Courtroom of the New Castle Court House

Standing inside the courtroom, I was reminded that this building witnessed far more than the birth of a state. Decades after Delaware declared its independence within these walls, the courthouse became the setting for another defining chapter in American history: the struggle over slavery and the Underground Railroad.

In 1848, this courtroom was the site of the landmark trial of Thomas Garrett and John Hunn, two of Delaware’s most prominent abolitionists. Both men had devoted themselves to helping enslaved men, women, and children escape to freedom through the Underground Railroad. After being sued by a Maryland slave owner for assisting fugitive slaves, they were found guilty and fined enormous sums intended to ruin them financially.

Rather than expressing regret, Thomas Garrett stood before the court and made one of the most courageous declarations of the abolitionist movement. He vowed that if anyone knew of a fugitive in need of help, they should send them to him, because he would continue to assist them despite the verdict. Garrett lost nearly everything he owned, yet he never abandoned his commitment to freedom. Historians estimate that over his lifetime he helped nearly 2,700 enslaved people escape, including many who traveled through Delaware on their way north. Among those he assisted was a young Harriet Tubman, who would later become the most famous conductor on the Underground Railroad.

It is remarkable that this same courthouse witnessed both Delaware’s break from Great Britain in 1776 and one of the most significant legal battles of the Underground Railroad more than seventy years later. The building tells the story not only of political independence but also of the continuing struggle to extend the promise of liberty to all people.

In recognition of its importance, the New Castle Court House was designated a National Historic Underground Railroad Network to Freedom site in 2003.