Quaker Hill in Wilmington in New Castle County, Delaware — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Willingtown Square
Delaware Historical Society
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), November 18, 2022
Willingtown Square honors Thomas Willing and the original name of the town he helped found in 1731. The four brick structures, built between 1731 and 1801, represent the types of houses common in early Willingtown. Buildings like these often served as both businesses and residences. Each has only one or two rooms per floor. Large families both lived and worked in these small spaces.
By the 1960s and 1970s, the older neighborhoods in which these houses originally stood had decayed and were slated for urban renewal. A determination effort by preservationists rallied support to move the buildings to a site on Market Street from which four commercial buildings had been removed. The houses were moved in 1976 and the area renamed Willingtown Square. The Delaware Historical Society accepted the responsibility for preserving the houses and now uses them for offices and meeting rooms.
Erected by Delaware Historical Society.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Notable Buildings • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1731.
Location. 39° 44.501′ N, 75° 33.036′ W. Marker is in Wilmington, Delaware, in New Castle County. It is in Quaker Hill. Marker is on North Market Street just south of West 6th Street, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 519 N Market St, Wilmington DE 19801, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Cook-Simms House, 1778 (a few steps from this marker); Old Town Hall (a few steps from this marker); Grand Lodge of Delaware A.F.&A.M. (a few steps from this marker); Jacob and Obadiah Dingee Houses, 1771 and 1773 (a few steps from this marker); Tatnall Bell, 1800 (a few steps from this marker); Coxe Houses, 1801 (within shouting distance of this marker); Jacobs House, 1748 (within shouting distance of this marker); Brown v. Board of Education (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Wilmington.
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. This marker has replaced the linked marker.
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), November 18, 2022
Credits. This page was last revised on February 13, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 19, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 98 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 19, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.