{"id":"nps-frst","slug":"first-state-national-historical-park","name":"First State National Historical Park","designation":"National Historical Park","category":"historic-site","categoryLabel":"Historic Site and Historical Park","agency":{"code":"NPS","name":"National Park Service","department":"U.S. Department of the Interior","url":"https://www.nps.gov"},"managedBy":[{"code":"NPS","name":"National Park Service","department":"U.S. Department of the Interior","url":"https://www.nps.gov","unitCode":"FRST","designation":"National Historical Park","sourceId":"nps-frst"}],"states":["DE","PA"],"stateNames":["Delaware","Pennsylvania"],"location":{"lat":39.83076929,"lon":-75.56353942},"bbox":[-75.5775,39.1559,-75.5232,39.8474],"acres":{"value":1093,"kind":"gis-estimate","source":"Computed from the simplified boundary","note":"Approximate. The managing agency publishes official acreage."},"firstProtected":null,"established":null,"administrations":[],"designationHistory":[],"summary":"Famous as the First State to ratify the Constitution, Delaware was born out of a conflict among three world powers for dominance of the Delaware Valley. From this beginning, the region developed a distinct character that tolerated diversity in religion and national origin and valued independence.","summarySource":"National Park Service","guide":{},"trConnection":null,"trConnections":[],"trTypes":[],"links":{"official":"https://www.nps.gov/frst/index.htm","social":{},"recreationGov":null,"alltrails":null,"alltrailsExplore":"https://www.alltrails.com/explore?b_tl_lat=39.8474&b_tl_lng=-75.5775&b_br_lat=39.1559&b_br_lng=-75.5232","recreationGovSearch":"https://www.recreation.gov/search?q=First%20State%20National%20Historical%20Park","directions":"http://www.nps.gov/frst/planyourvisit/directions.htm"},"images":[{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/B32AE55E-DDFD-3C76-F3BF23EB7F8FE2AB.jpg","title":"The Dover Green","alt":"Red, yellow, and green leaves lay on the grass in front of a colonial building.","caption":"Each fall, an 18th Century Market Fair is recreated to commemorate the original purpose of The Green.","credit":"NPS Photo","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/BEAD404F-1DD8-B71B-0B3324BE4EFD6BFD.jpg","title":"John Dickinson Plantation","alt":"A view of the front of the John Dickinson House on the Plantation.","caption":"John Dickinson is most famously known as the \"Penman of the Revolution\" at this site, visitors learn the stories of the many residents: tenant farmers, indentured servants, free and enslaved Black men, women, and children and the Dickinson family.","credit":"NPS Photo","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/B2F02B9C-AABC-7C19-080B20689161D873.jpg","title":"Old Swedes Historic Site","alt":"A brick bath leads to a door of an old church surrounded by vegetation.","caption":"Old Swedes Historic Site contains burials that can be traced back to the original settlement of the Swedes.","credit":"NPS Pohto","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/B30018E0-C082-E5B7-4FEBBA0373CCE3C5.jpg","title":"New Castle Court House","alt":"Pews line the side of the room leading to the English style court room.","caption":"The New Castle Court House Museum was the first court of Delaware and has seen a variety of significant moments in history.","credit":"NPS Photo","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/B2BE43AE-F527-DF72-2128343A2C155557.jpg","title":"Brandywine Valley","alt":"Rolling agricultural hills on a bright sunny day.","caption":"The Brandywine Valley unit is most known for its recreational opportunities.","credit":"NPS Photo","source":"NPS"},{"url":"https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/structured_data/B2D3DE78-A3E9-4059-2EF875E99FA3FD24.jpg","title":"Fort Christina","alt":"A replica of the original Kalmar Nyckel ship sails by the monument at Fort Christina.","caption":"This site commernmates the Swedes original landing and the fort that once stood in the area.","credit":"NPS Photo","source":"NPS"}],"activities":["Biking","Mountain Biking","Fishing","Freshwater Fishing","Fly Fishing","Food","Picnicking","Hands-On","Citizen Science","Hiking","Front-Country Hiking","Horse Trekking","Horseback Riding","Living History","Junior