Great Places
Fort Delaware State Park
39°35'21.11"N 75°34'2.46"W
Pea Patch Island
Delaware City, DE 19706
Phone: (302) 836-2533
Email: sharon.menashes@state.de.us
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Fort Delaware is positioned on Pea Patch Island in the middle of the Delaware River. This strategic location made it an ideal place for the Union Army to imprison rebel soldiers during the hard-fought Civil War. Nowadays, however, the fort is a little more accessible. You can easily get there via a half-hour ferry ride out of Delaware City. Tickets cost just $11 for adults, $6 for children, and $10 for both seniors and members of the military.
Keep your eyes peeled for herons, egrets, and ibises during your wagon ride to the fortress. All of these species find refuge in the Pea Patch Island Nature Preserve, which is the largest heronry north of Florida on the East Coast. See for yourself using the park's nearby bird-watching platform. Don't forget your binoculars.
Photo by the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary
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