New Castle doesn’t get the attention Delaware’s beach towns do, but for a fall visit, that’s part of the appeal. Founded in 1651 as a Dutch fort, this riverside town of about 5,500 people still has cobblestone streets, brick rowhouses, and a historic district so complete it earned National Historic Landmark status. Locals often credit the preservation to the town’s own economic decline after the railroad bypassed it in the 1840s.
It’s a quieter stop than most of the destinations on our guide to fall foliage across America, but its Colonial-era streets and October ghost tours make it worth the detour. Walk Delaware Street after dark in October, and it’s easy to believe every story the town tells about itself.
What to Expect
The New Castle Court House Museum, built in 1732, is where Delaware’s legislature voted to separate from Pennsylvania and Britain in 1776, and its cupola marks the exact center point of Delaware’s curious circular border.
Amstel House and the Dutch House, two of the town’s oldest surviving buildings, open for weekend tours and anchor the Hauntings in History ghost walks each October…