Rockwood Museum

Description:

• Painstaking restoration of this rural Gothic mansion, furnished in 17th-, 18th-, and 19th-century decorative arts, has given Wilmington back a treasure. The grand house, built in 1850 by Joseph Shipley and set on 72 acres, was expanded by the home's only other occupants, the Bringhursts, who lived here from 1891 to 1965. Rockwood boasts a pink parlor with gilded fireplace and moldings, a conservatory filled with greenery, and spacious bedrooms, decorated as they might have been in the Bringhurst family's time. Decorative painting in many of the rooms adds a touch of whimsy to the place. Rockwood is the centerpiece of a New Castle County-owned park with hiking trails, many of them paved and lighted. A trail map is available at the museum. The Butler's Pantry, a self-serve cafe, gives visitors an opportunity to rest in one of the many colorful parlors. The house is also the site of summer concerts, a Victorian ice-cream festival, and a festival of lights in December.

• © Frommer's 2012

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Highly Recommended 2010