Delaware History Trail relaunches with new locations added

Gov. John Carney and the Delaware Tourism Office were joined by officials from Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library May 2 to announce the relaunch of the Delaware History Trail, a collection of inspiring locations that invites travelers to experience the centuries-old story of the state firsthand.

Timed to coincide with National Travel and Tourism Week May 1-7, the relaunch offers visitors seven exciting new locations and a unique online passport they can use to track their travels on the trail, which was initially launched in 2011.

In its updated form, the trail allows visitors to qualify for a unique new prize once they upload their photos of 10 of the 29 locations to VisitDelaware.com/history. Qualified participants will receive a limited-edition, 100-piece Delaware history-themed puzzle to commemorate their time in the state.

"For more than a decade now, the Delaware History Trail has provided an exciting way for people from inside and outside the state to get an inspiring look at Delaware’s long, rich story,” said Carney, a known history buff. “This is a way to not only hear about the past, but to experience the places where history happened.”

Several new locations have been added to the trail, including the Delaware Agricultural Museum, the tall ship Kalmar Nyckel, Hagley Museum & Library, Milton Historical Society, Nanticoke Indian Museum, Nemours Estate and Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park. The trail’s experiences emphasize Delaware’s crucial role in the nation’s history and its rich cultural diversity.

“Previously, the trail included 51 locations, so we wanted to refresh things in a way that made it a more focused and fun experience,” said Liz Keller, Delaware Tourism director. “We worked with the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs to reassess sites and ultimately determined that these 29 locations were essential to telling Delaware’s story. These sites were specifically chosen to give travelers an experience they’ll remember.”

The DTO has also made it easier for travelers to complete the trail, eliminating paper passports in favor of an online form. “By encouraging visitors to share their photos, we hope to engage younger visitors and more families to explore these historic sites,” Keller said. “Through our enhanced website, we are also able to tell more of the fascinating stories behind these locations.”

Since 2011, Delaware History Trail passports have been downloaded 7,235 times. The most-visited site during that time is the Lewes Historical Society.

The trail supplements a rich assortment of attractions that provide a crucial boost to the state’s economy: In Delaware, tourism contributed $3.2 billion to the state’s GDP in 2020, and $497 million in state and local taxes. Tourism is the fourth largest private-sector employer in the state, providing jobs for more than 44,000 neighbors and fellow Delawareans. In 2020, Delaware hosted more than 7.7 million overnight visitors.

Travelers will be eager to hear more about the Winterthur exhibit unveiled at the press conference, Jacqueline Kennedy and H.F. du Pont: From Winterthur to the White House, which highlights the historic collaboration between Winterthur’s former owner and the former first lady when she was redecorating the White House.