
Fort DuPont State Park, named for Rear Admiral Samuel Francis du Pont, was an active military base from the Civil War through World War II. Following World War II, Fort DuPont was turned over to the State of Delaware. It has been used for various purposes, including as the Governor Bacon Health Center. Portions of the land were dedicated as a state park in 1992.
TThe park is bounded on two sides by the scenic Delaware River and the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. Use the boat launch to get out on the water to fish and explore the Delaware River. Click for information about fishing and fishing permits.
The River View Trail takes you alongside the Delaware River and affords a glimpse of the site's rich historic past. Six gun batteries were built at Fort DuPont during what is known as the “Endicott Period” (1898-1910), and five of them can be seen along the trail: Batteries Read and Gibson, completed in 1898; Batteries Rodney and Best, and Battery Elder, completed in 1899; and Battery Elder, completed in 1904.
Saturday, January 16, 2021
Find out about the bustling community that was Fort DuPont during the 1920s and 1930s. We will take a leisurely stroll through the former army base and talk about many of the buildings, including the post exchange, theater, administrative headquarters, quartermaster storehouses, and guardhouse. Learn some of the great, unique stories of this important historic site. Wear comfortable shoes, and dress warmly! This program is free, but for important information about the program, participants should register in advance by contacting jacob.miller@delaware.gov or calling 302-834-7941.
Saturday, January 23, 2021
Fort DuPont was originally a coastal defense site, and as such was well equipped with long range firepower. In this tour, we will take a look at the concrete gun emplacements that are left at Fort DuPont and talk about the fort's use as a coastal defense site. Although this program is free, participants should register in advance to reserve a spot and receive important information by contacting jacob.miller@delaware.gov or calling 302-834-7941.
Saturday, February 13, 2021
Find out about the bustling community that was Fort DuPont during the 1920s and 1930s. We will take a leisurely stroll through the former army base and talk about many of the buildings, including the post exchange, theater, administrative headquarters, quartermaster storehouses, and guardhouse. Learn some of the great, unique stories of this important historic site. Wear comfortable shoes, and dress warmly! This program is free, but for important information about the program, participants should register in advance by contacting jacob.miller@delaware.gov or calling 302-834-7941.
Saturday, February 27, 2021
Fort DuPont was originally a coastal defense site, and as such was well equipped with long range firepower. In this tour, we will take a look at the concrete gun emplacements that are left at Fort DuPont and talk about the fort's use as a coastal defense site. Although this program is free, participants should register in advance to reserve a spot and receive important information by contacting jacob.miller@delaware.gov or calling 302-834-7941.