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63-526: Hoopes Reservoir is a reservoir in New Castle County, Delaware . The reservoir first impounded the water of Old Mill Stream and Red Clay Creek in 1932, with a dam built by the city of Wilmington, Delaware , for municipal drinking water. It has a water surface of 187 acres (76 ha), a maximum capacity of 11,000 acre-feet (14,000,000 m), and a normal capacity of 6,300 acre-feet (7,800,000 m). The reservoir and its surroundings have been open to

126-612: A humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ) except for the highest area around Ebright Azimuth where the climate is hot-summer humid continental ( Dfa .) The hardiness zone is 7b except in some higher areas close to the Pennsylvania border which are 7a. As of the census of 2000, there were 500,265 people, 188,935 households, and 127,153 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,174 inhabitants per square mile (453/km ). There were 199,521 housing units at an average density of 468 per square mile (181/km ). The racial makeup of

189-669: A dispute ensued between the Swedes and the Dutch, who asserted a prior claim to that land. In 1640, New Sweden was founded a few miles south of Christina . In 1644, Queen Christina appointed Lt. Col. Johan Printz as Governor of New Sweden . She directed boundaries to be set and to reach Cape Henlopen north along the west side of Godyn's Bay ( Delaware Bay ), up the South River ( Delaware River ), past Minquas Kill ( Christina River ), to Sankikans (Trenton Falls). Printz settled on Tinicum Island , as

252-436: A family was $ 78,072. Males had a median income of $ 52,637 versus $ 41,693 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 31,220. About 6.6% of families and 10.3% of the population were below the poverty line , including 13.6% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over. As of the 2020 census , there were 570,719 people living in the county. According to the 2021 census estimates, its racial and ethnic makeup

315-654: A gift from their homeland: a monument, topped by a replica of the Kalmar Nyckel , designed by Swedish sculptor Carl Milles . During the ceremony, the Prince spoke of the site's significance to both countries: The monument to be unveiled today is a gift from the people of Sweden to the people of the United States. The funds were raised through public subscription, wherein several hundred thousands of our citizens took part. I believe that amongst these subscribers, many had across

378-405: A historic event of 300 years ago, we stand united, as in our admiration of those early settlers from Sweden who were such worthy and resourceful people. Their love of freedom and their integrity they carried with them as a heritage from the land of their birth. We are happy to feel that in some measure they, as well as their successors during the intervening three centuries, were able to contribute to

441-498: A plaque on site. New Castle County, Delaware New Castle County is the northernmost of the three counties of the U.S. state of Delaware (New Castle, Kent , and Sussex ). As of the 2020 census , the population was 570,719, making it the most populous county in Delaware, with nearly 60% of the state's population of 989,948. The county seat is Wilmington , which is also the state's most populous city. New Castle County

504-487: A two-tiered, paramedic intercept EMS system. County paramedics are located in eight full-time stations and one part-time station that operates during the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., with a capability of calling in additional personnel during major emergencies or planned events. Basic life support (BLS) ambulance service is provided primarily by volunteer fire companies with the use of paid employees that are trained in fire suppression and EMS. Fire/Rescue protection

567-401: Is Kenneth W. Boulden Jr. (D) The recorder of deeds is Michael Kozikowski (D). His office is responsible for receiving and recording deeds , mortgages and satisfactions thereof, assignments, commissions of judges , notaries , and military officers. The recorder of deeds' office is heavily computerized; electronic images of all recent documents and many others are available the office is in

630-650: Is Scott T. Phillips. New Castle County has a strong zoning code, known as the Unified Development Code, or UDC. The UDC was developed by the Gordon Administration in response to public perception of over- and misdevelopment in the county. New building projects must go through a process of application and approval before construction is permitted to begin. By operation of state law, New Castle County has no responsibility whatsoever for maintenance of roadways . Public roadways are maintained exclusively by

693-472: Is a hundred in itself), Mill Creek, White Clay Creek, Pencader, New Castle, Red Lion, St. Georges, Appoquinimink, and Blackbird. Ebright Azimuth , the highest natural point in Delaware at 448 feet (137 m), is located in New Castle County. The Chesapeake and Delaware Canal was built through New Castle County, and adjoining Cecil County, Maryland, between 1822 and 1829. Almost all of the county has

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756-524: Is almost double the combined population of Kent and Sussex, the winner in New Castle County has also won Delaware overall in each of the last eighteen presidential elections. In 1992, 2000, 2004 and 2016, the Republican candidate carried Kent and Sussex, only to lose New Castle by double digits–enough of a margin to swing the entire state to the Democrats. New Castle was a bellwether from 1936 to 1996, as it backed

