Mid-Town Brandywine in Wilmington in New Castle County, Delaware — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Rodney Square

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), March 1, 2019

1. Rodney Square Marker

Inscription. Rodney Square, named for Caesar Rodney, has been the symbolic center of Wilmington since the early 20th century. The area served as a reservoir from 1827 to 1877, and as the site of the New Castle County Courthouse from 1877 to 1919. Pierre S. DuPont envisioned a landscape adjacent to the DuPont headquarters that unified the new site through design and style. A juried competition in 1916, managed by DuPont's assistant John Jacob Raskob, and largely funded by Irénée DuPont, determined the design of the square, which included two fountains and twelve bronze lanterns. The Rodney Square District was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011.

Erected 2017 by Delaware Public Archives. (Marker Number NCC-226.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Places. In addition, it is included in the Delaware Public Archives, and the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1827.

Location. 39° 44.755′ N, 75° 32.843′ W. Marker is in Wilmington, Delaware, in New Castle County. It is in Mid-Town Brandywine. It is on North Market Street north of East 10th Street, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1000 North Market Street, Wilmington DE 19801, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater Philadelphia.

It is also in the American Mid-Atlantic

and on the Delmarva Peninsula.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Netherland

and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers.

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At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Suffrage Rally (here, next to this marker); United States Post Office, Court House and Custom House (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Saint Joseph Church (about 500 feet away); Burton V. Wilmington Parking Authority (about 600 feet away); The Monday Club (about 600 feet away); A French Legion Kept Watch Here (about 800 feet away); Ezion Methodist Episcopal Church (approx. 0.2 miles away); Abraham Shadd Family (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Wilmington.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Caesar Rodney Monument (was a few steps from this marker but has been confirmed missing).

Also see . . . Rodney Square Historic District - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form.

Throughout the 19th century, the city center was located on Market Street between Front and Fifth Streets, as this neighborhood contained the main hotel, the main bank and “the city’s major transportation and communication links." With the relocation of the DuPont Company to Market Street between 10th and 11th Streets and the extension of the city’s two main transportation lines to 10th and Market Streets, Rodney Square became the new city center. As its creators had hoped, Rodney Square became the “symbolic
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), March 1, 2019

2. Rodney Square Marker
centerpiece of the city” and was the site of political rallies, concerts, Vietnam War protests, dances, and Christmas displays.

(Submitted on April 23, 2025, by Pete Skillman of Townsend, Delaware.)

Renovation plaque on the grounds of the square image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), March 1, 2019

3. Renovation plaque on the grounds of the square

Credits. This page was last revised on April 23, 2025. It was originally submitted on March 1, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 819 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on March 1, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.