whose headquarters office is in Brandywine Park.
The City of Wilmington also operates 55 parks and recreational facilities across the city.
, Colonial
, Christina
, and Red Clay
school districts for elementary, junior high, and high school public education. The New Castle County Vocational-Technical School District
operates Howard High School of Technology
in the city of Wilmington.
In 1954, the Brown v. Board of Education
decision by the U.S. Supreme Court forced the then segregated schools of New Castle County to desegregate. However, the subsequent eleven school districts that were created in the county, including the Wilmington School District, soon became de facto segregated, as the Wilmington School District became predominately black, and the districts outside the city remained overwhemingly white. In response, the 1976 U.S. District Court decision Evans v. Buchanan implemented a plan by which students in Wilmington would be bused to attend school in the suburbs for certain grades, while suburban students would be bused into the City of Wilmington for other grades. By 1981, the four current districts in northern New Castle County, Brandywine, Christina, Colonial, and Red Clay, each composed of city and suburban areas, were established.
There are several private secondary schools in Wilmington: Salesianum School
, Ursuline Academy, Wilmington Friends School
, The Tatnall School
, Tower Hill School
, St. Elizabeth High School, and Padua Academy
.
Wilmington also hosts two charter school
s, including the Charter School of Wilmington
, and East Side Charter School, and a magnet school
, Cab Calloway School of the Arts
which focuses on the performing arts. The Charter School of Wilmington and Cab Calloway School of the Arts are housed in the building of the former Wilmington High School.
Fulda
, Germany Kalmar
, Sweden
Ningbo
, China
Olevano sul Tusciano
, Italy
Osogbo
, Nigeria
Watford
, England, UK
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
, United States, and is located at the confluence
Confluence
Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
of the Christina River
Christina River
The Christina River is a tributary of the Delaware River, approximately 35 miles long, in northern Delaware in the United States, also flowing through small areas of southeastern Pennsylvania and northeastern Maryland. Near its mouth the river flows past downtown Wilmington, Delaware,...
and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
. It is the county seat of New Castle County
New Castle County, Delaware
New Castle County is the northernmost of the three counties of the U.S. state of Delaware. As of 2010 its population was 538,479, an increase of 7.6% over the previous decade. The county seat is Wilmington. The center of population of Delaware is located in New Castle County, in the town of...
and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley
Delaware Valley
The Delaware Valley is a term used to refer to the valley where the Delaware River flows, along with the surrounding communities. This includes the metropolitan area centered on the city of Philadelphia. Such educational institutions as Delaware Valley Regional High School in Alexandria Township...
metropolitan area
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
. Wilmington was named by Proprietor Thomas Penn
Thomas Penn
Thomas Penn was a son of William Penn, founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony that became the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Thomas Penn was born in Bristol, England after his father returned there in 1701 because of financial difficulties...
for his friend Spencer Compton
Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington
Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington KG, KB, PC was a British Whig statesman who served continuously in government from 1715 until his death. He served as the nominal head of government from 1742 until his death in 1743, but was merely a figurehead for the true leader of the government, Lord...
, Earl of Wilmington
Earl of Wilmington
Earl of Wilmington was a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1730 for the politician Spencer Compton, 1st Baron Wilmington, who later served as Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1742 to 1743, during the reign of George II. He had already been created Baron Wilmington in 1728...
, who was prime minister in the reign of George II of Great Britain
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
.
According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 70,851, a decrease of 2.4% from 2000. The metropolitan area which includes the cities of Philadelphia, and Camden, New Jersey
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
had a 2006 population of 5,826,742, and a combined statistical area of 6,398,896.
History
The area now known as Wilmington was first colonized by settlers from SwedenSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
who in March 1638 arrived on the Fogel Grip
Fogel Grip
The Fogel Grip was a Swedish sailing ship originally built in the Netherlands in the early 1600s. She was used on the first Swedish expedition in 1638 together with the Kalmar Nyckel to establish the colony of New Sweden.-The ship:Little is known about the vessel. Fogel Grip was a Full rigged...
and Kalmar Nyckel
Kalmar Nyckel
The Kalmar Nyckel was a Dutch-built armed merchant ship famed for carrying Finnish and Swedish settlers to North America in 1638 to establish the colony of New Sweden. A replica of the ship was launched at Wilmington, Delaware, in 1997.-History:The Kalmar Nyckel was constructed in about 1625 and...
. They established Fort Christina
Fort Christina
Fort Christina was the first Swedish settlement in North America and the principal settlement of the New Sweden colony...
at the mouth of the Christina River
Christina River
The Christina River is a tributary of the Delaware River, approximately 35 miles long, in northern Delaware in the United States, also flowing through small areas of southeastern Pennsylvania and northeastern Maryland. Near its mouth the river flows past downtown Wilmington, Delaware,...
at the area known as "The Rocks", located near the foot of present-day Seventh Street. Fort Christina served as the headquarters for the colony of New Sweden
New Sweden
New Sweden was a Swedish colony along the Delaware River on the Mid-Atlantic coast of North America from 1638 to 1655. Fort Christina, now in Wilmington, Delaware, was the first settlement. New Sweden included parts of the present-day American states of Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania....
which consisted of, for the most part, the lower Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
region (parts of present day Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, and New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
), but few colonists settled there. Dr. Timothy Stidham (Swedish:Timen Lulofsson Stiddem) was a prominent citizen and doctor in Wilmington. He was born in 1610, probably in Hammel, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and raised in Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. He arrived in New Sweden
New Sweden
New Sweden was a Swedish colony along the Delaware River on the Mid-Atlantic coast of North America from 1638 to 1655. Fort Christina, now in Wilmington, Delaware, was the first settlement. New Sweden included parts of the present-day American states of Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania....
in 1654 and is recorded as the first physician in Delaware.
The most important Swedish governor was Colonel Johan Printz, who ruled the colony under Swedish law from 1643 to 1653. He was succeeded by Johan Rising
Johan Rising
Johan Classon Risingh was the last governor of the Swedish colony of New Sweden.-Biography:Johan Classon Risingh was born in 1617 in Risinge, Östergötland, Sweden. After gymnasium at Linköping, he attended the University of Upsala and University of Leyden. From 1651 to 1653, he held the office of...
, who upon his arrival in 1654, seized the Dutch post Fort Casimir
Fort Casimir
Fort Casimir was a Dutch settlement in 17th century colonial province of New Netherland. It was located on a no-longer existing barrier island at the end of Chestnut Street in what is now New Castle, Delaware...
, located at the site of the present town of New Castle
New Castle, Delaware
New Castle is a city in New Castle County, Delaware, six miles south of Wilmington, situated on the Delaware River. In 1900, 3,380 people lived here; in 1910, 3,351...
, which was built by the Dutch in 1651. Rising governed New Sweden until the autumn of 1655, when a Dutch fleet under the command of Peter Stuyvesant
Peter Stuyvesant
Peter Stuyvesant , served as the last Dutch Director-General of the colony of New Netherland from 1647 until it was ceded provisionally to the English in 1664, after which it was renamed New York...
subjugated the Swedish forts and established the authority of the Colony of New Netherland
New Netherland
New Netherland, or Nieuw-Nederland in Dutch, was the 17th-century colonial province of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands on the East Coast of North America. The claimed territories were the lands from the Delmarva Peninsula to extreme southwestern Cape Cod...
throughout the area formerly controlled by the Swedes. This marked the end of Swedish rule in North America.
Beginning in 1664 British colonization
British colonization of the Americas
British colonization of the Americas began in 1607 in Jamestown, Virginia and reached its peak when colonies had been established throughout the Americas...
began; after a series of wars between the Dutch and English, the area stabilized under British rule, with strong influences from the Quaker communities under the auspices of Proprietor William Penn
William Penn
William Penn was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was an early champion of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations and successful...
. A borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
charter was granted in 1739 by King George II, which changed the name of the settlement from Willington, after Thomas Willing
Thomas Willing
Thomas Willing was an American merchant and financier and a Delegate to the Continental Congress from Pennsylvania....
the first developer of the land who organized the area in a grid pattern similar to that of its northern neighbor Philadelphia, to Wilmington, presumably after Spencer Compton
Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington
Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington KG, KB, PC was a British Whig statesman who served continuously in government from 1715 until his death. He served as the nominal head of government from 1742 until his death in 1743, but was merely a figurehead for the true leader of the government, Lord...
, Earl of Wilmington
Earl of Wilmington
Earl of Wilmington was a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1730 for the politician Spencer Compton, 1st Baron Wilmington, who later served as Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1742 to 1743, during the reign of George II. He had already been created Baron Wilmington in 1728...
.
Although during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
only one small battle was fought in Delaware, British troops occupied Wilmington shortly after the nearby Battle of Brandywine
Battle of Brandywine
The Battle of Brandywine, also known as the Battle of the Brandywine or the Battle of Brandywine Creek, was fought between the American army of Major General George Washington and the British-Hessian army of General Sir William Howe on September 11, 1777. The British defeated the Americans and...
on September 11, 1777. The British remained in the town until they vacated Philadelphia in 1778.
