Fort Christina
National Historic Landmark

Fort Christina

Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware
Listed
October 14, 1966
Type
Site
Period
Colonial
Ref No.
66000260

About this property

Fort Christina, also called Fort Altena, was the first Swedish settlement in North America and the principal settlement of the New Sweden colony. Built in 1638 and named after Christina, Queen of Sweden, it was located approximately 1 mi (1.6 km) east of the present-day downtown Wilmington, Delaware, at the confluence of the Brandywine River and the Christina River, approximately 2 mi (3 km) upstream from the mouth of the Christina on the Delaware River.

Location

Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware
39.73709, -75.53840

Federal Designation

The National Register of Historic Places, administered by the National Park Service, is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical, architectural, archaeological, engineering, or cultural significance. Listing on the National Register recognizes a property's importance to American history but does not place restrictions on private owners; it does, however, make properties eligible for federal historic preservation tax incentives and enables consideration in federal planning decisions. National Historic Landmark designation, the highest level of federal recognition, is reserved for properties that possess exceptional national significance in the history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, or culture of the United States. This property is recorded in the National Register under reference number 66000260. It was listed on October 14, 1966.

Categories

MILITARYEXPLORATION/SETTLEMENT
National Register nomination ›
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.

Nearby Historic Sites

Holy Trinity
Industrial
0.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Confederate Sabotage Delaware River
1864Civil War
0.2 mi
Battle of Delaware Bay Mar 31 1776
1776Revolutionary War
5.7 mi
Battle of Brandywine — Birmingham Hill
1777Revolutionary War
6.1 mi
Battle of Birmingham Hill (Brandywine)
1777Revolutionary War
6.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Fort Christina listed on the National Register?

Fort Christina was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1966.

What type of historic resource is Fort Christina?

Fort Christina is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Fort Christina a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Fort Christina has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Fort Christina?

The period of significance for Fort Christina is recorded as the colonial era.

Can I research the history near Fort Christina?

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 Fort Christina will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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