Delaware State Chamber

As the nation celebrates its 250th birthday, an even older living relic quietly persists year after year outside a graceful brick home in northern Delaware. The nearly 300-year-old sycamore tree was standing on the riverbank property when George Washington and his staff, including the newly arrived Marquis de Lafayette, borrowed the home’s kitchen from its Quaker owner for a conference of war just before the Battle of Brandywine.

The Hale-Byrnes House has seen an increase in visitors this year, many of whom accidentally stumble across the site while detouring around I-95 road work. ... State and local leaders, along with tourism boosters, would like to reduce that kind of surprise about Delaware’s historic gems, embracing the opportunity presented by the 250th anniversary celebration to introduce visitors and residents alike to Delaware’s merits.

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