819-586: Is also the most economically developed of the three. The first permanent European settlement on Delaware soil was Fort Christina , resulting from Peter Minuit 's 1638 expedition on the Swedish vessels Fogel Grip and Kalmar Nyckel . The Swedes laid out the town at the site of modern-day Wilmington. They contracted with the Lenape Native Americans for land of Old Cape Henlopen north to Sankikans (Trenton Falls), and inland as far as they desired. However,

882-578: Is based in the New Castle County Courthouse in Wilmington. The deputies assigned to this division organize and manage capias returns. They also transport prisoners for Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, and Family Court. The civil division serves legal process, performs levies & impounds and sells property in satisfaction of judgments . The civil division also locates and apprehends individuals wanted for civil capias. The current sheriff

945-482: Is included in the Philadelphia - Camden - Wilmington , PA-NJ-DE-MD Metropolitan Statistical Area . The county is named after William Cavendish, 1st duke of Newcastle ( c.  1593 –1676). New Castle County has the highest population and population density of any Delaware county, and it is the smallest county in the state by area. It has more people than the other two counties, Kent and Sussex , combined. It

1008-568: Is land and 68 square miles (180 km ) (13.8%) is water. The boundaries of New Castle County are described in § 102 of the Delaware Code. The county is drained by Brandywine Creek , Christina River , and other channels. Its eastern edge sits along the Delaware River and Delaware Bay . Two small exclaves of the county and the state lie across the Delaware River, on its east bank on

1071-555: Is located in Wilmington ; it opened in 1982. The Delores J. Baylor Correctional Institution , a women's prison housing pretrial and posttrial prisoners, is located in unincorporated New Castle County. Baylor opened on December 29, 1991. The Delaware male death row was in the JTVCC, while the female death row was in Baylor. Executions were to occur at JTVCC, prior to the 2016 suspension of it by

1134-579: Is provided by twenty-one volunteer fire departments throughout the county. The city of Wilmington has its own career municipal fire department and contracts with a private ambulance service for basic life support coverage. The contracted private ambulance service in Wilmington operates in a tiered response configuration with the New Castle County Paramedics. The Paul J. Sweeney Public Safety Building, located in Minquadale off of US 13 , houses

1197-588: Is supported by local municipality police agencies in Middletown , Newark , Delaware City , Wilmington , Newport , Elsmere , the city of New Castle , the University of Delaware , as well as the Delaware State Police . New Castle County also operates a nationally accredited, county-run paramedic service through its Emergency Medical Services Division . NCC*EMS is the advanced life support (ALS) component of

1260-727: The Delaware Supreme Court . New Castle elects a substantial majority of the state legislature, with 27 state house districts and 17 state senate districts based in the county. New Castle County is home to two minor league sports teams: the Wilmington Blue Rocks (baseball) and the Delaware Blue Coats (basketball), both of which play in Wilmington. It also has a professional auto racing track in New Castle known as Airport Speedway, with races on Saturday nights throughout

1323-722: The English possessions when an English fleet invaded the area in 1664. Under English rule, the original Swedish fortifications around the Rocks fell into disrepair and eventually vanished entirely. New fortifications were built by the Americans on the same site during the Revolutionary period, and they established Fort Union here during the War of 1812 . Men involved in the defense of the fort included Caesar Augustus Rodney and James A. Bayard Sr. During

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1386-495: The First State National Historical Park was authorized to potentially include Fort Christina; it now is part of the site. American author and essayist Washington Irving (1783–1859) refers to Fort Christina in the opening pages of his short story " Rip van Winkle ", describing the genealogy of his Dutch protagonist: In that same village, and in one of these very houses, (which, to tell the precise truth,

1449-454: The New Jersey side, Finns Point adjacent to Pennsville Township, New Jersey , and the northern tip of Artificial Island , adjacent to Lower Alloways Creek Township, New Jersey . New Castle County, like all of Delaware's counties, is subdivided into hundreds . New Castle County is apportioned into eleven hundreds: Brandywine, Christiana, Wilmington (the city of Wilmington, which, by law,

1512-641: The Atlantic brothers and sisters, parents and children. In contributing, they must have felt the links, which connect them and all of us with your great country, where so many of the citizens are either of Swedish birth or purely or partly of Swedish descent. Near this spot, the Fort Christina State Park, was the first permanent settlement in the Delaware Valley. The Swedes, who landed here 300 years ago, were few in number and of poor means. Yet thus began