Ranger Program"],"topics":["Burial, Cemetery and Gravesite","Colonization and Settlement","Enslavement","Farming and Agriculture","Plantations","Forts","Incarceration","Jails and Prisons","Maritime","Monuments and Memorials","Religion and Spirituality","Churches","Social Movements","Urban America","Wars and Conflicts","American Revolutionary War","Women's History","Forests and Woodlands","Trails"],"fees":[],"passes":[],"hours":[{"name":"New Castle Court House Museum","description":"The New Castle Court House Museum is open Wednesday - Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Sunday 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.\n\nTours are available at 10:00 a.m., 11:00a.m., 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.  During tours, visitors are welcome to check out the waiting area to pick up information, ask questions, or get their passport stamped. The New Castle Court House Museum is closed on Tuesdays.","standardHours":{"wednesday":"10:00AM - 3:30PM","monday":"Closed","thursday":"10:00AM - 3:30PM","sunday":"1:30PM - 4:00PM","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"10:00AM - 3:30PM","saturday":"10:00AM - 3:30PM"},"exceptions":[{"name":"Closed Thanksgiving Day","start":"2026-11-26","end":"2026-11-26","hours":{"wednesday":"Closed","monday":"Closed","thursday":"Closed","sunday":"Closed","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"Closed","saturday":"Closed"}},{"name":"Closed December 24th","start":"2026-12-24","end":"2026-12-24","hours":{"wednesday":"Closed","monday":"Closed","thursday":"Closed","sunday":"Closed","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"Closed","saturday":"Closed"}},{"name":"Closed Christmas Day","start":"2026-12-25","end":"2026-12-25","hours":{"wednesday":"Closed","monday":"Closed","thursday":"Closed","sunday":"Closed","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"Closed","saturday":"Closed"}},{"name":"Closed Christmas Day","start":"2026-12-25","end":"2026-12-25","hours":{"wednesday":"Closed","monday":"Closed","thursday":"Closed","sunday":"Closed","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"Closed","saturday":"Closed"}},{"name":"Closed December 25th","start":"2026-12-25","end":"2026-12-25","hours":{"wednesday":"Closed","monday":"Closed","thursday":"Closed","sunday":"Closed","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"Closed","saturday":"Closed"}},{"name":"Closed New Year's Day","start":"2027-01-01","end":"2027-01-01","hours":{"wednesday":"Closed","monday":"Closed","thursday":"Closed","sunday":"Closed","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"Closed","saturday":"Closed"}}]},{"name":"Old Swedes Historic Site","description":"Old Swedes Historic Site is open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays 10:00am to 3:00pm.\n\nTours are available by reservation and have a small fee: Adult $12, Student (6-15) $7, under 6 free and members free. Self-Guided Cemetery Tour, $5. \n\nOld Swedes Historic Site is a partner organization to the National Park Service and does not receive NPS funds. As such, they cannot honor National Parks Annual Passes. You can book your tour by visiting their website.","standardHours":{"wednesday":"Closed","monday":"Closed","thursday":"10:00AM - 3:00PM","sunday":"Closed","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"10:00AM - 3:00PM","saturday":"10:00AM - 3:00PM"},"exceptions":[{"name":"Closed January-February","start":"2027-01-01","end":"2027-03-05","hours":{"wednesday":"Closed","monday":"Closed","thursday":"Closed","sunday":"Closed","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"Closed","saturday":"Closed"}},{"name":"Closed Thanksgiving Day","start":"2026-11-26","end":"2026-11-26","hours":{"wednesday":"Closed","monday":"Closed","thursday":"Closed","sunday":"Closed","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"Closed","saturday":"Closed"}},{"name":"Closed December 24th","start":"2026-12-24","end":"2026-12-24","hours":{"wednesday":"Closed","monday":"Closed","thursday":"Closed","sunday":"Closed","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"Closed","saturday":"Closed"}},{"name":"Closed December 25th","start":"2026-12-25","end":"2026-12-25","hours":{"wednesday":"Closed","monday":"Closed","thursday":"Closed","sunday":"Closed","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"Closed","saturday":"Closed"}},{"name":"Closed