In 1800, Eleuthère Irénée du Pont
Eleuthère Irénée du Pont
Éleuthère Irénée du Pont de Nemours , known as Irénée du Pont, or E.I. du Pont, was a French-born Huguenot chemist and industrialist who immigrated to the United States in 1799 and founded the gunpowder manufacturer, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company...
, a French Huguenot
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
emigrated to the United States. Knowledgeable in the manufacture of gunpowder
Gunpowder
Gunpowder, also known since in the late 19th century as black powder, was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid 1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate - with the sulfur and charcoal acting as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer...
, by 1802 DuPont had begun making the explosive on the banks of the Brandywine River, just outside of the town of Wilmington. The DuPont
DuPont
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...
company became a major supplier to the U.S. military.
The greatest growth in the city occurred during the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Delaware, though officially remaining a member of the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
, was a border state and divided in its support of both the Confederate and the Union causes. The war created enormous demand for goods and materials supplied by Wilmington including ships, railroad cars, gunpowder, shoes, and other war-related goods.
By 1868, Wilmington was producing more iron ships than the rest of the country combined and it rated first in the production of gunpowder and second in carriages and leather. Due to the prosperity Wilmington enjoyed during the war, city merchants and manufacturers expanded Wilmington's residential boundaries westward in the form of large homes along tree-lined streets. This movement was spurred by the first horsecar line, which was initiated in 1864 along Delaware Avenue.
The late 19th century saw the development of the city's first comprehensive park system. William Bancroft, a successful Wilmington businessman, led the effort to establish open parkland in Wilmington and was heavily influenced by the work of Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted was an American journalist, social critic, public administrator, and landscape designer. He is popularly considered to be the father of American landscape architecture, although many scholars have bestowed that title upon Andrew Jackson Downing...
. Rockford Park and Brandywine Park were created due to Bancroft's efforts.
Both World Wars stimulated the city's industries. Industries vital to the war effort - shipyards, steel foundries, machinery, and chemical producers - operated on a 24-hour basis. Other industries produced such goods as automobiles, leather products, and clothing.
The post war prosperity again pushed the residential development further out of the city. The 1950s saw a large increase in people living in the suburbs of North Wilmington and commuting into the city to work. This lifestyle was made possible by extensive upgrades to area roads and highways and through the construction of Interstate 95
Interstate 95
Interstate 95 is the main highway on the East Coast of the United States, running parallel to the Atlantic Ocean from Maine to Florida and serving some of the most populated urban areas in the country, including Boston, Providence, New Haven, New York City, Newark, Philadelphia, Baltimore,...
, which cut through several of Wilmington's neighborhoods and contributed to significant population losses in the city. Urban renewal projects in the 1950s and 1960s cleared entire blocks of housing in the Center City and East Side areas.
Riots and civil unrest in the city following the 1968 assassination of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the...
and in response, on 9 April 1968, Governor Charles L. Terry, Jr.
Charles L. Terry, Jr.
Charles Layman "Charlie" Terry, Jr. was an American lawyer and politician from Dover, in Kent County, Delaware. He was a member of the Democratic Party, who served as Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court and as Governor of Delaware.-Early life and family:Terry was born at Camden, Delaware,...
deployed the National Guard
Delaware Army National Guard
The Delaware National Guard comprises both Army and Air National Guard components. The Constitution of the United States specifically charges the National Guard with dual federal and state missions. In fact, the National Guard is the only United States military force empowered to function in a...
and the Delaware State Police
Delaware State Police
The Delaware State Police is a division of the Delaware Department of Public Safety and Homeland Security and is responsible for traffic regulation and law enforcement across the state of Delaware, especially in areas underserved by local police departments...
to the city at the request of Mayor John Babiarz. One week later, Mayor Babiarz requested the National Guard troops be withdrawn, but Governor Terry refused, and kept them in the city until his term ended in January 1969. This is reportedly the longest occupation of an American city by state forces in the nation's history.
In the 1980s, the city experienced tremendous job growth and office construction when many national banks and financial institutions relocated to the area after the Financial Center Development Act of 1981 substantially liberalized the laws governing banks operating within the state. In 1986, the state adopted legislation targeted at attracting international finance and insurance companies. Today, many national and international banks, including Bank of America
Bank of America
Bank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
, Chase
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. is an American multinational banking corporation of securities, investments and retail. It is the largest bank in the United States by assets and market capitalization.It is a major provider of financial services, with assets of $2 trillion and according to Forbes magazine is...
, and Barclays, have operations in the city, with these typically being their credit card operations.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 17 mi2. Of that, 10.9 mi2 is land and 6.2 mi2 is water. The total area is 36.25% water.
The city is located at the confluence of the Christina River
Christina River
The Christina River is a tributary of the Delaware River, approximately 35 miles long, in northern Delaware in the United States, also flowing through small areas of southeastern Pennsylvania and northeastern Maryland. Near its mouth the river flows past downtown Wilmington, Delaware,...
and the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
, approximately 25 miles (40.2 km) southwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. Wilmington Train Station is one of the last stops on Philadelphia's SEPTA rail transportation system and is also served by Northeast Corridor
Northeast Corridor
The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...
Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
passenger trains. Wilmington is also one of the major cities served by I-95
Interstate 95 in Delaware
In Delaware, Interstate 95 runs diagonally from the border with Maryland northeast to the border with Pennsylvania. Between the Maryland state line and exit 5, I-95 is also designated as the Delaware Turnpike and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway. Along with its auxiliaries, I-95 is the only...
, although the twin-span Delaware Memorial Bridge
Delaware Memorial Bridge
The Delaware Memorial Bridge is a set of twin suspension bridges crossing the Delaware River. The toll bridges carry Interstate 295 and U.S. Route 40 between Delaware and New Jersey...
, a few miles south of the city, provides direct highway access between Delaware and New Jersey, carrying the I-295 eastern bypass route around Wilmington and Philadelphia, as well as highway U.S. 40, which continues eastward to Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
.
These transportation links and geographic proximity give Wilmington some of the characteristics of a satellite city to Philadelphia, but Wilmington's long history as the most important city in Delaware, its significant urban core, and its independent value as a business destination makes it more properly considered a small but independent city in the Philadelphia metropolitan area
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
.
Wilmington lies along the Fall Line
Fall line
A fall line is a geomorphologic unconformity between an upland region of relatively hard crystalline basement rock and a coastal plain of softer sedimentary rock. A fall line is typically prominent when crossed by a river, for there will often be rapids or waterfalls...
geological
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
transition from the Mid-Atlantic Piedmont Plateau
Piedmont (United States)
The Piedmont is a plateau region located in the eastern United States between the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the main Appalachian Mountains, stretching from New Jersey in the north to central Alabama in the south. The Piedmont province is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division...
to the Atlantic Coastal Plain
Atlantic Coastal Plain
The Atlantic coastal plain has both low elevation and low relief, but it is also a relatively flat landform extending from the New York Bight southward to a Georgia/Florida section of the Eastern Continental Divide, which demarcates the plain from the ACF River Basin in the Gulf Coastal Plain to...
. East of Market Street, and along both sides of the Christina River, the Coastal Plain land is flat, low-lying, and in places marshy. The Delaware River here is an estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
at sea level (with twice-daily high and low tides), providing sea-level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
access for ocean
Ocean
An ocean is a major body of saline water, and a principal component of the hydrosphere. Approximately 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by ocean, a continuous body of water that is customarily divided into several principal oceans and smaller seas.More than half of this area is over 3,000...
-going ships.
On the western side of Market Street, the Piedmont topography is rocky and hilly, rising to a point that marks the watershed between the Brandywine River and the Christina River. This watershed line runs along Delaware Avenue westward from 10th Street and Market Street.
These contrasting topography and soil conditions affected the industrial and residential development patterns within the city. The hilly west side was more attractive for the original residential areas, offering springs and sites for mill
Mill (grinding)
A grinding mill is a unit operation designed to break a solid material into smaller pieces. There are many different types of grinding mills and many types of materials processed in them. Historically mills were powered by hand , working animal , wind or water...
s, better air quality, and fewer mosquitoes.
Surrounding municipalities
Climate
Wilmington has a humid subtropical climateHumid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
(Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Cfa).
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2010, there were 70,851 people, 28,615 households, and 15,398 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 6,497.6 per square mile (2,508.8/km²). There were 32,820 housing units at an average density of 3,009.9 per square mile (1,162.1/km²) and with an occupancy rate of 87.2%. The racial makeup of the city was 58.0% Black, 32.6% White, 0.4% Native American, 1.0% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 5.4% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. 12.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, the largest ancestries included: Irish
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
(8.7%), Italian
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
(5.7%), German
German American
German Americans are citizens of the United States of German ancestry and comprise about 51 million people, or 17% of the U.S. population, the country's largest self-reported ancestral group...
