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The early days of Brandywine Springs revolved around a hotel started in 1826 to bring people to the mineral springs that were believed to have healing powers. The hotel resort thrived until the Civil War, then became a military boarding school, which burned down in 1853.
A second smaller hotel was built, which did not fare so well until 1886, when a 36-year-old named Richard Crook leased the hotel. He soon found that the small games and rides that he added down in the cool woods below the hotel were much more profitable than the hotel. He added a merry-go-round and a roller coaster, and then had a trolley line built from Wilmington to the park. He later added a funhouse, a roller rink, a bandstand, a larger roller coaster, and a dance hall.
The amusement park was very successful, from 1900 to around 1916, when trolleys started to decline because of the freedom brought by the automobile. The park closed at the end of the 1923 season, and was neglected and forgotten for decades. In 1952, it became the first state park in Delaware, and control was turned over to New Castle County Parks in 1970.
Federation of Metal Detector & Archeological Clubs, Inc
Delaware State Regulation
Is Metal Detecting allowed: YES
Excerpt from Park Regulation. For complete listing click HERE:
3.6 Use of metal detectors on lands under the jurisdiction of the Division shall be prohibited except during normal park hours in the following areas:
3.6.1 Ocean beaches east of the dune line.
3.7 No person shall collect, excavate, injure, destroy or appropriate prehistoric or historic artifacts or human skeletal remains from lands under the jurisdiction of the Division except with written permission from the Director. Violations under this paragraph may be charged under the provisions of 7 Del.C. §5306 or 7 Del.C. §5411.
3.7.1 Possession or use of tools or devices specifically designed for the excavation and removal of artifacts or human skeletal remains shall be deemed prima facie evidence of a violation of this Regulation and will be confiscated, held as evidence and be subject to forfeiture upon conviction.
