Ice, Commerce, and the Making of New Castle’s Harbor

When waterways froze and floating ice made travel impossible, ships sought refuge at ice piers.

Courtesy of the New Castle Historical Society

Ice Hazards on the Delaware River

Today, ice floating in the Delaware River is rarely a concern for modern shipping, but for centuries it posed a serious hazard to vessels traveling the river. During winter storms, large pieces of ice drifted downstream, threatening wooden-hulled ships and clogging harbors. In response to these dangers, the town of New Castle developed an innovative solution that helped protect its waterfront and sustain commerce during the coldest months of the year known as ice piers.

Construction and Purpose of Ice Piers

Beginning in the late eighteenth century, ice piers were constructed in New Castle’s harbor to deflect moving ice away from ships and docks. Unlike wharves, which are typically connected to the shoreline, ice piers were often built offshore. Their purpose was not to provide docking space but to act as barriers, breaking up or redirecting ice floes before they could damage vessels. These structures allowed maritime trade to continue through the winter, when river conditions elsewhere could bring shipping to a standstill.

While docked and waiting for the ice to clear, crews could access the town for food and supplies.

Courtesy of the New Castle Historical Society

New Castle as a Winter Harbor

New Castle’s harbor also served as an important refuge for ships traveling upriver to Philadelphia or Wilmington. When ice made upstream ports inaccessible or river travel too dangerous, captains could seek shelter in New Castle. Once docked, merchants in town could quickly supply food, materials, and repairs, allowing ships to recover from long ocean voyages while waiting for the river to clear. In this way, the harbor functioned not only as a protective space but also as a vital link in regional trade networks.

Funding Ice Piers with Public Lotteries

Funding such infrastructure in the early years of the United States was a challenge. During the 1790s, there was little expectation that the federal or state governments would support local transportation improvements. While the young federal government was financially strained, and its duties had yet to be clearly established.The state turned to a common solution of the era known as public lotteries.

Public lotteries were widely used in the late colonial and early federal periods to finance civic improvements. To prevent fraud and abuse, the Delaware state legislature required special approval for each lottery. The state’s first authorized lottery, held in 1791, funded the construction of the Kent County Courthouse. The second, approved in 1794, supported the building of New Castle’s ice piers. After tickets were sold and winners selected, lottery proceeds were distributed, with a predetermined portion set aside to pay for construction.

Early Ice Piers and Expansions

The original two ice piers were completed in 1795 at the foot of Delaware Street and Harmony Street. They soon proved insufficient, and in 1801 the project’s managers repaired and improved the existing piers while adding a new one near Alexander’s Alley. Although shoreline changes have shifted, the remains of this pier can still be seen today.

In 1802, the federal government funded the construction of four new ice piers, replacing the original two and adding additional protection nearby. These federally owned structures appear on the 1804 Latrobe Survey of New Castle and represent the first federally funded transportation project in Delaware. While none of these early nineteenth-century piers survive intact, their construction signaled an expanding federal role in infrastructure development.

Nineteenth-Century Developments

Throughout the nineteenth century, ice piers continued to be built, repaired, and rebuilt as harbor needs evolved. Maps from the period show multiple piers extending into the river, though many eventually decayed or were dismantled. Several historic examples remain visible today, including four hexagonal ice piers dating to the 1870s. Built farther out in the river than earlier structures, these piers consist of stone shells filled with smaller rocks and supported by wooden crib foundations below the water. A rectangular ice pier from the 1850s also survives.

By the late nineteenth century, however, the need for ice piers began to decline. Wooden-hulled ships were gradually replaced by vessels constructed of iron and steel, which were far more resistant to damage from ice. As shipping traffic to New Castle decreased, the harbor’s ice piers fell into disuse and were largely left to deteriorate.

This aerial photo of New Castle shows ice piers off the coast of the town.

Courtesy of the New Castle Historical Society.

Legacy of Ice Piers

Today, these weathered structures stand as reminders of a time when ice controlled the flow of commerce and survival along the Delaware River. Though far fewer wooden-hulled ships visit New Castle’s wharf now, they have not disappeared entirely, and the ice piers continue to tell a story of ingenuity, adaptation, and the enduring relationship between a community and its river.

Historic Benchmarks

This article is part of a series titled Historic Benchmarks: New Castle and the Making of a Nation which was created in partnership with the Delaware250, New Castle Historical Society, Old New Castle Outdoor Recreation Coalition, the City of New Castle, and The Trustees of the New Common.

References

Arnold, H. (1994). The Tides Led the Town: A Recent History of the Waterfront, New Castle, Delaware. New Castle, Delaware: New Castle Historical Society.

Benson, B. E., & Hoffecker, C. E. (2021). New Castle, Delaware: A Walk Through Time. New Castle, Delaware: Oak Knoll Press.

McIntire, N. (1956, 10 19). Behind the Times. New Castle Gazette, pp. Reprinted in "Selected Columns of Nicholas S. McIntire," p.89.

Meek, J. (2011). Save Our Historic Ice Piers. Retrieved from New Castle, Delaware: Community History and Archaeology Program: https://nc-chap.org/chap/soip/index.php

The Water Front in New Castle: Its Wharves and Early Piers. (1975). In R. S. Rodney, & G. H. Gibson (Ed.), The Collected Essays of Richard S. Rodney on Early Delaware (pp. 219-228). Wilmington, Delaware: Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Delaware.