(5.2%), English
English American
English Americans are citizens or residents of the United States whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in England....
(4.4%), and Polish
Polish American
A Polish American , is a citizen of the United States of Polish descent. There are an estimated 10 million Polish Americans, representing about 3.2% of the population of the United States...
(3.6%).
There were 28,615 households out of which 25.0% had own children under the age of 18 living with them, 23.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 24.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 46.2% were non-families. 38.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the city, the population was spread out with 24.4% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.3 years. For every 100 females there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.4 males.
According to ACS 1-year estimates for 2010, the median income for a household in the city was $32,884, and the median income for a family was $37,352. Males working full-time had a median income of $41,878 versus $36,587 for females working full-time. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $24,861. 27.6% of the population and 24.9% of families were below the poverty line. 45.7% of those under the age of 18 and 16.5% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.).
Government
The Wilmington City Council consists of thirteen members. The council consists of eight members who are elected from geographic districts, four elected at-large and the City Council President. The Council President is elected by the entire city. The Mayor of Wilmington is also elected by the entire city.The current mayor of Wilmington is James M. Baker (D). Mayor Baker became the first 3-term mayor upon his re-election in 2008. Norman D. Griffiths is the City Council President.
The Delaware Department of Correction Howard R. Young Correctional Institution, renamed from Multi-Purpose Criminal Justice Facility in 2004 and housing both pretrial and posttrial male prisoners, is located in Wilmington. The prison is often referred to as the "Gander Hill Prison" after the neighborhood it is located in. The prison opened in 1982.
Many Wilmington City workers belong to one of several Locals of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees is the second- or third-largest labor union in the United States and one of the fastest-growing, representing over 1.4 million employees, primarily in local and state government and in the health care industry. AFSCME is part of the...
union.
North of the Brandywine River
- Baynard Village
- Brandywine Hills - This neighborhood of approximately 225 homes in northern Wilmington was started in 1930s. The streets in the neighborhood are named after famous American and English authors, including Byron, Emerson, Hawthorne and Milton. It is bounded by Lea Boulevard, Rockwood Road, Miller Road, and Market Street
- Brandywine Village
- Eastlawn
- Eastlake
- Gander Hill (Lower Brandywine Village)
- Harlan
- Ninth Ward - Originally a post-Civil War political creation, the city's Ninth Ward has long been an area with owner-occupied residences. The Ninth Ward was integrated as a result of population shifts in the 1960s and remains a stable, working-class neighborhood.
- Prices Run
- Riverside - Is a housing development in the northeastern corner of the city. It was built in 1959.
- Triangle - a group of homes built in the 1920s whose corresponding streets along I-95 and Baynard Boulevard and 18th Street and Concord Avenue loosely form a triangle.
East of I-95
- Center City (Downtown)
- East Side -
- Midtown Brandywine - row homes near Brandywine Park
- Quaker Hill - From a country hilltop in the 19th century to rows of city homes today, Quaker Hill (which surrounds the historical Quaker Friends Meeting House) has watched its neighborhood become much more modernized over the last three centuries. This city district was founded by Quakers William Shipley and Thomas West in the early 18th century. The nearby Meeting House keeps Quaker Hill closely tied to its rich history. The cemetery of the Wilmington Friends House is the burial site of the abolitionist Thomas Garrett and John Dickinson, signer of the U.S. Constitution.
- Riverfront
- Southbridge
- Trinity Vicinity - This neighborhood is located in the center of Wilmington, next to the Trinity Church and Interstate 95. A collection of row homes and detached houses, many of which were originally built in the late 19th century. The revitalization of the neighborhood was aided by the Urban Homesteading Act in the 1970s. The neighborhood was designated as a historic district in the 1990s.
- Upper East Side (East Brandywine)
- West Center City
- 11th St. Bridge
West of I-95
- Bayard Square
- Browntown/Hedgeville - areas in the city that were originally populated by Polish immigrants. Today, the Polish community maintains a strong presence, while other ethnicities have moved in the neighborhood's borders.
- Canby Park
- Cool Spring & Tilton Park - bounded loosely by Pennsylvania Avenue on the north, West 7th Street on the south, North Jackson Street on the east and North Rodney Street on the west. The neighborhood is home to private schools Padua AcademyPadua AcademyPadua Academy is an all-girls Catholic high school in Wilmington, Delaware. It is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wilmington. It is a four-time winner of the “Superstars in Education” Award from the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce. . The school has been awarded Blue Ribbon School...
and Ursuline Academy as well as the University & Whist Club and the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, which hosts the annual Greek Festival.
- Delaware Avenue
- Forty Acres - This historically Irish neighborhood, rural until the mid-19th century, developed from the farmland of Joshua T. Heald. One of the city's first suburbs, the neighborhood is centered on the St. Ann's Roman Catholic Church. The name Forty Acres is taken from the fertility of the farmland. One acre of the land was said to be worth 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) one might find someplace else. The neighborhood exists northeast of Delaware Avenue, southwest of Riddle Avenue, east of Union Street and west of DuPont Street, with Lovering Avenue as its eastern boundary of Lovering Avenue.
- Greenhill
- Happy Valley - a small collection of late-19th century row houses on the southeastern slope to Brandywine Park, between Adams Street, Jackson Street (I-95), Wawaset Street and Gilpin Avenue.
- The Highlands - located between Pennsylvania Avenue and Delaware Avenue, the Highlands neighborhood, centered on 18th Street southeast of Rockford Park, was developed by Joshua Heald in the 19th century for affluent, middle-class residents. It contains detached and semi-detached houses of exuberant architectural detailing, representing numerous popular styles of the time.
- Hilltop - This area located along 4th Street and roughly bordered by Lancaster Avenue, Jackson Street, Clayton Street has remained one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the city since the late 19th century. Today, this area is home to one of the city's fastest growing segments - the Hispanic community.
- Little ItalyLittle Italy, WilmingtonLittle Italy is a neighborhood on the west side of Wilmington, Delaware.Little Italy is bounded roughly by 4th Street to the south, Union Street to the west, Clayton Street to the east, and Pennsylvania Avenue to the north. Like other neighborhoods with the "Little Italy" designation, Little Italy...
- this neighborhood consists of the area around Union Street and Lincoln streets, between Pennsylvania Avenue and Lancaster Avenue. Anchored by the immigration waves of the late 19th century and early 20th century, Little Italy has retained its roots, even as neighborhood remodeling projects update the scenery. A central feature of the neighborhood is the St. Anthony's of Padua Roman Catholic Church. The neighborhood hosts an annual Italian Festival in the summertime.
- St. Elizabeth Area - The St. Elizabeth area is anchored by the St. Elizabeth Parish at 809 S. Broom St., considered the heart of the Catholic community. This historic church, built on the grounds of the Banning Estate, dates back to 1908.
- Trolley Square - settled in the 1860s after the city's trolley line had extended into farmland once owned by the Shallcross and Lovering families. The city's former trolley depot and bus barn was located on the spot where the Trolley Square shopping complex now sits. The neighborhood lies between Harrison Street, Pennsylvania Avenue, Lovering Avenue and the B&O Railroad track.
- Wawaset ParkWawaset Park, Wilmington, DelawareWawaset Park is a planned community on the western edge of the City of Wilmington, Delaware bounded by Woodlawn Avenue, Pennsylvania Avenue, Greenhill Avenue, and West 7th Street. The area was formerly the grounds of Schuetzen Park, a horse racing and later auto racing track and fair grounds...
- The neighborhood was constructed by the Dupont Company in 1918 to provide a residential community for their employees. Baltimore architect Edward L. Palmer, Jr. was chosen to design the community, which was to have a mix of single family homes and smaller attached Prior to the development of houses. The neighborhood was constructed on a 50 acres (202,343 m²) plot. Prior to its construction, the tract of land had been used as a horse racing track and a fairground. Wawaset Park was placed on the Register of Historic Places in 1986. The neighborhood is bounded by Pennsylvania Avenue, West 7th Street, Woodlawn Avenue and Greenhill Avenue.
- West Hill
- Westmoreland - detached housing developed in the 1950s, as part of the suburban movement that followed the end of World War II. Its location is adjacent to the original Wilmington Country Club, bounded by Ogle Avenue, Dupont Road, the Wilmington High School property and the Ed "Porky" Oliver Golf Course.
- Woodlawn (The Flats)
- Union Park Gardens
Historic Districts
The City of Wilmington has 9 Historic Districts, including the Baynard Boulevard, Kentmere Parkway, Rockford Park, Cool Spring/Tilton Park, the tri-part sections of the Eastside, St. Marys and Old Swedes Church, Quaker HillQuaker Hill Historic District (Wilmington, Delaware)
The Quaker Hill Historic District in Wilmington, Delaware is a historic district that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. The 1979 listing covered 110 contributing buildings over . The listing was increased in 1985 to include 41 more contributing buildings over an...
, Delaware Avenue, Trinity Vicinity, and Upper/Lower Market Street.
