Rockford Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Rockford Park
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Admiral Samuel DuPont statue (1884 by Launt Thompson) and Rockford Tower, Rockford Park, March 2010
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 Location in Delaware
Location in the United States
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| Location | Roughly bounded by Red Oak and Rockford Rds., Church and Rising Sun Lanes, and the Brandywine River, Wilmington, Delaware |
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| Area | 104 acres (42 ha) |
| Built | 1889 |
| NRHP reference No. | 78000912 |
| Added to NRHP | September 20, 1978 |
Rockford Park is a special public park found in a neighborhood in Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware. It has a big, grassy field that gently slopes up to a hill. From this hill, you can see the beautiful Brandywine River.
This park was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. This means it's an important historical place! Rockford Park is also part of Wilmington State Parks in Delaware.
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Discovering Rockford Park's Past
Rockford Park is one of the oldest parks in Wilmington. It was first thought of by a kind person named William Poole Bancroft. He loved nature and helped create many parks in Delaware. These included city, state, and even national parks like First State National Historical Park.
Bancroft helped start the Board of Park Commissioners in 1883. He was on this Board until 1922. He owned the land where Rockford Park is today. He offered to give it away for a park at the very first meeting of the Board.
How Rockford Park Was Created
At first, a famous park designer named Frederick Law Olmsted suggested they focus on Brandywine Park nearby. Once that park was ready, Olmsted visited Bancroft's land in 1889. He liked what he saw and told the Board to accept the land.
Later in 1889, Bancroft gave 59 acres of his land to create Rockford Park. He also convinced the du Pont family to donate 9 more acres. This made the park even bigger!
The Rockford Tower: A Landmark Structure
In 1901, a 75-foot tall stone building called Rockford Tower was built. This tower had two important jobs. It was a water tower, holding a big steel water tank inside. It was also an observation tower.
You can climb a staircase inside the tower to reach the top. From there, large stone arches let you see amazing views of the park and the Brandywine River below.
Honoring Heroes: Park Memorials
Rockford Park has three important memorials. These are special places that remember people or events.
Canby Seat: A Botanist's Favorite Spot
The first memorial is Canby Seat. It's a granite bench that honors a plant expert named William M. Canby. Canby was the first leader of the Board of Park Commissioners. He made sure money was used to develop the park after Bancroft donated the land.
This stone bench was built in 1905. It sits in a spot that Canby loved, offering a beautiful view of the Brandywine River.
Admiral Du Pont's Statue: A Journey to the Park
The second memorial is a statue of Rear Admiral Samuel Francis Du Pont. It's near the park's main entrance. This statue was ordered by the government in 1882. It was sculpted by Launt Thompson in 1884.
The statue first stood in Washington, D.C.'s Dupont Circle. This circle was named after the Admiral, who was a hero in the Civil War. However, some of his family felt it wasn't a grand enough memorial for the nation's capital. They got permission to replace it with a new one they paid for. So, the original statue was moved to Rockford Park in 1917.
Bancroft Memorial: Remembering a Park Visionary
The last memorial is for William Poole Bancroft. This memorial is a stone terrace with a curved stone section. On this stone section is a large rock with a bronze plaque. This plaque tells about all the great things Bancroft did.
The memorial was built in 1937. It is located right in the middle of the park.
Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. DE-16, "Rockford Water Tower, Rockford Park, Wilmington, New Castle County, DE", 9 photos, 4 data pages
