Fort Delaware

Fort Delaware is a masonry coastal fortress on Pea Patch Island in the Delaware River, built in the 1850s and substantially complete by 1860 to defend the ports of Wilmington and Philadelphia. During the American Civil War it became best known as a Union prison, holding Confederate soldiers, political prisoners and others; over the course of the war tens of thousands passed through, and disease and hardship in the crowded, low-lying island conditions claimed the lives of more than two thousand prisoners.

Because of that grim wartime history, the fort has a strong reputation for the paranormal and hosts seasonal ghost tours and investigations. Visitors and interpreters report footsteps, voices, cold spots and apparitions in the cells and passageways, often linked in retellings to the prisoners once held here. These accounts are anecdotal and subjective, and the site distinguishes them from its documented history.

The fort's real significance lies in its Civil War story and in the memory of those who suffered and died on the island. Preserved as a state park with living-history programmes, it offers a sober and well-interpreted encounter with the period.

Fort Delaware is the centrepiece of Fort Delaware State Park, managed by Delaware State Parks, and is accessible only by a seasonal ferry from Delaware City; the ferry and admission are ticketed, and advance reservations are recommended. Opening is seasonal and weather-dependent, with living-history demonstrations and, in autumn, paranormal tours.

Because access depends on the ferry and involves an island site with historic stonework, stairs and uneven ground, visitors should check the official website for current schedules, book ahead, allow time for the crossing, and follow all safety and site guidance.