Crime
In 2002, Wilmington became what was thought to be first city in the U.S. to have its entire downtown area under surveillanceSurveillance
Surveillance is the monitoring of the behavior, activities, or other changing information, usually of people. It is sometimes done in a surreptitious manner...
.
Also in 2002, the Wilmington Police Department started a program known as jump-outs in which unmarked police vans would patrol crime-prone neighborhoods late at night, suddenly converge at street corners and temporarily detain loiterers
Loitering
Loitering is the act of remaining in a particular public place for a protracted time. Under certain circumstances, it is illegal in various jurisdictions.-Prohibition and history:Loitering may be prohibited by local governments in several countries...
; photographing and fingerprint
Fingerprint
A fingerprint in its narrow sense is an impression left by the friction ridges of a human finger. In a wider use of the term, fingerprints are the traces of an impression from the friction ridges of any part of a human hand. A print from the foot can also leave an impression of friction ridges...
ing the detainees. Along with apprehending anyone with drugs or weapons, it was thought that this program would improve the police's database of fingerprints and eye-witnesses for use in future crime investigations. Some citizens protested that such a practice was a violation of civil rights.
In 2010, Wilmington had 27 homicides, which exceeded the previous record of 26 set in 2008. In 2011, community mobilization against crime was reported to be on the rise in the city.
Public safety
The Wilmington Police Department (WPD) is led by Chief of Police Michael J. Szczerba and is authorized to deploy up to 289 officers in motor vehicles, on foot, and on bicycle in order to protect and serve the citizens of the city. It recently joined the ranks of 350 other departments nationwide, and only nine other statewide, in achieving operations accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.The Wilmington Fire Department (WFD) is led by Chief Willie Patrick Jr. and maintains four engine companies, two ladder companies, and a marine fire fighting force. In recent years, the department has promoted a ride along program which gives city residents an opportunity to evaluate possible career decisions. In addition, department officials have enacted a program that requires firefighters to be involved with community associations on a regular basis. Wilmington is the only municipality in Delaware with a career fire department.
On July 1, 2009, due to the national financial crisis and projected city budget shortfall, the department laid off firefighters for the first time in city history. The lay off reduced the department's manpower pool from 173 to 165 uniformed personnel. The eight laid off firefighters were able to return to work as members are the department retired with the final firefighter was recalled to duty after 13 months. In addition to the lay offs, the department initiated a rolling by-pass of three engine companies (Engine 1, Engine 4, and Engine 6). After further budget shortfalls and city cuts the department was once again required to cut costs. This time the city's only heavy rescue company, Rescue 1, was eliminated. However all personnel remained employed. On January 1, 2011 Rescue 1 was taken out of service and personnel transferred. The department converted two engine companies into squad companies. Engine 1 was re-designated as Squad 1 with the old Rescue 1 being re-designated as Special Operations 1 (SO1). Engine 3 was re-designated as Squad 3 and the old reserve Rescue 101 was re-designated Special Operations 3 (SO3). Even with the elimination of Rescue 1, the Department continued the rolling by-pass of an engine company. The rolling by-pass now effected Engine 4, Engine 5, and Engine 6. The Department found some financial relief in 2011 when it was awarded the federal SAFER grant. This enabled the department to fund 13 positions returning the department's staffing to 173 uniformed personnel. Even with the federal grant the department has stated that the need to continue the rolling by-pass should dramatically decrease however it would not eliminate the need.
Public health issues
The city has one of the highest per capita rates of HIVHIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
infection in the United States, with disproportionate rates of infection among African-American males. Efforts by local advocates to implement needle exchange programs to combat the spread of infection were obstructed for several years by downstate and suburban state legislators but a program was finally approved in June 2006.
Economy
Wilmington has become a national financial center for the credit card
Credit card
A credit card is a small plastic card issued to users as a system of payment. It allows its holder to buy goods and services based on the holder's promise to pay for these goods and services...
industry, largely due to regulations enacted by former Governor Pierre S. du Pont, IV
Pierre S. du Pont, IV
Pierre Samuel "Pete" du Pont IV is an American lawyer and politician from Rockland, in New Castle County, Delaware, near Wilmington. He is a member of the Republican Party, who served three terms as U.S...
in 1981. The Financial Center Development Act of 1981, among other things, eliminated the usury
Usury
Usury Originally, when the charging of interest was still banned by Christian churches, usury simply meant the charging of interest at any rate . In countries where the charging of interest became acceptable, the term came to be used for interest above the rate allowed by law...
laws enacted by most states, thereby removing the cap on interest rates that banks may legally charge customers. Many major credit card issuers, including Bank of America
Bank of America
Bank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
(formerly MBNA Corporation), Chase Card Services (part of JPMorgan Chase & Co.
JPMorgan Chase & Co.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. is an American multinational banking corporation of securities, investments and retail. It is the largest bank in the United States by assets and market capitalization.It is a major provider of financial services, with assets of $2 trillion and according to Forbes magazine is...
, formerly Bank One/First USA), and Barclays Bank of Delaware (formerly Juniper Bank
Juniper Bank
Juniper Bank was founded in January 2000 by several former executives of First USA Bank. Richard Vague - CEO, and Jim Stewart - President, received the initial round of funding from Benchmark Capital....
), are headquartered in Wilmington. The Dutch banking giant ING Groep N.V. headquartered its U.S. internet banking unit, ING Direct, in Wilmington. The United Kingdom's HSBC
HSBC
HSBC Holdings plc is a global banking and financial services company headquartered in Canary Wharf, London, United Kingdom. it is the world's second-largest banking and financial services group and second-largest public company according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine...
has their American operations
HSBC Bank USA
HSBC Bank USA, National Association, the American subsidiary of UK-based HSBC Holdings plc, is a bank with its operational head office in New York City and its nominal head office in McLean, Virginia . HSBC Bank USA, N.A...
headquartered in Wilmington. Wilmington Trust
Wilmington Trust
Wilmington Trust was founded on July 8, 1903 as a banking, trust, and safe deposit company by DuPont president T. Coleman du Pont.On November 1, 2010, Wilmington Trust announced a merger with M&T Bank, of Buffalo, NY. The deal values 107-year-old Wilmington Trust at $3.84 a share, or 46 percent...
is headquartered in Wilmington at Rodney Square
Rodney Square
Rodney Square is the public square in downtown Wilmington, Delaware named after American Revolutionary leader Caesar Rodney. A large statue of Rodney by James E. Kelly stands in the front of the square. The square was created in the early 20th century by John Jacob Raskob who worked for Pierre S....
. Barclays and ING Direct have very large and prominent locations located along the waterfront of the Christina River
Christina River
The Christina River is a tributary of the Delaware River, approximately 35 miles long, in northern Delaware in the United States, also flowing through small areas of southeastern Pennsylvania and northeastern Maryland. Near its mouth the river flows past downtown Wilmington, Delaware,...
. In 1988, the Delaware legislature enacted a law which required a would-be acquirer to capture 85 percent of a Delaware chartered corporation's stock in a single transaction or wait three years before proceeding. This law strengthened Delaware's position as a safe haven for corporate charters during an especially turbulent time filled with hostile takeovers.
Wilmington's other notable industries include insurance (American Life Insurance Company [ALICO], Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Delaware), retail banking
Retail banking
Retail banking is banking in which banking institutions execute transactions directly with consumers, rather than corporations or other banks. Services offered include: savings and transactional accounts, mortgages, personal loans, debit cards, credit cards, and so forth.-Types of...
(including the Delaware headquarters of: Wilmington Trust
Wilmington Trust
Wilmington Trust was founded on July 8, 1903 as a banking, trust, and safe deposit company by DuPont president T. Coleman du Pont.On November 1, 2010, Wilmington Trust announced a merger with M&T Bank, of Buffalo, NY. The deal values 107-year-old Wilmington Trust at $3.84 a share, or 46 percent...
, PNC Bank, Wachovia Bank, JPMorgan Chase, HSBC
HSBC
HSBC Holdings plc is a global banking and financial services company headquartered in Canary Wharf, London, United Kingdom. it is the world's second-largest banking and financial services group and second-largest public company according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine...
, Citizens Bank
Citizens Financial Group
Citizens Financial Group, Inc. is an American bank headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, which operates in the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont. Citizens is a wholly owned...
, Wilmington Savings Fund Society
WSFS Bank
Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, branded as WSFS Bank, is a federal savings bank headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, U.S., and is the retail banking subsidiary of WSFS Financial Corporation. The bank operates 41 retail branches in Delaware, Pennsylvania and Virginia...
, and Artisans' Bank), and legal services. A General Motors plant was closed in 2009. Delaware's only two remaining homegrown 2006 Fortune 1000 companies, E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
DuPont
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...
and Hercules
Hercules Inc.
Hercules, Inc., was a chemical and munitions manufacturing company based in Wilmington, Delaware, which was formed in 1912 as the Hercules Powder Company. Hercules was spun-off from the DuPont Corporation as a result of U.S. federal government actions in the field of antitrusts...
