Old Swedes: A Pennsylvania Historical Site You May Not Know About

Once a thriving port city, New Castle has been home to many immigrants. One such group of immigrants were the Swedish settlers who came to the area in the early 18th century. These Swedes built a church and established the Old Swede’s Church of New Castle in 1710. They called it “Olde Vasa Church” after the ancestral home of many of its members, the Vasa parish in Ostergotland, Sweden. In addition to their church, the settlers built a burial ground on land nearby. Because these lands were once so remote from other towns and cemeteries, this site became known as “The Old German Burial Ground” until more recent immigrants changed its name to reflect its original inhabitants - The Old Swedes Burial Ground.

History of the Old Swedes Burial Ground

From 1638 to 1655, New Castle was an important part of the Dutch colony of New Netherland. During this period, the Swedish settlers, who had begun to arrive in the colony around 1640, formed the New Sweden Company, and purchased the territory that is now Delaware from the Dutch. In 1651, the Dutch declared war on the Swedish West India Company, which controlled New Sweden, and retook control of the colony. New Castle became the capital of New Netherland, and the Dutch built Fort Casimir nearby. The Swedish settlers were allowed to retain ownership of their land, and were permitted to govern themselves, and practice their Lutheran religion, as long as they paid taxes to the Dutch.

Why Was It Built?

The Old Swedes Burial Ground was built for economic and religious reasons. Its proximity to the Delaware River made it an ideal place for a landing. The Delaware River was an important transportation route, and became an even larger water highway once New Castle became the capital of Delaware in 1701. The burial ground provided a convenient, centrally located place to bury settlers. The presence of a nearby river also made it easy to transport goods, including bodies, to and from the land.

What May Be Found There

Burials in the Old Swedes Burial Ground include people who died of infectious diseases like smallpox, typhoid, and yellow fever, as well as people who died while working their ship on the Delaware River, people who were killed by floods, and some Revolutionary War casualties. The bodies of these people were buried in wooden coffins, which were sometimes buried under a thin layer of dirt. The wooden coffins were rarely preserved, but the area’s sandy soil sometimes left the coffin’s nails and hinges intact. The site also contains the remains of wooden structures that were used to bury multiple people. The remains of the burial ground are now housed in a brick-and-mortar building that was constructed in the early 1990s. Visitors can view the building, which contains a small exhibit about the site, and view some of the remains. Visitors can also see a small area of the original burial ground, which is now fenced off, but can still be viewed. Check Over Here

Cultural Significance Today

The Old Swedes Burial Ground was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. The site is also listed in the Library of Congress’s online catalog as a “Major Historic Site” and “Notable Preservation Project.” The burial ground is currently owned by the State of Delaware. It is managed by the Delaware Division of Parks and Recreation, and is open to the public with limited hours during the year. The Old Swedes Burial Ground also hosts weddings, as it did in the past, as well as a large number of school tours and other special events. The site remains important to the Swedish-American community. The Swedish-American Historical Society, Daughters of the American Revolution, the United Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Friends of the Delaware Heritage Park make the site’s preservation a priority. The Friends of the Delaware Heritage Park, along with the State of Delaware, are currently raising funds to create a new museum building at the site that will enable visitors to learn more about the people buried there.

Tips for Visiting

The Old Swedes Burial Ground is located near the Delaware River in New Castle, Delaware. The site’s hours of operation vary throughout the year. Visitors can view the hours of operation, as well as upcoming events, on the site’s website. Visitors can reach the site by car, or they can walk or take a river boat from the New Castle Visitors Center. Delaware Heritage Park, which includes the Old Swedes Burial Ground, is free to visit. The site is not large, meaning visitors should be able to see everything in about an hour. Visitors should note that the site is currently inside a small building. This building will be replaced by a larger building, so visitors should be aware of this. Visitors looking to see the burial ground itself will need to be aware of this, as the fenced-off area is not easily seen. Check My Blog

Where is it Found?

The Old Swedes Burial Ground is located in New Castle, Delaware, 606 N Church St, Wilmington, DE 19801. New Castle is located along the Delaware River approximately 70 miles southwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and 25 miles northeast of Wilmington, Delaware. The burial ground is currently located inside a brick-and-mortar building near the river. Visitors can walk to the building, and see a small exhibit about the site, as well as view the remains of the burial ground. The site will become even more important as the nearby Delaware River is turned into a major transportation route. A new museum will provide visitors with more information about the burial ground, and the settlers whose remains are contained therein.

Conclusion

The Old Swedes Burial Ground is a site that many people do not know about. It contains the remains of Swedish settlers who came to the area in the early 18th century. These settlers built a church, and established the Old Swede’s Church of New Castle in 1710. The burial ground was created for economic and religious reasons, and contained the bodies of people who died while working on the Delaware River, and those who died of infectious diseases like smallpox, typhoid, and yellow fever. The Old Swedes Burial Ground is currently being restored and preserved by the Friends of the Delaware Heritage Park, and the State of Delaware. A new museum will be built at the site, and visitors will be able to learn more about the burial ground and the settlers whose remains are contained therein.

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