North Wilmington

The 1950s saw a large increase in people living in the suburbs of North Wilmington and commuting into the city for work. Today, the area is urban and suburban with continuous industrial, commercial and residential development. This lifestyle was made possible by extensive upgrades to area roads and highways and through the construction of I-95, which cut a swath through several of Wilmington's most stable neighborhoods and contributed to significant population losses in Wilmington.

The main artery to North Wilmington residents is Concord Pike or also known as Route 202. No matter where residents live they are just minutes away from I-95 and all the convenience the main highway has to offer. Residents can also enjoy North Wilmington’s convenience without ever getting on I-95. The area has lots to offer in regards to shopping with two large malls, the Brandywine Town Center and Concord Mall, large 18 screen movie theatre and many other strip malls.

North Wilmington is the U.S Headquarters for one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. Zeneca Group PLC and Astra AB merged on April 6, 1999 to form Astra Zeneca and now employs more than 2500 people at its Wilmington, Delaware campus. The R&D group known as “R&D Wilmington” has created three blockbuster drugs including Seroquel, Accolate and Zomig.

Brandywine Country Club was originally a 160 acre farm owned by Mr. William Luke, owner of the Oldsmobile agency in Wilmington, Delaware. On June 16, 1946 ground breaking and renovation of the main building of the farmhouse started. On November 17, 1946 the club boasted 169 members and in 1947 the first Club Champion was named after a grueling 38 hole match. Redesigned in 2005 the 18-hole course features state of the art bent grass on all tees, greens and fairways and is a challenging tight, tree-lined course that also offers a large putting green, a driving range and a short game practice area. Members also enjoy the four Har-tru tennis courts and an Olympic sized pool that is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

There are many parks for Brandywine Hundred residents enjoy. The newest park created in 1999 spans 150 acres and is called the Alapocas Run State Park. This park boasts the Blue Ball Barn which was built in 1914 by Alfred I duPont and is named after the Blue Ball Tavern, an inn and meeting house once located on the property. This state of the art property has a multifunctional conference and gallery space, features meeting rooms, a large banquet room, a secluded court yard and is home of the Delaware Folk Art Collection. This new park also sports a 27,000 square foot Can Do Playground which is one of 60 in the U.S and the first in Delaware.

Other parks include the Fox Point State Park that is 171 acres nestled along the Delaware River. This park sports horseshoe pits, volleyball court, play area for kids, ¾ mile loop with fitness stations, boat launching facility, a “secret garden” for children and 2 pavilions that can be rented for special occasions. Don’t forget to check the overlooks along the shoreline. From these overlooks one can see all the way north to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and well beyond the Delaware Memorial Bridge looking south.

Bellevue State Park was originally owned by William duPont Jr. and was his personal residence. Originally acquired by the state in 1976 it now covers 328 acres. This serene park has a 1 1/8 mile fitness track, catch and release pond with stocked Bass, Catfish and Sunfish, Hiking trails, cycling on paved and unpaved paths, eight outdoor clay tennis courts and an equestrian facility with indoor and outdoor arenas.

Brandywine Creek State Park is one of Delaware’s largest parks which spans 933 acres and was created in 1965. This lovely property was originally a Diary Farm owned by the duPont family. The gorgeous park sports 14 miles of trails for fitness, fishing, canoeing, a nature center, nature trails, bike trails and disc golf.

The Brandywine Hundred Library opened on April 11, 2003 and is the largest and busiest library in the New Castle Library system. The library spans 40,000 square feet and boasts a library café, reading areas, a children’s library, large meeting room and quiet study areas. Brandywine Hundred residents also enjoy one of the best school systems in the state. The Brandywine School district sports a total of 20 schools ranging from Preschool/Kindergarten to High School. For a list of all schools visit the Brandywine School District website.

Links:

Brandywine School District Website

Can Do Playground

Brandywine Country Club