, both have their global headquarters in downtown Wilmington. This is two less than previous years due to the acquisition of MBNA by Bank of America, and Conectiv through Pepco Holding's subsidiary, Delmarva Power. In addition, the city is the corporate domicile of more than 50% of the publicly traded companies in the United States, and over 60% of the Fortune 500
Fortune 500
The Fortune 500 is an annual list compiled and published by Fortune magazine that ranks the top 500 U.S. closely held and public corporations as ranked by their gross revenue after adjustments made by Fortune to exclude the impact of excise taxes companies collect. The list includes publicly and...
.
Delaware chartered corporations rely on the state's Court of Chancery
Delaware Court of Chancery
The Delaware Court of Chancery is a court of equity in the American state of Delaware. It is one of Delaware's three constitutional courts, along with the Supreme Court and Superior Court.-Jurisdiction:...
to decide legal disputes, which places legal decisions with a judge instead of a jury. The Court of Chancery, known both nationally and internationally for its speed, competence, and knowledgeable judiciary as a court of equity, is empowered to grant broad relief in the form of injunctions and restraining orders, which is of particular importance when shareholders seek to block or enjoin corporate actions such as mergers or acquisitions. The Court of Chancery, as a statewide court, may hear cases in any of the state's three counties. A dedicated-use Chancery courthouse was recently constructed in Georgetown, Sussex County, which has hosted high-profile complex corporate trials such as the Disney shareholder litigation.
Delaware has among the strictest rules in America regarding out-of-state legal practice, allowing no reciprocity to lawyers who passed the bar in other states.
Wilmington Riverfront
Beginning in the 1990s, the city launched a campaign to revitalize the former shipyard area known as the Wilmington Riverfront. The efforts were bolstered early by The Big Kahuna also known as Kahunaville (a restaurant, bar and arcade which has also since closed and rebuilt in 2010 as the Delaware Children's Museum) and the Wilmington Blue RocksWilmington Blue Rocks
The Wilmington Blue Rocks are a Minor League Baseball team located in Wilmington, Delaware. The Blue Rocks play in the Northern Division of the Carolina League.-Franchise history:...
minor league baseball stadium. The Wilmington Rowing Center boathouse is located along the Christina River on the Riverfront. Development continues as the Wilmington Riverfront tries to establish its cultural, economical, and residential importance. Recent high-rise luxury apartment buildings along the Christina River
Christina River
The Christina River is a tributary of the Delaware River, approximately 35 miles long, in northern Delaware in the United States, also flowing through small areas of southeastern Pennsylvania and northeastern Maryland. Near its mouth the river flows past downtown Wilmington, Delaware,...
have been cited as evidence of the Riverfront's continued revival. On June 7, 2006, the groundbreaking of Justison Landing signaled the beginning of Wilmington's largest residential project since Bancroft Park was built after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Outlets shops, restaurants and a Riverfront Market have also opened along the 1.2 miles (1.9 km) Riverwalk.
Radio and television
The Wilmington area is home to four FM radio stations and four AM radio stations. A fifth FM radio station is located in Southern New Jersey and is included in the Wilmington radio market surveys:- 91.3-FM WVUDWVUDWVUD is a radio station broadcasting a campus radio format. Licensed to Newark, Delaware, USA, the station serves the Wilmington, DE area. The station is currently owned by University of Delaware. The station has obtained a construction permit from the FCC for a power increase to 6,800 watts...
-- Non-commercial radio (University of DelawareUniversity of DelawareThe university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
, Newark, DelawareNewark, DelawareNewark is an American city in New Castle County, Delaware, west-southwest of Wilmington. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the city is 31,454. Newark is the home of the University of Delaware.- History :...
) - 91.7-FM WMPHWMPHWMPH is Delaware's first high school radio station, located in Wilmington. The Brandywine School District Board of Education owns the license granted by the FCC. The call letters WMPH stand for Mount Pleasant High and offered several program formats including Top 40, progressive rock, dance and...
-- Non-commercial high school radio - 93.7-FM WSTWWSTWWSTW is a Pop Contemporary Hit Radio formatted radio station that broadcasts in the Wilmington, Delaware metropolitan area which is just south of Philadelphia. Although the station and transmitter are located in Wilmington, the signal is strong enough to provide city-grade coverage of most of...
-- Pop Contemporary HitsContemporary hit radioContemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts... - 99.5-FM WJBR-FMWJBR-FMWJBR-FM is a Wilmington, Delaware-based Adult Contemporary music formatted radio station. Although the station is broadcast from Wilmington, the signal is strong enough to be a competitive station in the Philadelphia radio market as it is Philadelphia's only radio station to have a similar format...
-- Adult Contemporary - 101.7-FM WJKS- Urban contemporaryUrban contemporaryUrban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music...
(Canton, New Jersey) - 1150-AM WDELWDELWDEL is a news/talk radio station in Wilmington, Delaware. WDEL first signed on in 1922 and is one of the first 100 broadcast radio stations licensed in the US. WDEL is a class B station, currently operating at 5,000 watts....
-- News Talk InformationTalk radioTalk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live... - 1290-AM WWTXWWTXWWTX is a sports talk formatted radio station in Wilmington, Delaware. The station has local programming, along with coverage from Fox Sports Radio...
-- Sports talk - 1380-AM WTMC-- Travel Information
- 1450-AM WILM-- News Talk Information
- Wilmington is part of the Philadelphia television market. Four of the market's stations are licensed to Wilmington--WTSD-CA, W40AZW40AZWWDD-LP is a low-power analog repeater of the Daystar Television Network, owned and operated by the network under the license of the Word of God Fellowship...
, WPPXWPPXWPPX-TV is the Ion Television network affiliate for the Philadelphia area, broadcasting on digital channel 31. It is owned and operated by ION Media Networks, formerly Paxson Communications...
, WHYY-TVWHYY-TVFor the former channel 12 in Wilmington, see WVUE .WHYY-TV, channel 12, is a non-commercial educational television station licensed to Wilmington, Delaware, USA...
.
Newspaper
- The News Journal, founded as the Delaware Gazette in 1785. Daily circulation as of 2004 and 2007 exceeded 100,000, placing the newspaper among the top 100 in the United States based on circulation.
Portrayal of Wilmington in popular culture
- Wilmington's skyline and other aerial shots of the city were featured as the stand-in for the fictional town of Arcadia in the television program Joan of ArcadiaJoan of ArcadiaJoan of Arcadia is an American television fantasy/family drama telling the story of teenager Joan Girardi , who sees and speaks with God and performs tasks she is given. The series originally aired on Fridays, 8-9 p.m...
. - Wilmington is portrayed as the fictional location of the 1999 film Fight ClubFight Club (film)Fight Club is a 1999 American film based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Chuck Palahniuk. The film was directed by David Fincher and stars Edward Norton, Brad Pitt and Helena Bonham Carter. Norton plays the unnamed protagonist, an "everyman" who is discontented with his white-collar job...
(adapted from Chuck PalahniukChuck PalahniukCharles Michael "Chuck" Palahniuk is an American transgressional fiction novelist and freelance journalist. He is best known for the award-winning novel Fight Club, which was later made into a film directed by David Fincher and starring Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, and Helena Bonham Carter...
's novel of the same titleFight Club (novel)Fight Club is a 1996 novel by Chuck Palahniuk. It follows the experiences of an unnamed protagonist struggling with insomnia. Inspired by his doctor's exasperated remark that insomnia is not suffering, he finds relief by impersonating a seriously ill person in several support groups...
), as evidenced in the narrator's business card including the suburban Wilmington zip code 19808 and the Delaware area code 302, and his apartment building having as its motto "A Place to Be Somebody". Other references include Delaware state flags, Delaware license plates, new fight clubs in New Castle, Delaware City, and Penns Grove (NJ), and the presence of credit card companies. However, city officials rejected the filmmakers' request to film in Delaware. The movie's exteriors were filmed around Los Angeles. - In the movie The Wrestler, the character portrayed by Mickey RourkeMickey RourkePhilip Andre "Mickey" Rourke, Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter and retired boxer, who has appeared primarily as a leading man in action, drama, and thriller films....
has his final match in Wilmington. - In The SimpsonsThe SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
episode "Simpsons Tall TalesSimpsons Tall Tales"Simpsons Tall Tales" is the twenty-first episode and season finale of The Simpsons twelfth season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on May 20, 2001. In the episode, Homer refuses to pay a five dollar airport tax to fly to Delaware, which forces the family to ride in a...
", the family wins a trip to Delaware and Lisa exclaims "I want to see Wilmington!" - In the James PattersonJames PattersonJames B. Patterson is an American author of thriller novels, largely known for his series about American psychologist Alex Cross...
novel Cat and Mouse, Wilmington appears as one of the crime scenes. - In the Criminal MindsCriminal MindsCriminal Minds is an American police procedural drama that premiered September 22, 2005, on CBS. The series follows a team of profilers from the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit based in Quantico, Virginia. The BAU is part of the FBI National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime...
episode "What Fresh Hell", the Behavioral Analysis UnitBehavioral Analysis UnitThe Behavioral Analysis Unit is a component of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation's National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime that uses behavioral sciences to assist in criminal investigations...
