Brandywine Springs through the years
How historic artifacts tell a story of natural healing, amusement and local history
By Katy Little, curator of collections for the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs
Today, Brandywine Springs is an unsuspecting little orange puddle situated in a charming green park near Wilmington, but the spring and the land surrounding it are part of a uniquely Delaware story. During the 19th century, the naturally occuring Brandywine Springs served as site of healing and relaxation, spent a short time as a school, and, for several decades, was the most popular amusement park in the Wilmington area.
Like other mineral springs, humans have long interacted with places like Brandywine Springs for medicinal reasons. The rusty orange water of this iron-rich, or chalybeate, spring can aid the human body like an iron supplement. Iron is used in the production of hemoglobin and certain hormones, which expedite wound healing and improve overall health.
The Indigenous people of the region (the Lenapehoking or Lenni-Lenape) used the spring for healing, with travelers from other tribes coming from as far as modern-day Ohio. Records from this time exist only in stories and archaeology, so there is more to the story of Brandywine Springs’ past than we know today — or may ever know.
European settlers first used the region for farming, paying the spring little attention. A tavern was established to serve waggoners on the nearby trade route. Perhaps due to its proximity to such a highway, during the Revolutionary War it is believed that George Washington and his generals met near the spring to discuss battle strategy. Yet, the tavern would not capitalize on the spring itself, as later establishments would.
The spring would become a destination again in the 19th century, following an interest in spring resorts as a way to escape the dirty cities of the industrializing nation. By 1826, a large hotel had been constructed nearby. For a time, its proximity to Wilmington drew wealthy visitors to the site. However, after several years, the economic turbulence of the 1840s took its toll and the resort saw a decline. Unable to sustain itself, the hotel was sold and used as a military school, before being lost to fire.
Another hotel would be established in the area in 1855. The second hotel did not rebuild the first; rather, a new hotel was built from the large, existing residential homes on the site that had belonged to the previous resort owner. It is likely that this hotel selected the green marble mantle found today in the state’s Historic Collections as an example of the exquisite décor that would have been selected for the hotel’s elite visitors.
Guests at the hotel could picnic on the lawn or in one of several gazebos, stroll through the wooded area and, of course, visit the spring house, which was a small structure that sheltered the spring.
Despite the grandeur of the resort and efforts put into its appeal, times were changing. The popularity of spring resorts was on the decline, and this was reflected in attendance. Brandywine Springs struggled for decades and changed ownership several times.
In the 1880s, a new tactic was introduced: Enhance the outside area with new attractions to bring in visitors, or create the first “amusement parks.” The appeal of “pleasure gardens” and other outdoor recreational spaces was nothing new to the Victorian world. However, as technology advanced, so did the ways in which these parks could delight and entice visitors. The concept of amusement parks was in its infancy at this time and stemmed from the attractions introduced at pleasure gardens. The first “ride” to come to Brandywine Springs was a simple merry-go-round, and by 1890 the park had a restaurant and boardwalk, complete with games and a photo gallery. It also introduced toboggan rides in addition to the already existing walking trails and picnic gazebos on site.
The new direction of the park was met with quick success. Expansions continued throughout the 1890s, including a Baltimore & Ohio Railroad passenger pavilion. This relationship with the rail lines would prove to be beneficial for Brandywine Springs, bringing in visitors from all along the B&O passenger routes. By the turn of the century, the park also boasted a trolley station with a line connected directly to downtown Wilmington.
The 1890s also saw the addition of new attractions, including a mechanical carousel with painted horses and other animals. The image above shows a handful of steel rings found through archaeological work on the park ground. These rings were part of a carousel game, in which players would grab a ring and toss it at a target. Any player who grabbed a brass ring amongst the iron ones would win a prize, such as a free ride on the carousel.
A boating lake, dance hall, theater, pool room, miniature railroad, roller rink, maze and a small funhouse called Katzenjammer Castle were all added to the park as it grew. Contests and events were held in the park during its heyday.
Brandywine Springs Park saw a decline in visitation as a direct consequence of the rise in availability of automobiles. The ability to travel farther and at one’s own schedule permitted would-be visitors to travel to coastal boardwalks instead. By 1923, Brandywine Springs Amusement Park closed out its final season.
The park itself remains and is still open to the public, although most of the structures have since been removed. The hotel is gone, as are the rides and boardwalk, but through a combination of interviews, as well as historical and archaeological work, markers placed throughout the historic destination show contemporary visitors where various park structures once stood. Special Thanks to “Brandywine Springs Amusement Park: Echoes of the Past 1886 – 1923″ by Mark R. Lawlor and the Friends of Brandywine Springs Park for research and interpretation on site.
