Timeline of Potter’s Fields for New Castle County, Delaware
< mid-1880s
Prior to the building of the new Almshouse at Farnhurst in 1884, there was a “Poor Ground” or Potter’s Field for the New Castle County Poorhouse/Almshouse when it was located in downtown Wilmington on Broome Street, between Front and Fourth Streets. When the new Almshouse (New Castle County Hospital) was opened at Farnhurst, an affiliated cemetery was established behind the building (see below). The graves from the original cemetery in downtown Wilmington were supposedly moved to an unspecified location outside the city. There were also several other "Potter's Fields" in New Castle County at the time, including one in New Castle. If you do a www.newspapers.com search for Potter's Field in New Castle County, Delaware, there are a number of stories about the Potter's Fields. One story reports that Daniel Boone's brother was buried in a New Castle (city) Potter's Field. Another reports that Revolutionary War soldiers were buried in yet another New Castle (city) Potter's Field. Still another reports that one of the New Castle (city) cemeteries is eroding into the Delaware River, and that bits and pieces of skeletal material can be found strewn about.
Mid-1880s to mid-1934
The Potter’s Field for New Castle County was part of the New Castle County Almshouse/Hospital Cemetery [click on purple link]. It was used both for residents who died at the Almshouse/Hospital who had nowhere else to be buried, as well as the NCC Potter’s Field from the mid-1880s to mid-1934. Most of it was covered by the I-295 embankment in the 1960s. There were no burials in this cemetery after 1934. The www.findagrave.com site is listed as the "New Castle County Hospital Cemetery". Find a Grave site
Mid-1934 to 1962
The Potter’s Field for New Castle County during this time period was located at the top of the mostly no-longer-existing “Castle Hill” on the Moore’s Farm [click on purple link] off of Moore’s Lane. In 1962, the ~3,000 burials were supposedly all moved to the Boulden Blvd. site so the hill could be excavated for use in the building of I-95. Find a Grave site
1962-1978
The Potter’s Field for New Castle County during this time period was located at the Boulden Boulevard Potter's Field [click on purple link] site, which was also the repository for the bodies moved from the Moore’s Lane site. It was used from 1962 until 1978, when it was closed. There is currently no www.findagrave.com site for this Potter's Field.
1978-present
The current Potter’s Field for New Castle County is located adjacent to the Baylor Women’s Correctional Facility [click on purple link] behind the Herman Holloway Campus of DHSS. Since the last burial in the DSH Spiral Cemetery in 1983, patients who die indigent at DSH are buried in the Baylor Potter’s Field. NOTE: In 2019, the NCC Potter's Field ran out of room for more burials, and new interments are being made next to the Delaware State Hospital's Spiral Cemetery on the DHSS Holloway campus. Find a Grave site
NOTE THAT MOST OF THE WORK TO IDENTIFY WHO IS BURIED IN THESE POTTER'S FIELDS AND TO UPLOAD THE INFORMATION TO WWW.FINDAGRAVE.COM WAS DONE BY HAL BROWN, WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM KATHY DETTWYLER.
< mid-1880s
Prior to the building of the new Almshouse at Farnhurst in 1884, there was a “Poor Ground” or Potter’s Field for the New Castle County Poorhouse/Almshouse when it was located in downtown Wilmington on Broome Street, between Front and Fourth Streets. When the new Almshouse (New Castle County Hospital) was opened at Farnhurst, an affiliated cemetery was established behind the building (see below). The graves from the original cemetery in downtown Wilmington were supposedly moved to an unspecified location outside the city. There were also several other "Potter's Fields" in New Castle County at the time, including one in New Castle. If you do a www.newspapers.com search for Potter's Field in New Castle County, Delaware, there are a number of stories about the Potter's Fields. One story reports that Daniel Boone's brother was buried in a New Castle (city) Potter's Field. Another reports that Revolutionary War soldiers were buried in yet another New Castle (city) Potter's Field. Still another reports that one of the New Castle (city) cemeteries is eroding into the Delaware River, and that bits and pieces of skeletal material can be found strewn about.
Mid-1880s to mid-1934
The Potter’s Field for New Castle County was part of the New Castle County Almshouse/Hospital Cemetery [click on purple link]. It was used both for residents who died at the Almshouse/Hospital who had nowhere else to be buried, as well as the NCC Potter’s Field from the mid-1880s to mid-1934. Most of it was covered by the I-295 embankment in the 1960s. There were no burials in this cemetery after 1934. The www.findagrave.com site is listed as the "New Castle County Hospital Cemetery". Find a Grave site
Mid-1934 to 1962
The Potter’s Field for New Castle County during this time period was located at the top of the mostly no-longer-existing “Castle Hill” on the Moore’s Farm [click on purple link] off of Moore’s Lane. In 1962, the ~3,000 burials were supposedly all moved to the Boulden Blvd. site so the hill could be excavated for use in the building of I-95. Find a Grave site
1962-1978
The Potter’s Field for New Castle County during this time period was located at the Boulden Boulevard Potter's Field [click on purple link] site, which was also the repository for the bodies moved from the Moore’s Lane site. It was used from 1962 until 1978, when it was closed. There is currently no www.findagrave.com site for this Potter's Field.
1978-present
The current Potter’s Field for New Castle County is located adjacent to the Baylor Women’s Correctional Facility [click on purple link] behind the Herman Holloway Campus of DHSS. Since the last burial in the DSH Spiral Cemetery in 1983, patients who die indigent at DSH are buried in the Baylor Potter’s Field. NOTE: In 2019, the NCC Potter's Field ran out of room for more burials, and new interments are being made next to the Delaware State Hospital's Spiral Cemetery on the DHSS Holloway campus. Find a Grave site
NOTE THAT MOST OF THE WORK TO IDENTIFY WHO IS BURIED IN THESE POTTER'S FIELDS AND TO UPLOAD THE INFORMATION TO WWW.FINDAGRAVE.COM WAS DONE BY HAL BROWN, WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM KATHY DETTWYLER.