Delaware Avenue Walking Tour
Welcome to the Delaware Avenue Walking tour, created in the fall of 2026 as part of the Wilmington 250 celebrations. The tour consists of 25 stops, beginning at Adams Street and Park Drive, up through Wilmington and Brandywine Cemetery and ending at Rockford Tower.
Wilmington as an old town – has unique history that starts way before 1776.
This tour brings to life the key people and places from the 1630s through today in the vicinity of Delaware Avenue from the Wilmington and Brandywine up through Rockford Tower.
Part One will be covered in this Section. Part Two consisting of modern-day Trolley Square and 40 Acres and the Highlands will be published in November.
Nathan Field, Wilmington City Council
(1) Adams St at Park Drive - Tymen Stidham –From the Kalmar Nyckel to Largest Landowner in “Wilmington”
(2) Sub
(2) 701 Delaware Avenue - The Attack on Wilmington That Never Came
(3) 701 Delaware Avenue - Wilmington and Brandywine Cemetery –
(4) I95 Overpass - The Cross Keys Tavern – Wilmington’s “Social Scene” for 130 years
(5) CVS Parking lot - “The Avenue” – Joshua T. Heald’s Great Project
(6) 1014 Delaware Avenue - The New Century Club – Center of DE’s Suffrage Movement
(7) Fountain Plaza – Monument to Animal Lovers, from Ferris Bringhurst to Charles Parks
(8) 1305 N. Franklin - Local artist makes it very big
(9) 1311 Delaware Avenue - Mary De Vou’s Mansion –
(10) 1400 Broom St - An Uber Patriot Rescues the Monument
(11) 1401 Delaware Avenue - Ulysses S. Grant, JT Heald and Presidential Visits to Delaware Avenue
Stop #1 - Adams Street at Park Drive
Tymen Stiddem: From Sweden and the Kalmar Nyckel to becoming the largest landowner in “Wilmington”
The Delaware Avenue/ Wilmington 250 Walking Tour story starts here in about 1638.
Since time immemorial, the Lenni Lenape native American tribes have been living around the Delaware, Christina and Brandywine Rivers. Their staple food is the Shad fish that was found in these rivers. This spot above in particular was along the paths they took from the Brandywine interior to the Delaware and Christina Rivers.
Also in 1638, four thousand miles away, in Gothenburg Sweden, Tymen Stiddem (1610-1686), an ambitious twenty seven year old, signed on for an expedition to start a Swedish colony in the so-called “New World.” He boarded the Kalmar Nyckel and in 1638 lands here with the first settlers:
Stiddem’s formal job description in New Sweden is “Barber-Surgeon.” It sounds like an odd mix by today’s thinking, but that was the medical division of labor for the era. Stiddem provided what we would consider “urgent care,” setting broken bones, perhaps an amputation, bloodletting, while providing shaves and haircuts.
Permanent Settlement in “Delaware” -
After traveling back and forth several times from New Sweden, including one journey that ended in a disastrous shipwreck in the Caribbean, in 1654 Stiddem settled in “Delaware” permanently. He lives in a settlement called Shaenhook, near modern day New Castle.
Around this time, the Swedish colony is about to come to an end. Their Dutch, who always saw New Sweden as an illegitimate encroachment on Dutch territory, sent a “massive” force of 300 soldiers from New Amsterdam (modern day New York) to force the surrender of Swedish forts.
Dutch terms towards the Swedish settlers were quite lenient. If the Swedes accept Dutch overall authority, they were allowed to continue as before. Stiddem was one of nineteen that formally pledge allegiance to the Dutch.[1]
The Swedish community in Delaware continues to thrive and grow even though the formal Swedish colony has ended.
Becoming a Major “Wilmington” Landowner
During the decade after 1655, Stiddem either purchased or is granted 330 acres of land on the South bank of the Brandywine.[2] His holdings covered about one third of modern Wilmington (although Stiddem would never have called this land Wilmington or even heard the term “Wilmington”).
1772, marking the original Swedish land holdings
Nine years after the Dutch muscle the Swedes out, “Wilmington” has a new colonial overlord. English forces invade New Amsterdam and the English now control the Delaware.
Like the Dutch, the English are lenient as long as the locals acknowledge their authority. Tymen and his family (which now includes at least five adult sons) are skilled at reading which way the wind is blowing and make clear their loyalty. Around this time they start Anglicizing their name to Stedham!
Most importantly, Tymen succeeds in getting the Duke of York’s Agent in New Amsterdam to provide formal title to the land Stiddem owns along the Brandywine. The Duke of York only asks for “one bushel of winter wheat per year.” Not a bad deal!
Stiddem built his house overlooking the Brandywine near the site of today’s Howard High School.
Likely in the 1670s he builds the very first mill on the Brandywine, right here on this very spot. Without fifty or so years, there are mills everywhere along the Brandywine.
PpOPillars of Wilmington Society for the Next 150 years
The Stedhems would go on to be pillars of Wilmington society for the next one hundred fifty years or more. As Wilmington becomes a town in the 1730s, and thousands of Quaker settlers pour into the area, the Stedham land along the Brandywine are gradually sold off.
For the Lenape, the growth of mills along the Brandywine in the 1700s mark the beginning of the end of their ancient homeland. The damning of the River block the Shad from migrating towards Pennsylvania. Surging Quaker migration to the area put more pressure on the land. By the 1750s the Lenape have been pushed out of the Delaware River area.
Stop #2 – The Attack on Wilmington That Never Came
For the second stop on the Delaware Avenue walking tour, we fast forward about a century to September of 1777.
After beating George Washington’s forces at a key battle in Chadds Ford PA, British forces have occupied Wilmington. They expect an attempt to retake the town from the Delaware militia led by Caesar Rodney. Armed German mercenaries aligned with the British fortify these hills, including this very spot, and await an attack.
