National Register of Historic Places

Beaver Valley Rock Shelter Site

Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware
Listed
August 31, 1978
Type
Site
Period
Listed
Ref No.
78000910

About this property

The Beaver Valley Rock Shelter Site is the only formally recognized cave in the US state of Delaware. It is located in New Castle County near Wilmington and the state line with Pennsylvania. Up until the mid-twentieth century and despite ample historical evidence that Delaware Indians used it for shelter, the National Speleological Society maintained that Delaware was the only state in the union lacking a cave. In 1958, a local resident, George Jackson, added this cave to the national cave files. The cave was the focus of research in the 1940s when the Archeological Society of Delaware conducted a dig which revealed conclusively that native tribes (including Lenni Lenape) had used it for shelter and storage. Sitting just 100 feet from the Pennsylvania border this small cave extends just 56 feet to its furthest reach, but has become one of the most researched caves in the United States relative to its size. Jack Speece notes that the cave has gone by many names in its history. Indian Cave, Beaver Valley Rock Shelter, and Wolf Rock Cave preceded the now more commonly accepted "Beaver Valley Cave". The site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The Brandywine Springs cave was surveyed by the Delaware Geological Survey, but it is not recognized in any other publications. The feature is located in Brandywine Springs Park approximately 100 yards east of the Wilmington and Western Railroad tracks. There are several documented caves or shelter sites that have been razed or disrupted. Publications from the 19th and 20th century have proven their once existence. All these sites are located in upper New Castle County. The best documented one is provided by Hilborne T. Cresson. He discovered many artifacts and bones of indigenous peoples at the destroyed Naamans Creek Rock Shelter site. The site was destroyed by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Most of the artifacts and remains are in the possession of the Peabody Museum and other New England based organizations. The cave is featured in the film Dead Poets Society as the location of the titular group's meetings. The scenes featuring a cave used a mix of shots from Banning Park in Wilmington, Beaver Valley Shelter Site, and recreated indoor sets. National Register of Historic Places listings in northern New Castle County, Delaware

Location

Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware

Categories

PREHISTORIC
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Beaver Valley Rock Shelter Site

This page lists Beaver Valley Rock Shelter Site. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Beaver Valley Rock Shelter Site report
Or see a real report first

Questions about this property

When was Beaver Valley Rock Shelter Site listed on the National Register?

Beaver Valley Rock Shelter Site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 31, 1978.

What type of historic resource is Beaver Valley Rock Shelter Site?

Beaver Valley Rock Shelter Site is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Beaver Valley Rock Shelter Site?

The period of significance for Beaver Valley Rock Shelter Site is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Beaver Valley Rock Shelter Site?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Beaver Valley Rock Shelter Site will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in New Castle County

Historic places, battles, and census history across New Castle County.

Explore New CastleCounty ›

More historic places in Delaware

Browse all historic places in Delaware.

View Delawarehistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Delaware history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Delawarehistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Beaver Valley Rock Shelter Site will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report