History
1991- marks the beginning of the Friends Society of Brandywine Park. Learn more about Wilmington.
1995- The Friends Society begins reintroducing natural habitat on the Brandywine River’s southern bank.
1998- It is decided to create state parks in Wilmington. DE State Parks will now maintain the gardens owned by the city.
It will now serve as their new official name.
FOWP officially opens the restored Monkey Hill Pavilion; this is the first significant FOWP project. In 2000, the Jasper Crane Rose Garden was repaired with irrigation, and 450 roses of 52 different species they’re planted there.
2004- The historic Bringhurst Fountain has been moved to a new stone terrace next to the Jasper Crane Rose Garden.
2006- The All-American Rose Selections organization ranked the Jasper Crane Rose Garden as the third finest in the country.
2007- The reconstruction of the Sugar Bowl Pavilion and observatory gets underway, and the inaugural Jasper Crane Rose Garden Party Fundraiser takes place.
2016- The Sugar Bowl has been Restored to its Former Glory
2018- marks the beginning of FOWP’s role as a co-host for the free Summer Concert Series held at the Sugar Bowl and Rockford Park.
2020-21- The pandemic strain of COVID-19 FOWP continues to exist.
2022- Brandywine Park has just seen the opening of a new trail called the Fitness Loop.
FOWP is raising the whole budget for this significant endeavor.
Parks
Alapocas Run State Park
The Alapocas Run State Park is home to many beautiful vistas and exciting recreational activities. In 1910, 123 acres of land they’re given to the city to be developed into a park. Right amid Wilmington, it now encompasses a total area of 191 acres and contains a network of picturesque trails, spectacular granite cliffs, and locations where visitors may enjoy nature.
Alapocas Run State Park entrance may be found along Interstate 95, close to where Concord Pike and Foulk Road converge. There is usually some activity, from children having fun to rock climbers belaying themselves on rugged cliffs to people walking and biking and even rugby matches.
Park Features
- The once-vacant dairy barn built by Alfred I. du Pont is now the permanent home of the Delaware Folk Art collection and an events space. The Blue Ball Barn also serves as the home of the Delaware Folk Art collection.
- Can-Do Playground is Delaware’s first Boundless playground, which welcomes children of varying abilities and encourages them to play together.
- A natural rock face that has been fashioned into climbing routes Pathways that are suitable for walking and cycling
- Athletic Fields for All Three Team Sports (Soccer, Rugby, and Football)
Brandywine Park
In the middle of the city is where you’ll find Brandywine Park, which winds along the Brandywine River. It was established in 1886 and has since become Delaware’s most significant urban park. Along the same lines as Central Park, it may trace its roots back to “Frederick Law Olmstead, a landscape architect who founded the “Natural Landscape Movement” in the second part of the nineteenth century.
The park encompasses a total area of 178 acres and is situated along a stretch of the Brandywine River that is one mile long. In the garden, there is a flurry of activity virtually every day of the week. It is the only zoo in Delaware, and it also features a historic rose garden and a spring cherry blossom display that is truly breathtaking. People can frequently be seen fishing along the banks, exercising on the fitness loop, and simply appreciating the stunning natural scenery surrounding this important historical site.
Park Features
Access to the Brandywine River in every area of the park
FOWP is responsible for the upkeep of the historic Jasper Crane Rose Garden.
For those who want the experience of working out in a gym outside, a Fitness Circuit loop is a way to go.
An oratory stage is known as the Sugar Bowl, which in the 19th century played host to some of the most famous public speakers in American history. This is the place to be today for special events and free summer concerts.
The only Brandywine Zoo in Delaware can be found here, and the historic Josephine Fountain is quite the attraction in the spring when the cherry trees are in full bloom.
Abyssinia Stadium is a state-of-the-art sports stadium for high school and community sports. The Rodney Street Tennis Courts are the city’s most popular public tennis facility.
What’s Going on in Brandywine Park?
Rodney Street Tennis Court Picnic Area
The Friends of Wilmington Parks are holding a fundraiser to raise money for a new picnic area built at the Rodney Street Courts. It will be updated with new picnic furniture, a structure to provide shade, and redesigned landscaping. These are the city’s most utilized public courts for various activities, including league play, tournaments, and programs for young people.
Fitness Trail
The Friends of Wilmington Park organized a Ribbon Cutting event to commemorate the brand-new Fitness Trail in Brandywine Park opening in April 2022. This hiking path features four exercise stations along its length, each equipped with apparatus that hikers can use to supplement the workout they get from their regular walks or runs. This trail, supported by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and Incyte: Delaware’s BluePrints for the Community, provides more opportunities for visitors to get in shape and enjoy the outdoors.
H. Fletcher Brown Park
H. Fletcher Brown Park, which can be found just a short distance downriver from Brandywine Park, serves as the entry point to the central business district of Wilmington from Brandywine Park. A lookout point in the park provides breathtaking panoramas of the Brandywine River.
Formerly occupied by the Vocational High School of H. Fletcher Brown and the Old Soldiers’ Park, its location is at South Park Drive and North King Street. It was given its current name in honor of the well-known Wilmington chemist and philanthropist Harry Fletcher Brown (1867-1944), and it is the ideal place to go for a peaceful lunch or a brief respite from a hectic day.
Park Features
- In the Charles Park Music Garden is located a statue of an apprentice.
- The Plaza at H. Fletcher Brown
Kentmere Parkway
The land, now known as Kentmere Parkway, was donated to the city in 1895 by Mr. and Mrs. William Field. It is a greenway that connects Brandywine Park and Rockford Park and is about a half-mile long.
The environment is dotted with majestic sculptures and garden areas, and mature trees are growing along the green plain. Beautiful homes that date back to the 19th century may be seen along both sides of the Parkway.
Rockford Park
William Poole Bancroft established Rockford Park in the Highlands district in 1889. A well-known businessman and community activist, Mr. Bancroft. He persuaded the du Pont family to provide an additional 9 acres of land, and he contributed 59 acres of his land to create
Rockford Park.
The focal point of this park is the 100-year-old Rockford Tower. Amidst rolling hills and vistas, the historic stone water tower provides stunning views of the city. Rockford Park offers a lot of amenities. Its open green space, which includes a dog park without leashes, is a favorite hangout for nearby residents and their pets.
Park Features
- Rogers Tower
- Baseball diamonds, the music stage at Rockford Park
- courts for tennis
- a well-liked dog park that attracts plenty of local dog lovers
- Pedestrian, bicycle, and runner routes through the woods
For more information, visit their website or call them at (302)656-3665