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New Castle, Delaware
Community History and Archaeology Program 

"A View of The Town of New Castle From The River Delaware, -- Taken the 4th July 1797 -- By Ives le Blanc" Courtesy G. & E. Hargraves

Historic and Modern Aerial Photos of Old New Castle

Aerial photos of  most of Delaware since the  1920's  reveal the relentless increase in density of development.  However  in the case of New Castle, whose streets date to the 1600's, changes are more subtle.  Buildings come and go, the waterfront changes.

 Click on images to enlarge.. rectify_ortho.jpg (640710 bytes)  This false color infra red image was made in 2002, A comparison with the pictures taken below shows some obvious changes along the waterfront (numbered in yellow to the left).


1) Bull Hill Park now exists
2) The site of Ft. Casimir, which was at water's edge in 1932 is now 200 ft. inland
3) Abandoned Ferry pilings
4) Broad park
5) Abandoned Laird family yacht basin
6) New wharf, total absence of fishing or pleasure boats in harbor, no evidence of former ferry terminal
7) New pier to inner ice breaker, Battery Park playground
8) Remnants of railroad coal pier visible only at low tide
9) No visible remnants of gas company plant.
10) Shopping area, 
11) St. Peter's school

Off the photo to the east and west are the industrial areas where 3 steel plants and cotton and woolen mills once lay.
Source: University of Delaware RDMS

 
aerial7.jpg (789602 bytes) Delaware Street Ferry opening day celebration ..... 1926 (Closeup viewferryterminal10.jpg (245226 bytes)

 

Source: New Castle Historical Society
onc.jpg (264787 bytes) 1932

Original
aerial8.jpg (597087 bytes) Winter, c1940?

Source: New Castle Historical Society
onc_45_49.jpg (211910 bytes) 7/7/1937

Original

 
onc_56_73.jpg (146849 bytes) 1956
  2002 False color infrared
1 meter resolution!
1 extensive fill in Bull Hill Park area
Source rdms

 

Some Delaware images are available online for 1926, statewide images are available from the University of Delaware Spatial Analysis Lab for 1932, 1937, 1945, 1992 and 2002.