Seal of New Castle
One of the things I enjoy while visiting historic communities is paying attention to the symbols, they choose to represent themselves. This is the official seal of New Castle, and like so much of the town, it reflects centuries of history.
The seal celebrates the everyday life that allowed the community to flourish. A farmer guides his plow while an ox patiently works beside him, reminding us that New Castle’s prosperity depended not only on its harbor and commerce but also on the fertile farmland that surrounded the town. The wheat, corn, and other agricultural symbols acknowledge the importance of the Delaware Valley as one of colonial America’s richest farming regions.
Encircling the seal is the Latin motto, Nova Inclyta Ning Crescit, meaning “The renowned New Castle continues to grow.” It is a fitting description of a town that has continually reinvented itself. From a Dutch settlement to an English colonial capital, from William Penn’s first landing in America to Delaware’s first statehouse, from a busy port to one of the nation’s earliest railroad terminals, New Castle has adapted while carefully preserving its remarkable past.
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Landing Place of William Penn
Visiting New Castle in May of 2026 was so much more than I expected. It was my first time exploring this historic town, so everything was new to me. As I drove into town, my first impression was that I had arrived in Williamsburg, Virginia. It didn’t take long, however, to realize that unlike Williamsburg, […]
Beneath the Courthouse
Sometimes the most interesting history is literally beneath our feet. Inside the New Castle Court House, this small glass opening in the floor reveals part of the foundation of the first courthouse built on this site in 1689. The remains were discovered during renovations to the courthouse in the 1950s. Rather than covering them again, […]
Frenchtown Railroad Ticket Office
As I explored Battery Park, I was surprised to discover this tiny white building. At first glance, it would be easy to walk past without giving it a second thought. Yet this modest structure is one of the oldest surviving railroad ticket offices in the United States and one of the few remaining physical reminders […]