(BAU) comes to Wilmington to search for a missing child. - The independent film "In 200 Characters... Or Less" was filmed almost entirely in Wilmington.
Transportation
Wilmington is served by the Joseph R. Biden Jr. Wilmington Rail Station, with frequent service between Boston, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, via Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
's Northeast Corridor
Northeast Corridor
The Northeast Corridor is a fully electrified railway line owned primarily by Amtrak serving the Northeast megalopolis of the United States from Boston in the north, via New York to Washington, D.C. in the south, with branches serving other cities...
. SEPTA
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority is a metropolitan transportation authority that operates various forms of public transit—bus, subway and elevated rail, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolley bus—that serve 3.9 million people in and around Philadelphia,...
Regional (commuter) Rail provides frequent additional local service to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. Amtrak has a major maintenance shop and yard in northeast Wilmington that maintains and rebuilds the agency's Northeast Corridor electric locomotive fleet. The Amtrak Training Facility is also located in Wilmington, as well as Amtrak's Consolidated National Operations Center (CNOC).
Two freight railroads, CSX and Norfolk Southern, also serve Wilmington. Each has a major freight yard in the area; CSX operates the Wilsmere Yard to the west of the city and Norfolk Southern operates the Edgemoor Yard to the northeast of the city.
DART First State
DART First State
The Delaware Transit Corporation, trading as DART First State is the primary public transportation system that operates throughout Delaware, USA...
(Delaware Authority for Regional Transit) operates public bus service
DART First State New Castle County bus routes
DART First State operates 45 fixed-route bus routes throughout northern New Castle County, serving the cities of Wilmington and Newark. Most of the routes operate Monday through Saturday with some Sunday service.-External links:*...
with approximately 40 bus lines serving the city and the surrounding suburbs as well as inter-county service to Dover
Dover, Delaware
The city of Dover is the capital and second largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County, and the principal city of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Kent County. It is located on the St. Jones River in the Delaware...
, the state capital, and seasonal service to Rehoboth Beach
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Rehoboth Beach is a city in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population is 1,327, a decrease of 11.2% from 2000...
on the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. They also offer RideShare Delaware
RideShare Delaware
RideShare Delaware is DART First State's program to reduce traffic and encourage alternative transportation arrangements. The program is supported by state and federal funds as a part of Delaware's efforts to maintain air quality. RideShare works in partnership with local and regional agencies...
, a program which links commuters looking for carpools or vanpools. In addition, the site offers transit riders, walkers or bikers a Guaranteed Ride Home in the event of a work emergency. Greyhound operates interstate bus service out of the downtown bus terminal at the rail station.
Interstate 95
Interstate 95 in Delaware
In Delaware, Interstate 95 runs diagonally from the border with Maryland northeast to the border with Pennsylvania. Between the Maryland state line and exit 5, I-95 is also designated as the Delaware Turnpike and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway. Along with its auxiliaries, I-95 is the only...
, which splits Wilmington roughly into eastern and western halves, provides access to major markets in the Northeast and nationwide. Interstate 495
Interstate 495 (Delaware)
Interstate 495 in Delaware is a six-lane bypass of Interstate 95 around the city of Wilmington, Delaware. Built in the mid-1970s and opened as the "Wilmington Bypass", the highway became, between 1978 and 1982, the route of I-95 around Wilmington, while the original highway through the city,...
is a bypass
Bypass (road)
A bypass is a road or highway that avoids or "bypasses" a built-up area, town, or village, to let through traffic flow without interference from local traffic, to reduce congestion in the built-up area, and to improve road safety....
just east of the city, and Interstate 295 is south of the city, crossing the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
into New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
.
The closest major airport is Philadelphia International Airport
Philadelphia International Airport
Philadelphia International Airport is a major airport in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, and is the largest airport in the Delaware Valley region and in Pennsylvania...
. A few miles south of Wilmington is New Castle County Airport
New Castle Airport
New Castle Airport , also known as the New Castle County Airport, is a public airport located in unincorporated New Castle County, Delaware, United States and four miles south of the central business district of the city of Wilmington....
, which is primarily used for corporate charter flights, recreational flights, and by both the Delaware Army National Guard and Delaware Air National Guard.
Port of Wilmington
Wilmington is also served by the Port of Wilmington, a modern full-service deepwater port and marine terminal handling over 400 vessels per year with an annual import/export cargo tonnage of 5 million tonTon
The ton is a unit of measure. It has a long history and has acquired a number of meanings and uses over the years. It is used principally as a unit of weight, and as a unit of volume. It can also be used as a measure of energy, for truck classification, or as a colloquial term.It is derived from...
s. The Port of Wilmington handles mostly international imports of fruits and vegetables, automobiles, steel, and bulk products.
Sports
| Club | League | Sport | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington Blue Rocks Wilmington Blue Rocks The Wilmington Blue Rocks are a Minor League Baseball team located in Wilmington, Delaware. The Blue Rocks play in the Northern Division of the Carolina League.-Franchise history:... |
Carolina League Carolina League The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth... |
Minor League Baseball (Advanced-A) | Daniel S. Frawley Stadium |
- The Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of FameDelaware Sports Museum and Hall of FameThe Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame is a membership-based organization founded in 1976. The organization runs a museum with exhibits at Daniel S...
is located in Frawley Stadium. - In 2010, Sporting News ranked Wilmington 351st on its list of the 400 Best Sports Towns, behind both NewarkNewark, DelawareNewark is an American city in New Castle County, Delaware, west-southwest of Wilmington. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the city is 31,454. Newark is the home of the University of Delaware.- History :...
(218) and DoverDover, DelawareThe city of Dover is the capital and second largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County, and the principal city of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Kent County. It is located on the St. Jones River in the Delaware...
(208), two much smaller cities in Delaware.
Ethnic festivals
Wilmington has a very active and diverse ethnic population, which contributes to several very popular ethnic festivals held every spring and summer in Wilmington, the most popular of which is the Italian Festival. This event, run by St. Anthony of Padua Catholic ChurchSt. Anthony of Padua (church)
St. Anthony's Roman Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic church in Wilmington, Delaware. Named in honor of Anthony of Padua, it is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wilmington. It is situated in Wilmington's Little Italy neighborhood where the parish includes St...
, closes down six blocks in the west side of the city the second week of June every year for traditional Italian music, food, and activities, along with carnival rides and games. Another festival that draws large crowds is the Greek Festival, which is organized by Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church. This festival is on a smaller scale than the Italian festival but features traditional Greek (Hellenic) crafts, food, drink, and music. Another notable annual festival in Wilmington, the Polish festival, is organized by St. Hedwig's Catholic Church and features Polish cuisine with carnival rides and entertainment. Haneef's African Festival celebrates the heritage of the African American majority in the city.
Wilmington is also home to the annual Big August Quarterly
Big August Quarterly
Big August Quarterly is an annual religious festival held in Wilmington, Delaware . Begun in 1814 by Peter Spencer in connection with the "quarterly" meeting of the African Union Church -- of the four meetings during the year, the one in August became the "annual conference" of the Church when...
, a historic event since 1814 celebrating African American religious freedom. IndiaFest is another cultural festival held in the city and is hosted by the Indo American Association of Delaware.
Wilmington also celebtrates Hispanic week, which coincides with National Hispanic Month festivities, September 15-October 15. The festival culminates with a pageant and desfile (parade) along 4th street. Concerts featuring top rate Latin music acts, Latin cuisine and a carnival are held at the riverfront on the last weekend. Activities are also held at St. Paul's Catholic Church
Music festivals
The Clifford Brown Jazz FestivalClifford Brown Jazz Festival
The Clifford Brown Jazz Festival is a free jazz music festival held annually in June at Rodney Square in Wilmington, Delaware. The first festival was held in 1989 on the open lawn in the center of the city, and has grown into the largest free jazz festival on the East Coast...
is an week-long outdoor music festival held each summer in Wilmington's Rodney Square
Rodney Square
Rodney Square is the public square in downtown Wilmington, Delaware named after American Revolutionary leader Caesar Rodney. A large statue of Rodney by James E. Kelly stands in the front of the square. The square was created in the early 20th century by John Jacob Raskob who worked for Pierre S....
.
The Peoples' Festival is an annual tribute to Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
, a one-time Wilmington resident. Started in 1994 to honor Marley, the event brings together Reggae and World Beat music artists, playing both original music as well as Bob Marley and the Wailers songs. The festival is held on the Wilmington riverfront each summer.
The Riverfront Blues Festival is a 3-day music festival in the Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park in Wilmington. The festival, which features prominent blues acts as well as artists from the local area, takes place each August.
