Christiana is located on the north bank of the Christina River. The river shapes the town’s setting and is also part of its history: Christiana Bridge was once at the head of tidal navigation. Churches, historic buildings, and a path along the river give travelers different points of interest to consider when choosing where to stay.

Church History and Construction Dates

The congregation of Christiana Presbyterian Church was founded in the 1730s. In its early years, it was known as the Presbyterian Church at Christiana Bridge. The cornerstone of the present church building was laid on September 8, 1857. The church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Christiana Historic District. This makes it possible to distinguish chronologically between the congregation’s history and the construction of the present building.

Another construction date from 1857 belongs to Christiana Methodist Episcopal Church: its present building was built that year. Christiana Public School #111-C is also part of the town’s history; it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 18, 1979. Together, these places show how different public and religious buildings are anchored in Christiana’s history by specific dates.

The John Lewden House on Christiana Creek

The John Lewden House was built in the third quarter of the 18th century as a two-story brick house. Its floor plan had a central hall and was only one room deep. This concise description makes the design easy to picture: the hall was in the middle, and the building did not extend several rooms deep. The house stands at the edge of the meandering floodplain of Christiana Creek.

In the architectural history of Delaware, the John Lewden House is considered a good example of the residential architecture commissioned by wealthy Quaker merchants during the American Revolution. This connects a specific architectural form with a particular historical era. The house’s location by the creek adds a landscape dimension to this picture, without confusing the two waterways: the house is on Christiana Creek, while the village is on the Christina River.

Revolutionary History in Town

On November 3, 1783, after its service had ended, the Delaware Regiment was officially disbanded at or near Christiana Bridge. A marker titled The Last Mustering of the Delaware Continentals is located at the entrance to Lewden Green Park, north of 107 E. Main St. The location and marker provide a specific point of reference in Christiana for the regiment’s history.

Other connections to the Revolution date back to an earlier period. In March 1771, Joseph Pilmore, one of the first Methodist missionaries from England, preached outdoors in Christiana. During the American Revolution, Samuel Patterson served as a brigadier general in the Delaware militia and operated a flour mill a quarter mile to the south. These individual episodes show different aspects of the town’s history: religious life, local work, and military service.

A Path Along the Christina River

For a riverside outing, there is a 1.75-mile paved path that runs from Main Street in the Town of Christiana to James T. Corcoran Jr. Memorial Park (Coventry Ridge Park). That is about 2.8 kilometers. Its route and stated endpoints make the path easy to understand as a separate option alongside the town’s historic sites. If you plan to include the path in your itinerary, check the current visitor information before your visit.

When choosing where to stay, you can weigh two different interests: Christiana’s architectural and Revolutionary history, or time on a riverside path. The historic sites and the path do not have a prescribed order; instead, they offer different themes around which to plan your stay.

For an overview of the wider area, see: New Castle County.