1575-685: The Atlantic in their little vessel, the Kalmar Nyckel, and who came to found the colony of New Sweden. That little band of gallant men and women have inscribed their names on the pages of history. Their deeds have been considered important enough for the President and Congress of the United States to extend an official invitation to Sweden to take part in the commemorative celebration of this historic event. We of Sweden are deeply moved by this mark of your esteem. It meets with our high appreciation and we offer you our most sincere thanks. In our common acclaim of

1638-461: The Delaware Department of Transportation, while roadways within neighborhoods and developments are, pursuant to County code, maintained by homeowners' or neighborhood associations. The Department of Public Works maintains essential infrastructure elements such as sanitary sewers and drainage ways. It also maintains County-owned parks and buildings such as County libraries. It does not maintain

1701-401: The Dutch. In 1651, the Dutch under Peter Stuyvesant established Fort Casimir at present-day New Castle , only 7 mi (12 km) south of Fort Christina, in order to menace the Swedish settlement. In 1654, the Swedes captured Fort Casimir under the orders of Governor Johan Risingh . Risingh, fearing reprisals, strengthened the defenses of Fort Christina by adding a wooden palisade around

1764-731: The Ferris School for Boys, and the Grace and Snowden Cottages are in unincorporated New Castle County. Several Delaware Department of Correction facilities are located in the county. The James T. Vaughn Correctional Center (JTVCC), formerly the Delaware Correctional Center, is a men's prison in unincorporated New Castle County, housing sentenced prisoners; Vaughn opened in 1971. The Howard R. Young Correctional Institution , renamed from Multi-Purpose Criminal Justice Facility in 2004 and housing both pretrial and posttrial male prisoners,

1827-494: The New Castle County Police and Emergency Medical Services Division Headquarters and the emergency communications center supporting 9-1-1 services. The present building opened in 2007 with a construction cost of US$ 50,000,000. The Headquarters occupied a former elementary school building on the same site prior to erection of the current building. New Castle is a strongly Democratic county. Because its population

1890-528: The Swedes from both sides of the river. They allowed only Dutch colonists to settle in the area and on August 31, 1655, the territory was converted back to Fort Casimir. Consequently, Fort Christina fell on September 15 to the Dutch, was renamed Fort Altena and New Netherland ruled once again. John Paul Jacquet was immediately appointed governor, making New Amstel the capital of the Dutch-controlled colony. The Dutch West India Company conveyed land from

1953-493: The University of Delaware maintain their own police emergency call centers. New Castle County has its own nationally accredited police department. The New Castle County Police Department is the second largest police organization in the state of Delaware. New Castle County maintains a county wide police force with authorization to enforce laws throughout the county, including within incorporated municipalities. The county police force

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2016-407: The age of 18 living with them, 46.6% were married couples living together, 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 33.5% were non-families, and 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.11. The median age was 37.2 years. The median income for a household in the county was $ 62,474 and the median income for

2079-428: The age of 18 living with them, 49.60% were married couples living together, 13.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.70% were non-families. 25.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.09. In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.90% under

2142-468: The age of 18, 10.30% from 18 to 24, 31.50% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 11.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 94.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.80 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 52,419, and the median income for a family was $ 62,144. Males had a median income of $ 42,541 versus $ 31,829 for females. The per capita income for

2205-407: The colony of New Sweden on the Delaware River from 1658 to 1663." In May 2013, for the 375th anniversary of the Swedish landing, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden, along with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden , reenacted the landing of the Kalmar Nyckel at Fort Christina Park on a replica of the original ship. The site was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1961. In 2014,

2268-410: The concept of "row offices" from Pennsylvania, so-called because all of these county offices could be found in a row in smaller courthouses. In Delaware, these offices are clerk of the peace , recorder of deeds , register of wills, and sheriff . The office of clerk of the peace is unique among the 50 states; the office-holder's function is almost exclusively to perform marriages. The current incumbent

2331-542: The county in 1992 and, like many urban counties, New Castle stayed Democratic ever since. The Delaware Department of Services for Children, Youth, and Their Families (DSCYF) has its headquarters in the Delaware Youth and Family Center (DYFC), located in unincorporated New Castle County, near Wilmington . Several DSCYF juvenile facilities, including the New Castle County Detention Center (NCCDC),

2394-544: The county was $ 25,413. 8.40% of the population and 5.60% of families were below the poverty line . Out of the total population, 10.20% of those under the age of 18 and 7.40% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. As of the 2010 census , there were 538,479 people, 202,651 households, and 134,743 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,263.2 inhabitants per square mile (487.7/km ). There were 217,511 housing units at an average density of 510.2 per square mile (197.0/km ). The racial makeup of

