Step Back In Time When You Visit These 8 Historic Delaware Towns

New Castle is one of Delaware's most storied towns. It helped set the state's borders when a 12-mile circle was drawn around the Courthouse! Today, you can experience the past by strolling the streets and dining at Jessop's Tavern.

Odessa is one of the oldest towns in Delaware. It was originally called Cantwell's Bridge, but when the port town suffered from a new railroad in Middletown, they changed their name to sound more appealing. Today, the historic Odessa foundation offers tours, and Cantwell's Tavern is a fine spot to dine.

Georgetown has been one of Delaware's most important cities since before America's independence! This quirky city is known for its unusual layout and for the tradition of Return Day, when politicians travel to Georgetown after the election to literally bury a hatchet in the ground.

Seaford is a beautiful city along the Nanticoke River in Sussex County. The nearby Nanticoke Indian Museum preserves the earliest history of the region. Be sure to visit the Governor Ross Plantation, where you'll find several Civil War-era buildings, including Delaware's only documented surviving slave quarters.

What can even be said about Dover, except for that this is truly America's birthplace? Forget Philly and Boston - while they're historic, can they say that the Constitution was first ratified in their tavern? Of course not, because that honor belongs to Dover. Delaware became the First State when our governing document was signed at the Golden Fleece Tavern. The original tavern was demolished ages ago, but a replica exists just blocks away from the original location.

Rehoboth Beach is known as our Nation's summer capital,but it's also home to a unique historic landmark. The Indian River Lifesaving Station was one of the first in the country, built in 1876. It has since been moved back for protection from erosive rising sea levels, and is a wonderful museum today. In 1915, the United States Lifesaving Service merged with the Revenue Cutter Service to form the United States Coast Guard.

Lewes was the first town in the First State! This historic colonial town was settled by the Dutch in 1631. It was soon pillaged by local Native Americans, reclaimed by the Dutch, burned down by England, rebuilt by the Dutch, burned down by soldiers from Maryland, and eventually claimed by the English. You can see a lot of the town's history today in landmarks like the Cannonball House.

Delaware City is historic by itself, but when you note that it's home to Fort Delaware, you see why this is a must-visit for any history buff. Not only is the Fort a well-preserved former Civil War prison, but it's also one of the most haunted places in the world. Take the ferry over to Pea Patch Island and see for yourself.