New Castle Common: For the People

The concept of a “common”—land surrounding a village or town for the shared use of its people—dates back many centuries in English and European legal tradition. When European settlers first inhabited the land that would become New Castle, they continued this practice in their new home. They built a fort or village around a large tract of land, reserving it for the common use of everyone who lived there. The boundaries of the Common, however, were fairly informal. Many examples of town commons can be found in small New England towns, where they are typically located at the town center. While New Castle today has the Green at its center, the Common was originally situated on the northwest edge of the village.

William Penn, Proprietor of the Colony, had the Common surveyed in 1704 as part of his exploration of the land granted to him by King Charles II of England. The survey established formal boundaries on the 1,068-acre New Castle Common, reserving the land for the free use of the townspeople. For decades, the people of New Castle used the land in a variety of ways, including cutting wood and allowing their livestock to graze in the Common, all without any official supervision. By the 1760s, some neighboring farmers began encroaching on Common land, fencing it off and tilling it as if they owned it. Although the Common had been set aside for public use, there was no way to enforce the boundaries or prevent it from private use.

In response, the townspeople petitioned the Assembly, and later the Proprietors, for the formation of a group of trustees to manage and protect the Common. In 1764 William Penn’s sons, who now governed the colony, created the “Trustees of the New Castle Common” to manage the Common and keep it as a benefit to the town itself. The trustees originally consisted of 13 appointees that served for life while they lived in town. When one died or moved out of town, the townspeople would elect another. (Today, the Trustees are elected to 12-year terms.) The Trustees of the New Castle Common managed the land use and maintenance within the Common. Among other things, they leased parcels of land to tenant farmers, collecting rent to invest in improvements for the town such as streetlights, cobblestone streets, and funding some of the town’s buildings. There was no town tax in New Castle until 1850 because the Trustees funded the entire town government with proceeds from the Common.

In 1885, the Delaware General Assembly authorized the Trustees of the New Castle Common to sell portions of Common land, provided that proceeds were reinvested for the benefit of the town. The revenue supported a variety of civic improvements, including the construction of the New Castle Academy, Town Hall, two libraries, street lighting, and cobblestone streets—just a few of the many projects that shaped the town's historic character.

In the early 20th century, some Common land was sold to steel companies as part of an effort to attract industrial development to New Castle. These sales helped bring factories—and with them, jobs—that contributed to the town’s economic growth during a period of national industrial expansion.

Part of the land once belonging to the New Castle Common now forms the site of the New Castle County Airport and the Delaware Air National Guard Headquarters. During World War II, this area served as a vital military air base, supporting overseas aircraft movement and serving as a training ground for women pilots ferrying planes to their final destinations. Today, the airport continues to support both civilian and military operations.

Over 600 acres of land remain under the stewardship of the Trustees of the New Castle Common, including Battery Park and Penn Farm. Located on Frenchtown Road (Route 273), Penn Farm was once a tenant farm and is still an active part of the Common. Now a hub for community agriculture, it contributes to local schools and food systems and forms part of the East Coast Greenway. Many of the original farm buildings remain intact and are maintained for educational and community use, preserving a tangible link to New Castle’s heritage.

Historic Benchmarks: New Castle and the Making of a Nation

Tucked along the banks of the Delaware River, the city of New Castle has long been a place where national stories unfold in local ways. From its founding by Dutch settlers in 1651 to its time as Delaware’s colonial capital, New Castle’s history reflects broader themes in the American experience—immigration, industrial growth, and transportation revolutions all left their mark on this small but significant town.

Throughout its history, New Castle has drawn newcomers from around the world. Some came seeking opportunity, others came in search of community, and all contributed to the layered identity of a town deeply intertwined with the nation’s growth. Its streets and structures bear witness to shifting colonial powers, evolving industries, and changing transportation networks that linked it to regional and global currents.

This article series, part of the Historic Benchmarks project and supported in part by Delaware250, invites you to explore New Castle’s past in greater depth. Through these stories, we hope to cultivate a deeper appreciation for Delaware’s role in shaping the nation—and inspire a new generation to care for and carry forward the diverse legacies of our state’s communities.

What questions will New Castle’s story spark for you?

References

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

Higgins, A. (Ed.). (1973). New Castle on the Delaware (Third ed.). New Castle, Delaware: New Castle Historical Society.

Historic Penn Farm History. (n.d.). Retrieved June 20, 2025 from DelawareGreenways.org: https://delawaregreenways.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Historic-Penn-Farm-History.pdf

New Castle Common ("Blue Book"). (1944). Retrieved June 18, 2025 from Trustees of New Castle Common: https://www.trusteesncc.org/documents

Trustees of New Castle Common, single entity, a corporation and Trust. (Revised January 2024). Retrieved June 18, 2025 from Trustees of New Castle Common: https://www.trusteesncc.org/documents