Running events
The Delaware Distance ClassicDelaware Distance Classic
The Delaware Distance Classic is a 15-kilometer road race held in October near Wilmington, Delaware. It is the event of the year for the Pike Creek Valley Running Club . The course has rotated every few years based on sponsorship. The event began in 1983 as a fund raiser for the PCVRC but the...
is a 15K Road Race held in October. It is the event of the year for the Pike Creek Valley Running Club (PCVRC). The course has rotated every few years based on sponsorship. The event began in 1983 as a fundraiser for the PCVRC, but the Special Olympics has been the beneficiary for the last few years.
The Caesar Rodney Half Marathon is a 21.0975 kilometres (13.1 mi) road race held each year on the second Sunday in March, starting in 1964. Billed by race organizers as the "granddaddy of Delaware road races," the Caesar Rodney Half Marathon and the city that hosts it welcomes more than 1,000 runners from 20 states and several countries around the world. The out-and-back race takes participants from the starting line at Wilmington's Rodney Square
Rodney Square
Rodney Square is the public square in downtown Wilmington, Delaware named after American Revolutionary leader Caesar Rodney. A large statue of Rodney by James E. Kelly stands in the front of the square. The square was created in the early 20th century by John Jacob Raskob who worked for Pierre S....
through the streets of Wilmington, past the scenic revitalized riverfront, through Rockford Park and back to Rodney Square at the Caesar Rodney statue. Proceeds benefit the American Lung Association
American Lung Association
The American Lung Association is a voluntary health organization whose mission is to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease.-History:...
of Delaware.
Outdoor recreation
The Wilmington State ParksWilmington State Parks
The Wilmington State Parks are a group of four parks in Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware in the United States. The four parks are Brandywine Park, including the Brandywine Zoo and Baynard Stadium, Alapocas Woods Natural Area, H. Fletcher Brown Park and Rockford Park. Admission to the parks...
are a group of four parks in Wilmington operated by the Delaware State Park system. The four parks are Brandywine Park, including the Brandywine Zoo
Brandywine Zoo
Brandywine Zoo is a small zoo that opened in 1905 in Brandywine Park in Wilmington, Delaware, USA. It consists of the main zoo as well as a separate Exotic Animal House for small animals from hotter climates. It is located on the banks of the Brandywine River, and is the only zoo in Delaware...
and Baynard Stadium, Alapocas Woods Natural Area, H. Fletcher Brown Park and Rockford Park. Admission to the parks is free, but a fee is charged for admittance to the zoo
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
. The parks, within minutes of each other, are open year round from sunrise
Sunrise
Sunrise is the instant at which the upper edge of the Sun appears above the horizon in the east. Sunrise should not be confused with dawn, which is the point at which the sky begins to lighten, some time before the sun itself appears, ending twilight...
to sunset
Sunset
Sunset or sundown is the daily disappearance of the Sun below the horizon in the west as a result of Earth's rotation.The time of sunset is defined in astronomy as the moment the trailing edge of the Sun's disk disappears below the horizon in the west...
. The zoo is open daily from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm, May through November. Rockford Tower and Rockford Park is open from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm on Saturdays and Sundays, from May 1 until October 31. The parks are patrolled by Delaware State Park Rangers whose headquarters office is in Brandywine Park.
The City of Wilmington also operates 55 parks and recreational facilities across the city.
Education
Wilmington is served by the BrandywineBrandywine School District
Brandywine School District is a public school district in northern New Castle County, Delaware in the United States. It serves a portion of the city of Wilmington.-Current members:...
, Colonial
Colonial School District (Delaware)
The Colonial School District is a public school district in New Castle Hundred, Delaware. The current superintendent is George Meney, and the district offices are located at 318 East Basin Road, in New Castle, Delaware.-Middle schools:*Calvin R...
, Christina
Christina School District
The Christina School District is a public school district located in Newark, Delaware. It is the largest public school system in Delaware.- Schools :High Schools: Christiana High School, , and Newark High School.Middle Schools: , , and...
, and Red Clay
Red Clay Consolidated School District
Red Clay Consolidated School District is a public school district in northern New Castle County, Delaware. Founded in 1981, Red Clay serves a portion of the city of Wilmington, its northern suburbs, and the Brandywine Creek and Pike Creek Valley areas.-High schools:*Alexis I...
school districts for elementary, junior high, and high school public education. The New Castle County Vocational-Technical School District
New Castle County Vocational-Technical School District
New Castle County Vocational-Technical School District is a public vocational-technical school district serving New Castle County, Delaware. Each year, one-fourth of all eighth-grade students attending New Castle County public schools apply for admission to a vo-tech high school...
operates Howard High School of Technology
Howard High School of Technology
Howard High School of Technology is a vocational-technical high school in Wilmington, Delaware and is the oldest of four high schools within the New Castle County Vocational-Technical School District, which includes Delcastle Technical High School in Newport, Hodgson Vo-Tech High School in Glasgow,...
in the city of Wilmington.
In 1954, the Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 , was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional. The decision overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson decision of 1896 which...
decision by the U.S. Supreme Court forced the then segregated schools of New Castle County to desegregate. However, the subsequent eleven school districts that were created in the county, including the Wilmington School District, soon became de facto segregated, as the Wilmington School District became predominately black, and the districts outside the city remained overwhemingly white. In response, the 1976 U.S. District Court decision Evans v. Buchanan implemented a plan by which students in Wilmington would be bused to attend school in the suburbs for certain grades, while suburban students would be bused into the City of Wilmington for other grades. By 1981, the four current districts in northern New Castle County, Brandywine, Christina, Colonial, and Red Clay, each composed of city and suburban areas, were established.
There are several private secondary schools in Wilmington: Salesianum School
Salesianum
Salesianum School is an independent Catholic secondary school for boys, located in Wilmington, Delaware. It is run independently within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wilmington. Salesianum was founded in 1903 and is operated by the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales...
, Ursuline Academy, Wilmington Friends School
Wilmington Friends School
Wilmington Friends School, the oldest existing school in Delaware, is a preschool through 12th grade Quaker school in Wilmington, Delaware. The school was founded in 1748 by members of the Wilmington Monthly Meeting of Friends ....
, The Tatnall School
The Tatnall School
The Tatnall School is a private school in Greenville, Delaware, for students from three years old through 12th grade. The school was founded as an all-girls school in 1930 by Frances Dorr Swift Tatnall at her home in downtown Wilmington, Delaware, and moved to its current location in 1952. Tatnall...
, Tower Hill School
Tower Hill School
Tower Hill School is a private, college preparatory school located at 2813 West 17th Street in Wilmington, Delaware, offering instruction for pre-school through 12th grade. The school was founded in 1919 on the basis of commitment to progressive education methods. It has an excellent academic...
, St. Elizabeth High School, and Padua Academy
Padua Academy
Padua Academy is an all-girls Catholic high school in Wilmington, Delaware. It is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wilmington. It is a four-time winner of the “Superstars in Education” Award from the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce. . The school has been awarded Blue Ribbon School...
.
Wilmington also hosts two charter school
Charter school
Charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money but are not subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools in exchange for some type of accountability for producing certain results, which are set forth in each school's charter...
s, including the Charter School of Wilmington
Charter School of Wilmington
The Charter School of Wilmington is a high school in Wilmington, Delaware, one of the first public/private charter schools in the United States, opening in 1996. It occupies the third floor and a wing of the second floor of the former Wilmington High School building...
, and East Side Charter School, and a magnet school
Magnet school
In education in the United States, magnet schools are public schools with specialized courses or curricula. "Magnet" refers to how the schools draw students from across the normal boundaries defined by authorities as school zones that feed into certain schools.There are magnet schools at the...
, Cab Calloway School of the Arts
Cab Calloway School of the Arts
The Cab Calloway School of the Arts is an arts-oriented magnet school in Wilmington, Delaware, operated by the Red Clay Consolidated School District, that focuses on a strong academic curriculum along with an education in the arts. It is a public school, but children are required to audition within...
which focuses on the performing arts. The Charter School of Wilmington and Cab Calloway School of the Arts are housed in the building of the former Wilmington High School.
Universities and colleges
There are several colleges operating in the city of Wilmington:- Delaware College of Art & DesignDelaware College of Art & DesignThe Delaware College of Art and Design was founded in 1997 through a partnership between the Pratt Institute and the Corcoran College of Art and Design. DCAD’s mission is to educate talented and committed students to become art makers, idea generators, problem solvers, and visual communicators who...
- Delaware State UniversityDelaware State UniversityDelaware State University , is an American historically black, public university located in Dover, Delaware, and there are two satellite campuses located in Wilmington, Delaware, and Georgetown, Delaware...
- Wilmington Campus - Delaware Technical & Community CollegeDelaware Technical & Community CollegeDelaware Technical & Community College is the community college system in the state of Delaware with locations in four cities. It was created by the Delaware General Assembly in 1966 by House Bill 529. The college is fully accredited and several curricula have been accredited by various...
