Former harbor defense facility, used as a prison for Confederate prisoners of war, political prisoners, federal convicts, and privateer officers during the American Civil War
General Information
Hours:
Late April–September, weekends and select weekdays; check ferry schedule at destateparks.com
Fees:
Adults $16; Children (2–12) $8; Under 2 free (ferry ticket includes park admission)
Pet Policy:
Pets not allowed on the island or ferry
Closest cities with major hotel chains:
Wilmington, DE (15 miles from Delaware City ferry dock)
Seasons:
Late April through September (ferry-dependent)
Location:
Website:
How to Get There
From Wilmington, DE (15 mi to ferry): Take I-95 S to DE-9 S in New Castle, follow DE-9 S approximately 10 miles to Delaware City, then board the seasonal ferry at 45 Clinton St to reach Pea Patch Island.
Overview
Fort Delaware State Park covers all of Pea Patch Island in the Delaware River, where a Joseph Totten-designed fort served as a Union prison for Confederate soldiers, political prisoners, and privateers during the Civil War. The state acquired it in 1947. A seasonal ferry runs from Delaware City (and Fort Mott in New Jersey) to the island, where costumed interpreters bring the fort to life.
This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Fort Delaware", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0