2457-426: The county was 65.5% white, 23.7% black or African American, 4.3% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 3.5% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 8.7% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 19.2% were Irish , 15.0% were German , 11.7% were Italian , 11.3% were English , 6.2% were Polish , and 3.0% were American . Of the 202,651 households, 33.8% had children under

2520-496: The county was 73.12% White , 20.22% Black or African American , 0.20% Native American , 2.59% Asian , 0.03% Pacific Islander , 2.22% from other races , and 1.62% from two or more races. 5.26% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 14.6% were of Irish , 11.4% Italian , 10.9% German , 8.8% English and 5.4% Polish ancestry. 89.5% spoke English and 5.3% Spanish as their first language. There were 188,935 households, out of which 32.50% had children under

2583-549: The development into greatness of your country, the country of their adoption. We are proud to think that their virtue and valor were brought down to their descendants and thus helped in the formation of those traits which we admire in the American people of the present day. President Roosevelt, in accepting the monument, responded that, "I am fortunate in having personal association with the colony of Sweden, for one of my ancestors, William Beekman , served as vice director or governor of

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2646-475: The earthworks. In 1655, the Dutch under Stuyvesant returned in force and laid siege to Fort Christina. The fort's surrender after ten days ended the official Swedish colonial presence in North America, though most of the colonists remained and were allowed to continue their linguistic and religious practices by the Dutch. Stuyvesant renamed Fort Christina as Fort Altena. It is noteworthy to the modern reader that

2709-455: The governor Lt. Col. Printz, officially assumed Printz's duties and began to expel all Dutch from New Sweden. Fort Casimir surrendered and was renamed Fort Trinity in 1654. The Swedes had complete possession of the west side of the Delaware River. On June 21, 1654, the Lenape met with the Swedes to reaffirm the purchase. Having learned of the fall of Fort Casimir, the Dutch sent Stuyvesant to drive

2772-478: The national winner in every presidential election. It became the longest-running national bellwether after 1996, when Okanogan County, Washington , voted for Bob Dole . In 2000, Valencia County, New Mexico became the longest presidential bellwether. Former governor Ronald Reagan won the county by just one vote over President Jimmy Carter in 1980. The county was won by the Republican presidential candidate from 1980 through 1988. This changed when Bill Clinton won

2835-576: The nineteenth century, the peninsula where the fort once stood became heavily industrialized, and included factories for the Jackson and Sharp Company and Mingus Iron Works. In 1938, to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Swedish colonization of the area, the state of Delaware created a park which contained the Rocks and the site of the former forts. The dedication was attended by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt , Crown Prince Gustav Adolf , Crown Princess Louise , and Prince Bertil . The Prince presented

2898-443: The north side of the river. The fort's earthworks were strengthened in 1640 by Governor Peter Hollander Ridder to help defend against the possibility of Dutch or Native American attacks. As additional colonists arrived from Sweden in the years following the landing, homes and farms began to be built outside of the confines of the fort. The fort was rebuilt entirely in 1647. The colony of New Sweden remained in constant friction with

2961-455: The northern border of New Castle County as it currently exists. In 1685, the western border was finally established by King James II; this was set as a line from Old Cape Henlopen (presently Fenwick ) west to the middle of the peninsula and north up to the middle of the peninsula to the 40th parallel. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 494 square miles (1,280 km ), of which 426 square miles (1,100 km )

3024-492: The process of imaging further back with the eventual goal of all documents in the office's possession being available electronically. Computerized indexing and searching is also available. The register of wills is Ciro Poppiti, III. His office receives and records wills and small-estate affidavits upon an individual's death, and issues letters of administration to estate executors . The sheriff of New Castle County has two divisions, criminal and civil. The criminal division

3087-487: The public since 1971. It is the largest reservoir in Delaware. The dam, Edgar M. Hoopes Dam (National ID # DE00015), is a concrete gravity dam originally built in 1932 and restructured several times since. It is 135 feet (41 m) high and 845 feet (258 m) in length at the crest. Its namesake, Edgar M. Hoopes, was Chief Engineer of the Wilmington Water Department from 1913 through 1918, according to

3150-446: The relations between our two Nations. Indeed, it is fitting that, together, we should commemorate that event, the inauguration of an unbroken period of international friendship. We shall be reminded of these facts by the monument, cut by our famous sculptor, Carl Milles, in the black granite of Sweden. What memories are summoned forth at a moment like this. It is with pride we recall the memory of those almost legendary pioneers who braved