New Year's Day","start":"2027-01-01","end":"2027-01-01","hours":{"wednesday":"Closed","monday":"Closed","thursday":"Closed","sunday":"Closed","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"Closed","saturday":"Closed"}},{"name":"Closed Independence Day","start":"2027-07-04","end":"2027-07-04","hours":{"wednesday":"Closed","monday":"Closed","thursday":"Closed","sunday":"Closed","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"Closed","saturday":"Closed"}}]},{"name":"Fort Christina","description":"The park is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day, Tuesday–Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The last guided tour begins at 3:00 p.m.\n\nAfter Labor Day, the park is open on Saturdays and Sundays through October, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.\n\nVisits by appointment are available during closed hours throughout the fall, winter, and spring, depending on staff availability. To schedule an appointment or ask questions, please call 302-429-7447.","standardHours":{"wednesday":"Closed","monday":"Closed","thursday":"Closed","sunday":"10:00AM - 4:00PM","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"Closed","saturday":"10:00AM - 4:00PM"},"exceptions":[{"name":"Closed Veterans Day","start":"2026-11-11","end":"2026-11-11","hours":{"wednesday":"Closed","monday":"Closed","thursday":"Closed","sunday":"Closed","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"Closed","saturday":"Closed"}},{"name":"Closed Thanksgiving Day","start":"2026-11-26","end":"2026-11-26","hours":{"wednesday":"Closed","monday":"Closed","thursday":"Closed","sunday":"Closed","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"Closed","saturday":"Closed"}},{"name":"Closed Christmas Day","start":"2026-12-25","end":"2026-12-25","hours":{"wednesday":"Closed","monday":"Closed","thursday":"Closed","sunday":"Closed","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"Closed","saturday":"Closed"}},{"name":"Closed New Year's Day","start":"2027-01-01","end":"2027-01-01","hours":{"wednesday":"Closed","monday":"Closed","thursday":"Closed","sunday":"Closed","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"Closed","saturday":"Closed"}},{"name":"Closed MLK","start":"2027-01-01","end":"2027-01-18","hours":{"wednesday":"Closed","monday":"Closed","thursday":"Closed","sunday":"Closed","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"Closed","saturday":"Closed"}},{"name":"Closed Washington's Birthday","start":"2027-02-15","end":"2027-02-15","hours":{"wednesday":"Closed","monday":"Closed","thursday":"Closed","sunday":"Closed","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"Closed","saturday":"Closed"}}]},{"name":"Brandywine Valley","description":"The Brandywine Valley is open sunrise to sunset and is free to access. \n\nFrom Memorial Day to Labor Day, on weekends and holidays,a larger field lot on the corner of Brandywine Creek Rd. and Ramsey Rd. is open to accommodate visitor parking.","standardHours":{"wednesday":"Sunrise to Sunset","monday":"Sunrise to Sunset","thursday":"Sunrise to Sunset","sunday":"Sunrise to Sunset","tuesday":"Sunrise to Sunset","friday":"Sunrise to Sunset","saturday":"Sunrise to Sunset"},"exceptions":[]},{"name":"The Dover Green","description":"The Dover Green is open daily from sunrise to sunset.\nCancellation stamps are available at the Old State House.\nGuided walking tours begin at the John Bell House (43 The Green) Thursday through Saturday at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Tours are $6.50 per person, and children ages 8 and under may join for free. On the first Saturday of every month, guided walking tours are offered at no cost.","standardHours":{"wednesday":"Sunrise to Sunset","monday":"Sunrise to Sunset","thursday":"Sunrise to Sunset","sunday":"Sunrise to Sunset","tuesday":"Sunrise to Sunset","friday":"Sunrise to Sunset","saturday":"Sunrise to Sunset"},"exceptions":[]},{"name":"John Dickinson Plantation","description":"Tuesdays: OUTDOOR VISITATION ONLY. Grounds open 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.\n \nWednesdays: Visitor center and grounds open 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.