Prisoners of Fort Delaware

Built in 1860 as a coastal defense fortification situated in the Delaware River, Fort Delaware would go on to house nearly 33,000 Confederate prisoners of war during the American Civil War.  Prisoners of Fort Delaware will explore the daily life of prisoners housed at Fort Delaware and will provide an overview of the experiences at one of the most notorious prisons of the Federal Government, using primary source material from those who were imprisoned. Today, Fort Delaware State Park is part of the Delaware State Park system and is open to the public for tours of the historic fort and reconstructed prisoner barracks.