3213-463: The rest of the surrounding land, was transferred from the Colony of New York to the possession of William Penn , who established the Colony of Delaware. In September 1673, a Dutch council established a court at New Castle with the boundaries defined as north of Steen Kill (present-day Stoney Creek) and south to Bomties Hook (renamed Bombay Hook). In 1681, a 12-mile arc was drawn to specifically delineate

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3276-540: The seat of government and capital of the New Sweden colony. Peter Stuyvesant , Governor of New Netherland , sailed up the South River in 1651. He purchased land from the Lenape that covered Minquas Kill to Bompties Hook ( Bombay Hook ); the Lenape had sold part of the property to the Swedes in 1638. Stuyvesant began to build Fort Casimir (contemporary New Castle ). In 1654, Johan Risingh , commissary and councilor to

3339-586: The ships Kalmar Nyckel and Fogel Grip under the command of Peter Minuit , the former director of the New Netherland colony. They landed at a spot along the Christina River at a stone outcropping which formed a natural wharf, known as "The Rocks." Minuit selected the site on the Christina River near the Delaware as being optimal for trade in beaver pelts with the local Lenape . He also considered

3402-497: The site easily defensible, and he ordered the construction of an earthwork fort around the Rocks. At the time, the Dutch had claimed the area south to the Delaware (then called "South River"). The Swedes claimed an area for the Realm of Sweden on the south side of the Delaware that encompassed much of the present-day U.S. state of Delaware , eventually including parts of present-day southeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey on

3465-511: The south side of Christina Kill to Bombay Hook , and as far west as Minquas land. This land was known as the Colony of The city. On December 22, 1663, the Dutch transferred property rights to the territory along the Delaware River to England. In 1664, the duke of York, James , was granted this land by King Charles II . One of the first acts by the Duke was to order removal of all Dutch from New Amsterdam ; he renamed New Amstel as New Castle. In 1672,

3528-657: The struggle for Fort Christina and Fort Casimir involved hundreds of mercenaries and chartered warships, and was run personally by Stuyvesant, but was not seen at the time as in any way a war between the Dutch Republic and the Kingdom of Sweden. It was rather a struggle between the Dutch West India Company and the Swedish West India Company. The land remained as part of New Netherland until it became part of

3591-459: The summer. County-wide overlay district: New Castle County Vocational-Technical School District 39°35′N 75°38′W  /  39.58°N 75.64°W  / 39.58; -75.64 Fort Christina Following plans by King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden to establish a Swedish colony in North America, the Swedes arrived in Delaware Bay (Fort Christina) on March 29, 1638, aboard

3654-540: The town of New Castle was incorporated and English law ordered. However, in 1673, the Dutch attacked the territory, reclaiming it for their own. On September 12, 1673, the Dutch established New Amstel in present-day Delaware , fairly coterminous with today's New Castle County. The establishment was not stable, and it was transferred to the British under the Treaty of Westminster on February 9, 1674. On November 6, 1674, New Amstel

3717-439: The water distribution system, which is owned and operated by several private companies. In general, it also does not maintain stormwater management facilities within subdivisions. Access to 911 emergency services is provided by New Castle County through their emergency communications center for all fire/rescue/emergency medical services (EMS) throughout the county and the majority of police services, though Newark, Wilmington, and

3780-569: Was Joe Biden , the 46th and current president of the United States , who represented the 4th district from 1971 to 1973. Current county council members are: As with Delaware's other two counties, New Castle County has no judiciary of its own. All judicial functions, except for Alderman's Courts, are managed and funded by the state of Delaware . In New Castle County, only the cities of Newport and Newark have alderman's courts. These courts have jurisdiction over driving offenses, misdemeanor criminal charges, and minor civil claims. The county retains

3843-411: Was 54.8% non-Hispanic white, 27.2% African American, 0.5% Native American, 6.0% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.8% multiracial, and 11% Hispanic or Latino of any race. The county is headed by a county executive , currently Matthew S. Meyer . The chief administrative officer, who is the county's second-in-command, is appointed by the county executive and serves at his or her pleasure. Vanessa S. Phillips

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3906-508: Was appointed CAO in March 2018. The county's legislative body is a thirteen-member county council , consisting of twelve members elected by district and one president elected at large. The council is tasked with drafting laws and managing county government services, public health ordinances, land use , transportation, and zoning . New Castle County Council doubled in size to thirteen from seven members in 2004. Its most famous council member

3969-409: Was made dependent on New York Colony, and was renamed New Castle on November 11, 1674. On September 22, 1676, New Castle County was formally placed under the Duke of York's laws. It gained land from Upland County on November 12, 1678. On June 21, 1680, St. Jones County was carved from New Castle County. It is known today as Kent County, Delaware . On August 24, 1682, New Castle County, along with

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