\n\nThursdays through Saturdays: Visitor center and grounds open 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Guided tours of the mansion at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.\n\nClosed Monday and Sunday.\n\nHours are subject to change. For more information, call 302-739-3277.","standardHours":{"wednesday":"10:00AM - 4:00PM","monday":"Closed","thursday":"10:00AM - 4:00PM","sunday":"Closed","tuesday":"10:00AM - 4:00PM","friday":"10:00AM - 4:00PM","saturday":"10:00AM - 4:00PM"},"exceptions":[{"name":"Closed Thanksgiving Day","start":"2026-11-26","end":"2026-11-26","hours":{"wednesday":"Closed","monday":"Closed","thursday":"Closed","sunday":"Closed","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"Closed","saturday":"Closed"}},{"name":"Closed December 24th","start":"2026-12-24","end":"2026-12-24","hours":{"wednesday":"Closed","monday":"Closed","thursday":"Closed","sunday":"Closed","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"Closed","saturday":"Closed"}},{"name":"Closed December 25th","start":"2026-12-25","end":"2026-12-25","hours":{"wednesday":"Closed","monday":"Closed","thursday":"Closed","sunday":"Closed","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"Closed","saturday":"Closed"}},{"name":"Closed New Year's Day","start":"2027-01-01","end":"2027-01-01","hours":{"wednesday":"Closed","monday":"Closed","thursday":"Closed","sunday":"Closed","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"Closed","saturday":"Closed"}},{"name":"Closed Independence Day","start":"2027-07-04","end":"2027-07-04","hours":{"wednesday":"Closed","monday":"Closed","thursday":"Closed","sunday":"Closed","tuesday":"Closed","friday":"Closed","saturday":"Closed"}}]}],"directions":"First State National Historical Park is made up of six individual sites throughout Delaware and southeastern Pennsylvania that explore early settlement through the ratification of the US Constitution. Please visit the individual pages for directions or hours of operation.","weatherInfo":"For details and information, visit, http://www.nps.gov/frst/index.htm.","contacts":{"phone":"302-317-3854","email":"firststate@nps.gov"},"visitorCenters":[{"name":"Sheriff's House Welcome Center","description":"The Welcome Center is located in Historic New Castle inside the Sheriff’s House. The center will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday. Exhibits in the center share nationally significant stories that shaped the nation’s first state through photos and audio-visual displays. Staff are also available to provide details about visiting partner sites throughout the state.","url":"https://www.nps.gov/places/sheriff-s-house.htm","lat":39.659875590149646,"lon":-75.56338624092581}],"campgrounds":[],"thingsToDo":[],"nearby":[{"slug":"john-heinz-national-wildlife-refuge-at-tinicum","km":25},{"slug":"supawna-meadows-national-wildlife-refuge","km":26},{"slug":"valley-forge-national-historical-park","km":32},{"slug":"edgar-allan-poe-national-historic-site","km":38},{"slug":"gloria-dei-church-national-historic-site","km":38},{"slug":"independence-national-historical-park","km":38}],"hasBoundary":true,"boundarySource":{"name":"NPS Land Resources Division","url":"https://irma.nps.gov/DataStore/Reference/Profile/2224545"},"sources":[{"name":"NPS Data API","url":"https://developer.nps.gov/api/v1/parks?parkCode=frst"},{"name":"NPS Land Resources Division boundaries","url":"https://services1.arcgis.com/fBc8EJBxQRMcHlei/arcgis/rest/services/NPS_Land_Resources_Division_Boundary_and_Tract_Data_Service/FeatureServer/2"}],"editorialStatus":"draft","synced":"2026-11-09T02:12:45.612Z","alerts":[{"source":"NPS","kind":"Caution","title":"Safety Alert Hazardous Trees in the Brandywine Valley","text":"Numerous trees in the Brandywine Valley are down across the roads and trails due to the recent storm. Please use caution while driving and hiking never walk directly under a tree that is hanging. Park staff is working to improve conditions.","url":null,"updated":"2026-09-02 00:00:00.0","id":"nps-CEB943D2-A286-4404-9B4E-4977B1284544"}],"url":"https://directory.labs.trlibrary.com/sites/first-state-national-historical-park/","boundaryUrl":"https://directory.labs.trlibrary.com/boundaries/first-state-national-historical-park.geojson"}