Walking Tour of the Green
2025-07-25 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-08-01 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-08-08 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-08-15 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-08-22 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-08-29 10:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York) | New Castle Court House Museum, 211 Delaware St., New Castle, Delaware, 19720, United States
Join the staff at the New Castle Court House Museum for a walking tour of New Castle Green and learn about the history of Green and the structures around it.

History Revival
2025-08-05 19:00 - 20:00, 2025-08-07 19:00 - 20:00, 2025-08-12 19:00 - 20:00, 2025-08-14 19:00 - 20:00, 2025-08-21 19:00 - 20:00, 2025-08-28 19:00 - 20:00
This year’s theme for History Revival is historic sporting! Check back for specific details about program presenters.

Dog Days of Summer
2025-08-16 20:00 - 22:30
Join us on the Green as we watch 12 Angry Men and discuss some of the history of the jury as it relates to the Court House.

Brown v. Board of Education: The Legal Battle to End Segregation
2025-09-27 12:00 - 13:00
Charles Hamilton Houston, Thurgood Marshall and other great civil rights attorneys believed the fight for civil and equal rights should take place in the courts.
This presentation by Kathy Trusty of the Delaware Humanities will discuss their most famous case: Brown v Board of Education. Audiences will learn more about the lawyers behind the case and their strategy for proving that separate but equal, when it comes to race segregation, was not constitutional.
This presentation will also examine the five cases that made up Brown v Board of Education. It will delve into the actions and circumstances that led to each case and how five cases from around the country became one of the most important cases in the 20th century and resulted in a United States Supreme Court Ruling to end racial segregation in public schools.
This program has been made possible by Delaware Humanities, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

William Penn Day
2025-10-25 10:00 - 16:30
The New Castle Court House Museum is hosting tours during William Penn Day, with historical interpreters on hand to answer questions and talk about William Penn’s connection to New Castle and the Court House.

At 11 a.m., Doug Miller, site director of Penn’s Pennsbury Manor home, will present “William Penn and the founding of a colony.” In 1681, with the stroke of a pen, the King of England made Penn the single largest landholder in all of England. The son of a high admiral, highly educated and trained in the military arts, young Penn’s path would take him in a different direction when he chose to become a Quaker.

At 3 p.m., the Suzuki Academy from the Delaware Music School will play Baroque music from the era.

In Common Cause: Delaware's Homefront in the Revolutionary War
2026-01-10 12:00 - 13:00
Despite its small size, Delaware made significant contributions to the cause of American independence—far more than a single battle or a midnight ride. During the Revolutionary War, Delaware evolved from being part of a larger colony into an independent state, a transformation driven by the sacrifices and efforts of its citizens and civic leaders. These individuals gave their time, resources, and even their personal safety to support the common cause of American freedom.
Join us as we explore the challenges faced and contributions made by the men and women of Revolutionary Delaware, preserved in the records of the Delaware Public Archives.
Presented by: Joe Sullivan, Delaware Public Archives

Connecting a Million Notes: Uncovering the Life of New Castle's Last Chinese Laundryman
2026-02-21 12:00 - 13:00
New Castle Court House Museum Lead Interpreter Allison Reardon will discuss her research into Belman Lui, the last proprietor of the “Chinese laundry” at 123 Delaware St in New Castle. She will discuss the origins, triumphs, and challenges of her research and then explore Belman Lui’s life and family in China, California, Delaware, and Pennsylvania.

The Emergence of American Military Medicine under Washington
2026-03-04 12:00 - 13:00
In partnership with the Battell and Read Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, historian Dr. Frederick Magner will discuss the establishment of military medicine under George Washington, turning a neglected field into a self-reliant, credible force signaling medicine’s emergence from European dominance.

Women Scorned: Petit Reason and Punishment in 18th Century Delaware
2026-03-13 12:00 - 13:00
When Delaware declared its independence in 1776, it prompted a plethora of changes pertaining to its government and legal system. As the state grew and evolved, it reflected on crime and punishment in this new era. One crime that the new government reviewed was petit treason, which was treasonous acts committed against a person of authority other than the government.
Throughout its history, two Delaware women were tried for petit treason: Catherine Bevan in 1731 and Sarah Kirk in 1787. While their charges were the same, their punishments were not. Join us as we examine documents from the Delaware Public Archives’ collections to discuss these women and the changing legal system of a new Delaware.
Presented by: Dana Niemeyer, Delaware Public Archives

Blue Hens and Bugbears
2026-03-20 18:00 - 21:00
Partnership with Delaware Historical Society, New Castle Public Library and New Castle Court House Museum. Come play a revolutionary inspired game of Dungeons and Dragons in a revolutionary era building. We will be running an adapted version of 5th edition at the Court House for all ages.
Please read more and fill out the Delaware Historic Society Registration.

Road to Liberty
2026-03-21 12:00 - 13:00
Visitors can come play an original board game created by Delaware Public Archives staff to help kids learn about Delaware’s role in the Revolutionary War. Designed for quick play – approximately 10 minutes – the game utilizes archival documents from the Archives’ collections as part of the journey. Players move their pieces along the board, draw Action and Chance cards, and encounter shortcuts, setbacks, and historical challenges along the way.

The Emergence of American Military Medicine under Washington
2026-04-11 12:00 - 13:00
With 32 years of distinguished service as a medical Officer in the United States Army, Dr. Wagner retired with the rank of Colonel. He is a noted medical historian and shares his deep knowledge of medicine and history. A graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Dr. Magner has served as a Pentagon consultant, advising on the mobilization and coordination of medical forces across all service branches.
This program is free of charge, but due to limited seating, please register online here.
This program is presented by The New Castle Court House Museum, in partnership with and made possible by the generosity of the Battell and Read Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution (New Castle).

Revolutionary River: The Delaware Waterway & the War for Independence
2026-04-24 18:00 - 19:00
The Delaware River was more than an obstacle crossed by Washington’s army on December 25th, 1776. At the heart of its 120 navigable miles lay Philadelphia, the Revolutionary capital of a new republic…if it could be won, and kept. Perhaps more vitally than any other waterway, the Bay and River became a strategic actor in its own right, influencing trade, communication, and military movement – especially during the key phase of 1776-1778. Join independent historian and Historic Lewes’ Director of Interpretation, Ryan Schwartz, in this exploration of how the waters that still flow passed Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware influenced the dramatic acts of the United States’ founding drama.

In the Shadows of the Gallows: The History of Capital Punishment in America
2026-04-25 12:00 - 13:00
The historical, legal, and ethical evolution of capital punishment in the United States is complex. This program examines public executions—particularly in Delaware and the Mid-Atlantic—from the era when the sheriff was the county executioner to the modern era, highlighting key reforms as the nation debated the abolition of the death penalty and sought more humane methods of execution. Throughout, it analyzes the shifting historical, cultural, legal, and ethical factors that influenced the nation’s approach to capital punishment.
