A Visit To Old Swedes Historic Site Takes You Back To Delaware’s Earliest Days

If you're looking for an interesting and historic place to visit in Delaware, head to Old Swedes Historic Site! Home to one of the oldest buildings in the country, this church, graveyard, and museum is one place where you'll truly feel the spirits of the past. You'll find the site in Wilmington, near the former site of Fort Christina.

Old Swedes Historic Site is home to the oldest church in Delaware, along with a graveyard and an early home - the Hendrickson House.

When the first colonizers arrived in Delaware, they established Fort Christina in Wilmington. Almost immediately, they needed to build a cemetery, and so the burial ground at Old Swedes began.

The graveyard and burial ground was established before the church was built, and there is evidence of its use before 1638 by the Lenape tribe that first lived on this land. The Church was built later, in 1699, and is one of the few surviving buildings from the New Sweden colony.

The other building on the site is the Hendrickson House which originally stood in Pennsylvania. The home was built in 1722 by a Swedish-American family that lived in Ridley Township, Pennsylvania. The home was moved to the site in 1960. It is currently the site's office and museum.

Today, Old Swedes Historic Site offers tours of the church building as well as educational programs for kids and adults alike.

Come visit Old Swedes Historic Site and see why this fascinating church and yard is an important part of our nation's story.

For information on upcoming programs, hours, and admission visit the Old Swedes website, here.

If you would like to learn more about the other sites recognized by First State National Historical Park, visit the NPS website here.