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Take a drive on the wild (and historical) side. The Delaware Bayshore Byway stretches from Historic Old New Castle in the north to the shipbuilding town of Milton in Sussex County. The 100-mile drive takes travelers through historic towns, industrial areas along the Delaware Coast, scenic wetlands and estuaries, pastoral farmland, beautiful secluded beaches, and some of the best birding on the East Coast. Bring along your “Historic Architecture of the Bayshore” trip guide to compliment your trip. So, take a drive on the wild side, and discover all the beauty and history the Delaware Bayshore has to offer.
History
Shopping
Historic Architecture
(North to South)
(South to North)
The town, of New Castle, established in in 1651, boasts the distinction of being the spot where William Penn first landed in the United States. The cobblestone streets, brick sidewalks, and Colonial architecture immerse visitors in the past. For a special treat plan your trip to coincide with “A Day in Old New Castle” the Nation’s oldest continuous house and garden tour. Use Byway Bucks at most of these
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Take Route 9 from historic New Castle to Delaware City. This stretch of the Bayshore Byway provides the most drastic change in landscape features as the quaint colonial city gives way to industrial complexes, and finally marshland. Delaware City is a small riverfront town with a downtown commercial district featuring shops and restaurants. From here visitors can catch a ferry over to Fort Delaware, located on Pea Patch Island in the middle of the Delaware Bay or embark on the 8.7 mile Michael N. Castle C and D Canal Trail. Just across the canal is Fort DuPont State Park. Continuing down Route 9 the landscape flattens out to the low lying marshland of the Augustine Wildlife and Ashton Tract Wildlife Area.
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Port Penn is a brief five mile drive from Delaware City. The small town contains primarily historic structures including the Ike Cleaver House, an early Georgian style dwelling.
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The small town of Odessa boasts a robust historic society, which has helped preserve some early homes which served as stations on the Underground Railroad. After a busy morning take a moment to refuel your car at the Sunoco, and your body at Cantwell’s Tavern which is owned by the Historic Odessa Foundation. This is also the location where the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway and the Bayshore Byway diverge.
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Leaving Odessa, the Byway winds through the tidal marshes and cedar swamps of southern New Castle and northern Kent Counties. Due to the low elevation, areas along this portion of the byway are prone to flooding.
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Heading south is the small town of Leipsic, established in 1837 as a small agricultural village. The town quickly became known for trapping, oystering, fishing, and canning.
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Just outside of Leipsic is the historic town of Little Creek, established in the early 1800s as an oystering community. Watch fishermen still prepare their nets along the docks or drive by the Old Stone Tavern.
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While not actually on the Bayshore Byway, the state capital, Dover, lies four miles to the west of Little Creek. Downtown Dover offers a variety of museums, free attractions, events, and restaurants. Travelers can find, in addition to local food and shops, a variety of larger chain stores and restaurants to satisfy all their needs.
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As the capitol of Delaware, there are many, many options for lodging. Please check the following sites for ideas:
Day two begins the southern leg of the Bayshore Byway. This half of the trip takes travelers through maritime communities that have been shaped by their proximity to major rivers and the ocean.
St. Jones Neck is the site of one of the state’s earliest English settlements. Today, the beauty of the agricultural lands surrounding the wildlife areas offers you opportunities for history, heritage and natural resource discoveries.
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Frederica is situated around multiple inland water bodies, including the Murderkill River and its branches Spring Creek, Browns Branch and Ash Gut. Due to its geographic location among wetlands and the frogs that were drawn to them, Frederica earned the nickname, “Frogtown”.
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Bowers Beach is the first sandy beach one encounters traveling south. Its maritime history is celebrated in May at the Buccaneer Bash, and again in August when the town commemorates “Big Thursday,” the official beginning of oyster harvesting season. Spend a little time taking in the quiet coastal town energy. If you really want to get into the seafaring spirit, chartered boats are available.
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Stroll through downtown Milford and you’ll travel through three contiguous National Register Historic Districts: North Milford, Victorian, and Shipyard Historic Districts. Be sure and take in these highlights:
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As you depart Milford, you’ll ease your way into the wilder part of the Byway and get back to nature.
Milton is one of the small, historic Delaware towns that prospered through shipbuilding and shipping in the 19th century. In 1807, the town was named Milton by the General Assembly in honor of English poet John Milton and incorporated in 1865. Some highlights include:
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More intrepid drivers can continue on to Lewes via the Historic Lewes Byway to relax on the beach, explore Cape Henlopen State Park, or hop on the Cape May-Lewes Ferry to continue along the New Jersey Bayshore Heritage Byway.
Delaware Greenways extends its thanks to the Delaware Department of Transportation, Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and Delaware Tourism Office for their generous support in the development of the Delaware Bayshore Byway website.
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