The Brandywine Valley
Welcome to Delaware & Southeastern Pennsylvania....
Whatever the season, our area is full of wonderful things to do, whether you visit our world-renowned museums, public gardens, AAA baseball, or enjoy the delicious foods and music of our many festivals.
The rebirth of our Riverfront makes us more exciting than ever. You can cruise in one of our water taxis or stroll the landscaped and lighted Riverwalk. Shipyard shops offer an array of outlets.
Our Riverfront Park overlooks the Delaware River and is located next to our beautifully restored Amtrak station, the ninth busiest in the nation, perfect for commuting to Philadelphia, New York or Washington, D.C. The Riverfront Market offers fresh food and produce.
The Delaware Valley's earliest permanent settlement began here in 1638 - six years before William Penn was born. Agriculture and fur trading with Native American trappers were our first industries. By the end of the 1600s, the Brandywine Village had been established with mills for grinding corn and wheat. With well protected access to the Delaware River and the Atlantic Ocean, we became a center to milling, distribution and shipbuilding.
Philadelphia was the birth place of the Constitution with Delaware becoming the first state to ratify on December 7, 1787.
The 18th and 19th centuries brought the gunpowder mills of E.I. DuPont from which sprang the modern chemical industries of the Dupont Company, Hercules and ICI Americas, now Astra-Zeneca. The area became a major producer of train passenger cars.
Early in the 20th century, a business-friendly climate attracted businesses to incorporate in Delaware. Credit card banks also began moving here, and Wilmington has become a major electronic banking center for America.