Rodney Square facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Rodney Square Historic District
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The northwest corner of Rodney Square
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| Location | Buildings fronting Rodney Square at 10th, 11th, Market & King Sts., Wilmington, Delaware |
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| Architectural style | Beaux-Art, Moderne |
| NRHP reference No. | 11000522 |
| Designated HD | August 10, 2011 |
Rodney Square is a special public park and historic area in downtown Wilmington, Delaware. It's named after Caesar Rodney, a very important leader during the American Revolution. You can see a large statue of him on a horse right in front of the square.
This beautiful square was created in the early 1900s. A person named John Jacob Raskob, who worked for Pierre S. du Pont, helped make it happen. They were inspired by something called the "City Beautiful movement." This movement wanted to make cities more beautiful and organized.
In 1917, an old church from the 1700s had to be moved to make space for the Wilmington Public Library. The church was carefully moved, and the old graves were reburied in another cemetery. Rodney Square was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2011. This means it's a very important place in history!
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Fun Events at Rodney Square
Rodney Square is a busy place where many exciting events happen throughout the year. It's a great spot for the community to gather and celebrate!
- Clifford Brown Jazz Festival: A cool music festival with jazz performances.
- First Night Wilmington: A family-friendly New Year's Eve celebration.
- Saint Patrick's Day Parade: A lively parade celebrating Irish culture.
- Citizens Bank Caesar Rodney Half Marathon: A big running race that starts and ends near the square.
Amazing Buildings Around the Square
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The area around Rodney Square is home to many important and interesting buildings. These buildings show different styles of architecture from different times.
- The Wilmington Public Library was built in 1922. It has a grand style called Beaux-Arts.
- The DuPont Building was built in 1908 and used to be the main office for the famous DuPont company.
- The Delaware Trust Building was built in 1930. It has a Classical Revival style and now has apartments and restaurants. It's also on the National Register of Historic Places.
- The Wilmington Post Office was built in 1937. It's another example of Classical Revival style. Today, it's the main office for Wilmington Trust.
Companies That Call Rodney Square Home
Many important companies have had their main offices or big divisions around Rodney Square.
Current Companies
- Chemours
- Wilmington Trust
- Bank of America Credit Card Division
Past Companies
- DuPont
- Hercules Inc.
- MBNA
Getting Around: Transportation
Rodney Square is an important spot for buses in Wilmington. Many DART First State bus routes stop here, connecting people to different parts of the city.
For many years, Rodney Square was the main place where all the DART First State buses met up in Wilmington. But in 2017, the state decided to change things. They spread out the bus stops around downtown Wilmington. This was done to help reduce traffic and too many people gathering in one spot.
Because of this change, some people now have to walk a bit further to switch buses. Also, some of the new bus stops don't have shelters or benches. A new main bus hub, the Wilmington Transit Center, was built near the train station and opened in 2020.
