FSC-2015 Brandywine Springs
Cache Details:
From parking area, head to the trailhead for easiest route to cache.
You are looking for a small container located near what is left of the lake and the old buildings that were once part of the boat house. About 0.3 mile roundtrip hike, with one hill
There are other great caches here including an earth cache.
Description:
Brandywine Springs is a New Castle County Park with a very interesting history.
The land was known to the local Indian tribes (Lenni Lenape) for the mineral spring it contained. They claimed it had healing powers. Known as a chalybeate spring it is high in iron and other minerals.
In the late 1700’s an inn was operated on the property and in 1826 a four story hotel was built on the land and flourished until the depression hit and in 1853 it burned down.
In 1885 a new hotel was built. In 1886, an entrepreneur named Richard Crook leased the hotel and started an amusement park, including a three-row carousel, two roller coasters, a bandstand, roller skating rink, and a funhouse, as well as a dance hall on his man made Lake Washington.
A trolley line was built which ran from Wilmington to the park and made it possible for people to easily travel from the city to Brandywine Springs.
The park flourished until 1923. With the advent of the automobile and competition from other parks, it was closed in 1924.
The state took over the land and it became a state park in 1952. They built the ball fields and pavilions. In 1970 it became a New Castle County park.
The history of the park is being actively pursued by a the Friends of Brandywine Springs who are dedicated to the historical preservation and improvements to the park. Throughout the park they have provided small kiosks which will inform you of the many buildings and rides that existed here 165 years ago. The group is also active in archeological digs. The most recent unearthed the original spring. For more information be sure to visit their website: www.fobsde.org