- Wilmington Campus - Drexel UniversityDrexel UniversityDrexel University is a private research university with the main campus located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. It was founded in 1891 by Anthony J. Drexel, a noted financier and philanthropist. Drexel offers 70 full-time undergraduate programs and accelerated degrees...
- Wilmington Campus - Goldey-Beacom CollegeGoldey-Beacom CollegeGoldey–Beacom College is a private, non-profit, coeducational college in Pike Creek Valley, a suburb of Wilmington, Delaware, United States. It offers degrees in economics, psychology, computer information systems, and business. The college was founded in 1886.-About the school:Goldey–Beacom...
- Springfield CollegeSpringfield CollegeSpringfield College is a private, coeducational university located in the City of Springfield, Massachusetts. Springfield College is most famous as the site where the sport of basketball was invented...
- Wilmington Campus - University of DelawareUniversity of DelawareThe university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
- Wilmington Campus and Downtown Building - Widener UniversityWidener UniversityWidener University is a private, coeducational university located in Chester, Pennsylvania.Its main campus sits on 108 acres , just southwest of Philadelphia...
- Wilmington Campus, Widener University School of LawWidener University School of LawWidener University School of Law is the ABA accredited law school of Widener University. The school, founded in 1971 as the Delaware Law School, operates on two of Widener's campuses, one in Wilmington, Delaware, and the other in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania....
and University College - Wilmington UniversityWilmington UniversityWilmington University is a private educational institution, with its main campus located in New Castle near Wilmington, Delaware. It was founded in 1968 as Wilmington College and was granted university status on September 10, 2007, after approval by the Board of Trustees and the Middle States...
- formerly had graduate center in city
Points of interest
- Brandywine ZooBrandywine ZooBrandywine Zoo is a small zoo that opened in 1905 in Brandywine Park in Wilmington, Delaware, USA. It consists of the main zoo as well as a separate Exotic Animal House for small animals from hotter climates. It is located on the banks of the Brandywine River, and is the only zoo in Delaware...
- Delaware Art MuseumDelaware Art MuseumThe Delaware Art Museum is an art museum located on the Kentmere Parkway in Wilmington, Delaware, which holds a collection of more than 12,000 works. The museum, was founded in 1912 as the Wilmington Society of the Fine Arts in honor of the artist Howard Pyle and is now celebrating its centennial...
- Delaware Center for the Contemporary ArtsDelaware Center for the Contemporary ArtsThe Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts is Delaware’s only contemporary art museum. Founded in 1979, it is a non-collecting museum focused on displays of local and regional artists....
- Delaware Children's Museum
- Delaware Children's TheatreDelaware Children's TheatreThe Delaware Children's Theatre serves as a community theatre in Wilmington, Delaware. The theatre company occupies the historic New Century Club building.-Theatre Company:...
- Delaware Historical SocietyDelaware Historical SocietyThe Delaware Historical Society began in 1864 as an effort to preserve documents from the Civil War. Since then, it has expanded into a state-wide historical institution with several venues and a major museum in Wilmington and the historic Read House & Gardens in New Castle.The society...
- Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of FameDelaware Sports Museum and Hall of FameThe Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame is a membership-based organization founded in 1976. The organization runs a museum with exhibits at Daniel S...
- Delaware Theatre Company
- DuPont Playhouse
- Fort Christina State ParkFort ChristinaFort Christina was the first Swedish settlement in North America and the principal settlement of the New Sweden colony...
- Grand Opera HouseGrand Opera House (Wilmington, Delaware)The Grand Opera House, also known as The Grand or Masonic Hall and Grand Theater, is a 1,208-seat theater for the performing arts in Wilmington, Delaware. The four-story building was built in 1871 by the Delaware Grand Lodge of Masons to serve as a Masonic Temple and auditorium. The construction...
- Kalmar Nyckel Foundation & Tall ShipKalmar NyckelThe Kalmar Nyckel was a Dutch-built armed merchant ship famed for carrying Finnish and Swedish settlers to North America in 1638 to establish the colony of New Sweden. A replica of the ship was launched at Wilmington, Delaware, in 1997.-History:The Kalmar Nyckel was constructed in about 1625 and...
- Holy Trinity (Old Swedes') ChurchHoly Trinity Church (Old Swedes)Holy Trinity Church, also known as Old Swedes is a church in Wilmington, Delaware that is a National Historic Landmark. It was dedicated on July 4, 1699.-History:...
- Riverfront Market
- Rockford Tower
- Rodney SquareRodney SquareRodney Square is the public square in downtown Wilmington, Delaware named after American Revolutionary leader Caesar Rodney. A large statue of Rodney by James E. Kelly stands in the front of the square. The square was created in the early 20th century by John Jacob Raskob who worked for Pierre S....
- Wilmington Blue RocksWilmington Blue RocksThe Wilmington Blue Rocks are a Minor League Baseball team located in Wilmington, Delaware. The Blue Rocks play in the Northern Division of the Carolina League.-Franchise history:...
, Carolina LeagueCarolina LeagueThe Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
baseball - The Wilmington Library
- Wilmington Riverfront
- Wilmington State ParksWilmington State ParksThe Wilmington State Parks are a group of four parks in Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware in the United States. The four parks are Brandywine Park, including the Brandywine Zoo and Baynard Stadium, Alapocas Woods Natural Area, H. Fletcher Brown Park and Rockford Park. Admission to the parks...
which includes Brandywine Park
Near the city
- Brandywine BattlefieldBrandywine BattlefieldBrandywine Battlefield Historic Site is a historical park that was operated by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, on , near Chadds Ford, Delaware County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is part of the site of the Battle of Brandywine fought on September 11, 1777, during the...
- Cooch's BridgeCooch's BridgeCooch’s Bridge, located at Old Baltimore Pike, Newark, Delaware, is the site of the historic Battle of Cooch’s Bridge.-Battle of Cooch's Bridge:Fought on September 3, 1777, the Battle of Cooch's Bridge has two principal distinctions...
- Mount Cuba Center
- Hagley Museum and LibraryHagley Museum and LibraryThe Hagley Museum and Library is a nonprofit educational institution located in Wilmington, Delaware. Hagley Museum and Library collects, preserves and interprets the history of American enterprise.- Hagley Library :...
- Nemours Mansion and GardensNemours Mansion and GardensThe Nemours Mansion and Gardens is a country estate with jardin à la française formal gardens and a classical French mansion located in Wilmington, Delaware. The mansion resembles a Château and contains more than seventy rooms spread over five floors occupying nearly . It shares the grounds with...
- Winterthur Museum and Country Estate
Sister cities
Arad, IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
Fulda
Fulda
Fulda is a city in Hesse, Germany; it is located on the river Fulda and is the administrative seat of the Fulda district .- Early Middle Ages :...
, Germany Kalmar
Kalmar
Kalmar is a city in Småland in the south-east of Sweden, situated by the Baltic Sea. It had 62,767 inhabitants in 2010 and is the seat of Kalmar Municipality. It is also the capital of Kalmar County, which comprises 12 municipalities with a total of 233,776 inhabitants .From the thirteenth to the...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
Ningbo
Ningbo
Ningbo is a seaport city of northeastern Zhejiang province, Eastern China. Holding sub-provincial administrative status, the municipality has a population of 7,605,700 inhabitants at the 2010 census whom 3,089,180 in the built up area made of 6 urban districts. It lies south of the Hangzhou Bay,...
, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
Olevano sul Tusciano
Olevano sul Tusciano
Olevano sul Tusciano is a town and comune in the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-western Italy.- Civil Architectures :*Villa romana di S. Maria a Corte.*Castrum Olibani - Longobard castle.* Pope gardens in Salitto...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Osogbo
Osogbo
Osogbo is a city in Nigeria, the capital of Osun State and a Local Government Area.The Local Government Area has an area of 47 km² and a population of 156,694 at the 2006 census; the postal code of the area is 230.-Infrastructure and demographics:Osogbo lies on the railway line from Lagos to...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
Watford
Watford
Watford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, situated northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough is separated from Greater London to the south by the urbanised parish of Watford Rural in the Three Rivers District.Watford was created as an urban...
, England, UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
See also
- Flag of SwedenFlag of SwedenThe flag of Sweden is a Scandinavian cross that extends to the edges of the flag. This Scandinavian cross represents Christianity. The design and colours of the Swedish flag are believed to have been inspired by the present Coat of arms of Sweden of 1442, which is blue divided quarterly by a cross...
- List of notable people from Wilmington, Delaware
- List of Wilmington Mayors
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Wilmington, DelawareNational Register of Historic Places listings in Wilmington, DelawareThis is a list of properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Wilmington, Delaware:This page was transferred for reasons of size from National Register of Historic Places listings in New Castle County, Delaware, of which it is an integral part...
- Sunday Breakfast MissionSunday Breakfast MissionSunday Breakfast Mission, in Wilmington, Delaware, was established in 1893 to provide homeless men with a meal and a place to worship on Sunday. Shortly after, homeless men were able to seek overnight shelter there....