Bike from Wilmington Riverfront to George Read II House

1400 Delmarva Lane Wilmington,Wilmington DE 19801

20 November, 2021

Description

Bike ride from Wilmington to New Castle to tour the Read House Join us at the Peterson Wildlife Refuge on the Wilmington Riverfront on Saturday, November 20 to begin promptly at 12 noon. If you have not been to the Wildlife Refuge before, the route can be confusing so give yourself extra time.  We will ride to Battery Park in New Castle for a picnic lunch (bring your own), then tour the George Read II House and Gardens at 1:30 prior to riding the trail back to Wilmington. Estimated total round-trip time, 3 1/2 hours.  This event is free and open to guests.  For those of you who can’t ride, or if the weather is inclement, you may still meet at the house for the tour.  Spanning just shy of 8 miles of paved trail, the Jack A. Markell Trail connects the Wilmington Riverfront at the Peterson Wildlife Refuge with the city of New Castle. Highlights of the route include overlooks of the Christina River, several scenic bridges, and a 2,300-foot boardwalk elevated over the marsh of the Russell Peterson Wildlife Refuge. The partially shaded trail ends just north of Battery Park on the Delaware River in New Castle near the George Read II House and Gardens. The House & Gardens is a historic house museum at 42 The Strand in New Castle, Delaware. Built in 1797-1804 for George Read, Jr., it was the largest and most sophisticated residence in the state at the time, and is a significant early example of high-style Federal period architecture. The adjacent formal gardens were laid out in the late 1840s by William Couper, the house's third owner. The property was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2016, is part of the landmark New Castle Historic District and now owned and operated by the Delaware Historical Society as a museum.