Sailing ships in New Castle's harbor during winter, circa 1890.
Collection of New Castle Historical Society.
Packet boat sailing past New Castle on the Delaware River, late 1800s. Collection of the New Castle Historical Society.
An Early, Busy Travel Hub
In the 1700s and early 1800s, there were no railroads, and roads were rough and uncomfortable. The easiest and fastest way to travel was by boat. Because New Castle was right on the busy Delaware River, and just a few miles from rivers leading to the Chesapeake Bay, the town became one of the busiest travel hubs in America.
All kinds of people from immigrants to local travelers passed through New Castle. Packet boats, and later steamboats, brought people to and from New Castle on the Delaware River. They could then hop on a stagecoach or, later, a train to travel between here and the Chesapeake Bay.
New Castle grew as travelers waited here, sometimes overnight, for the next part of their journey to begin. The town became full of taverns and inns to give them places to eat and sleep. Shops provided any supplies that travelers might need. Some stores, called “ship chandleries,” sold the tools, ropes, food and other supplies that sailors needed before heading out to sea.
By the mid-1800s, new railroads were running from Philadelphia through Wilmington to Baltimore. This reduced travel time a great deal. Travelers didn’t need to stop in New Castle anymore, and the town became quieter…for a while, at least.
24 Hours to Baltimore: A Grueling Journey
In the 1700s and early 1800s, to get from Philadelphia to Baltimore, travelers first took a boat to New Castle. Then they rode in a horse-drawn carriage called a “stagecoach,” across land from New Castle to the Elk River in Maryland. Then, they took another boat down the Chesapeake Bay. It was a long, hard 24-hour trip.
The stagecoaches travelled on a toll-road called a turnpike. Travelers using the turnpike paid a “toll,” or fee, to help maintain the road surface. Eventually, the turnpike was replaced by the New Castle – Frenchtown Railroad. The railroad made the trip from New Castle to Frenchtown in about an hour.
 |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Taverns & Inns
Back in the 1700s and 1800s, a tavern wasn’t just a restaurant—it was called a “Public House of Entertainment.” But don't let the name fool you. "Entertainment" back then was not as fun as it sounds. “Entertainment” meant having a place to eat, grab a drink, sleep in a bed, and find a stable for your horse.
New Castle had many taverns because they served many people. Since most people walked everywhere, travel was slow and difficult. Even a 10-mile trip (which takes about 15 minutes in a car today) usually required a stop at a tavern to rest. Some of New Castle’s tavern owners made deals with the local stagecoach and boat companies to encourage their passengers to stop at their tavern for a break.
New Castle’s taverns were also busy because the courts of law were here. The taverns were always packed with people who came to town for legal business.
New Castle’s taverns also served people living in the town. They knew taverns were the best places to hear the latest news and gossip, attend public dances or “balls,” or drop off and pick up mail.
Some taverns were tiny, like Harmony Street’s Rising Sun Tavern, while others were huge, like Crow’s Tavern on Delaware Street, which could hold many more guests.
 |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |  |
One of America’s First Passenger Railroads
In 1832, New Castle became home to one of the very first passenger railroads in America. It was called the New Castle & Frenchtown Railroad, and it changed how people traveled.
At first, the train cars were just stagecoaches pulled by horses. The stagecoaches had special wheels that ran on rails. Its 16-mile trip across land was easier than on roads but still a bumpy, slow ride.
Later, the train cars were pulled by powerful steam engines. The first steam engine, "The Delaware," was built in England and shipped all the way to New Castle. Steam engines cut travel time for the 16-mile trip down to one hour. The trains were such a hit that a local company, the New Castle Manufacturing Company, started building its own locomotives right in town instead of buying them from England.
But by the 1840s, another company (the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad Company) built a track that ran directly from Philadelphia to Baltimore through Wilmington. That train made the trip from Philadelphia to Baltimore much shorter and faster than the New Castle & Frenchtown Railroad. By 1857, the tracks from New Castle to Frenchtown were abandoned.
Even though the New Castle & Frenchtown Railroad only lasted about 25 years, it proved that railroads were the future of travel in America. It turned a long, exhausting journey into a quick afternoon trip.
 |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Did You Know Davy Crockett took his first-ever train ride on the New Castle - Frenchtown Railroad?
Colonel David "Davy" Crockett. Engraved by C. Stuart from the original portrait by J.G. Chapman. Library of Congress.