To understand the strategic value of 1777, and why the British placed their soldiers up inthese hills, it is important to understand that we are staring down at what was a major transit point. Kings Road (now Adams Street) was the highway to Philadelphia. There was no bridge but a Ford. Travelers simply waded across the River.
September 1777 – The military situation in and around Wilmington
Following the 1776 Declaration of Independence, the British want to land a quick and decisive knockout punch to the American cause. In July of 1777, they land a massive force of 15,000 Soldiers at Elkton, Maryland and begin a Northward march.
Washington isn’t exactly sure where they are headed but positions his HQ in the town of Wilmington.
One big goal for George Washington: keep the Wilmington mills out of British hands.
Feeding 15,000 British soldiers is no easy feet. They have to import everything – unless they can get ahold of Wilmington mills! Washington dismantles the mills so they are no longer functional.
On September 11th Washington and the Americans confront and lose to the British at Chadds Ford (although the Americans suffer many casualties they largely escape with their army intact and live to fight another day).
On September 12th, British units are assigned to take Wilmington.
The town is supposed to be guarded by the Delaware militia under the leadership of Caesar Rodney. Much to their surprise the British achieve complete surprise and capture Wilmington without firing a shot.
Even better, they capture the Governor of Delaware, John McKinley in his bed, and will hold him prisoner for the rest of the war.
The big question; will Washington try and retake Wilmington?
The British seem certain that the Delaware militia (which they estimate has 8,000 to 10,000 fighters at its disposal) will try to retake Wilmington[1]. The Red Coats pour in reinforcements. The town of Wilmington, population 1,200, is occupied by 2,500 British soldiers, who get ready for an attack.
Thanks to a map written by Friedrich von Wangenheim, commander of the German units working for the British, we know exactly where they were positioned: right here!
British commanders thought an attack would come from North of Wilmington. This spot where we are standing in the cemetery, plus the hills of modern day Rodney, Broom and Harrison between Delaware and Lovering Avenues were crawling with German mercenaries of the von Mirbach regiment.
The View from German/ British Positions Today Versus 1777 - One major difference!
[1] The British Occupation of Wilmington, Bill Knightly, page 66.
In 1777, there were no trees anywhere within view. Land owners would have cleared them for farming, or buildings, furniture etc or firewood.
Therefore, German soldiers defending this hill would have had a panaromic view in every direction of any American forces approaching the town.
The Attack Never Comes - British withdraw – Americans Occupy the Same Positions
But the reality was that the Delaware militia was a major disappointment for Washington. They did very little other than taking isolated pot shots at German sentries.
The attack never came. By late September, the British were now focused on Philadelphia. By October the German regiments are evacuated to support that campaign.
Washington moves his main force to Valley Forge, but he himself fears that the British might try and retake Wilmington. He posts a substantial force in Wilmington, occupying the same positions that the British had just vacated.[1]
Stop #3 - WILMINGTON AND BRANDYWINE CEMETERY
Fast forward about sixty years from 1777 to about the 1830s. This spot you are standing was well outside of town. But Wilmington’s population continues to grow dramatically.
In 1777, about 1,200 people live in Wilmington. But by 1830 6,628 people live here and the population would double against to 13,979 in 1850. One result of such rapid growth: the town is running out of room to bury its dead in the existing cemeteries in town.
1842 – The Wilmington and Brandywine is Founded
In 1840 Samuel Wollaston, a descendant from the early Swedish settlers, raises the funds to acquire the land and founds a new cemetery, on the original Stiddem lands.
The Wilmington and Brandywine is notably Delaware’s first non-sectarian cemetery, meaning anyone of any faith can be buried here. It was designed in the style of the rural cemetery movement originating in Paris.
Twenty thousand people are buried here including most of the people profiled here in this walking tour. (Except for the Stidham descendants who are mostly buried in Old Swede’s Church).
20th century - the Outside World (Delaware Avenue) Encroaches
By the late 1800s, however, Wilmington now surrounds the cemetery on all sides. Delaware Avenue encroach upon and starts to take land nnnnnnnnnn
1917 – the first Widening
In the early decades of the 20th century, Wilmington is making big moves. The Dupont Company has decided to stay in Wilmington rather than move to Philadelphia or New York and builds a shiny new headquarters downtown, the tallest building in town. City leaders are investing much time and energy in building Rodney Square. And the automobile era is entering full swing.
In the spirit of that exciting growth, more modern streets to accommodate the automobile era were seen as needed. Eminent domain was applied all along Delaware Avenue to allow widening. Ten feet was seized from the cemetery in exchange for ten thousand dollars. The ornate gatehouse was lost:
But 1917 wasn’t the end of street widenings. Delaware Avenue and Adams Street was widened again in the 1960s to allow for the path of I95. More land, especially along Adams Street, was taken from the cemetery, and many graves had to be moved. All of the graves of more than 100 soldiers who died during the Civil War had to be dug up and moved.
Yet the Wilmington and Brandywine cemetery mostly held its own. Today it remains a beautiful 19th century oasis, filled with Delaware history. It is open to the public and walkers are welcome.
STOP #4 - CROSSKEYS TAVERN – ADAMS STREET AT KINGS ROAD
As we walk through the cemetery, or up Adams Street towards Stop #4, the former site of the famous Cross Keys tavern, we are following the path of thousands of Colonial era Wilmingtonians.
It was a mainstay of Wilmington economic, social and political life from about 1736 through 1861.[1]
[1] Where Creek Was Forded: Brinton Says King’s Road was Near Jackson Street, Evening Journal, August 8th 1901. A Daniel Few may have been the original proprietor starting from 1736.