Rodney Square

{{Use American English|date=January 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Infobox NRHP | name = Rodney Square Historic District | nrhp_type = hd | nocat = yes | image = Rodney Square NW view.jpg | caption = The northwest corner of Rodney Square | coordinates = {{coord|39|44|45|N|75|32|49|W|display=inline,title}} | location = Buildings fronting Rodney Square at 10th, 11th, Market & King Sts., Wilmington, Delaware | area = | built = | architect = | architecture = Beaux-Art, Moderne | refnum = 11000522<ref name="nps">{{cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/upload/weekly-list-2011-national-register-of-historic-places.pdf|title=National Register of Historic Places Listings|date=2011-08-19|work=Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 8/09/11 through 8/12/11|publisher=National Park Service}}</ref> | designated_nrhp_type = August 10, 2011 }} '''Rodney Square''' is the public square and historic district in downtown Wilmington, Delaware, United States, named after American Revolutionary leader Caesar Rodney. A large equestrian statue of Rodney by James E. Kelly formerly stood in the front of the square until it was removed in 2020. The square was created in the early 20th century by John Jacob Raskob, who worked for Pierre S. du Pont.<ref>[http://www.byways.org/explore/byways/57779/places/60474/ Brandywine Valley Scenic Byway Rodney Square, DE]</ref> The City Beautiful movement served as the inspiration for the effort.<ref>{{cite web |first=Maureen |last=Milford |title=MBNA's homage to the past |work=The News Journal | archivedate = October 21, 2003 |date=2003-10-19 |url=http://www2.delawareonline.com/newsjournal/business/2003/10/19mbnapayshomaget.html |accessdate=2009-01-18 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20031021052956/http://www.delawareonline.com:80/newsjournal/business/2003/10/19mbnapayshomaget.html }}</ref>

In 1917, to make room for the Wilmington Public Library in the square, the 18th-century First Presbyterian Church was moved to Park Drive and the remains in the cemetery were reinterred in Wilmington and Brandywine Cemetery.<ref name=Milford>{{cite web |last1=Milford |first1=Maureen |title=Cemetery offers a lasting history |url=https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2014/04/21/cemetery-offers-lasting-history/7989693/ |website=delawareonline.com |accessdate=28 July 2019}}</ref>

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011, as the '''Rodney Square Historic District'''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75324295 |title=National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Rodney Square Historic District |last=Ferguson |first=Logan I. |editor= |website=National Archives |publisher=National Register of Historic Places |date=September 30, 2010 |access-date=May 25, 2024}}</ref>

==Events== * Clifford Brown Jazz Festival * First Night Wilmington * Saint Patrick's Day Parade * Citizens Bank Caesar Rodney Half Marathon

==Surrounding architecture== thumb|Wilmington Public Library on Rodney Square thumb|Public Building The eight blocks surrounding the square contain a number of downtown buildings:

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;" ! Name ! Built ! Architect ! Style ! Current Use |- | I. M. Pei Building | 1971 | I.M. Pei | Brutalist | Multi-tenant office |- | MBNA Bracebridge I | 1995 | | | BofA credit card headquarters |- | Delaware Trust Building | 1930 | Dennison & Hirons | Classical Revival | Condos and restaurants, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref> |- | DuPont Building | 1908 | | | DuPont headquarters |- | First & Central Church | | | | Presbyterian Church USA |- | Public Building | 1916 | Henry Hornbostel | Classical Revival | Law firm |- | Wilmington Mansion | 1860s | | | Wilmington Club, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.<ref name="nris"/> |- | Wilmington Post Office | 1937 | Associated Federal Architects | Classical Revival | Wilmington Trust headquarters, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.<ref name="nris"/> |- | Wilmington Public Library | 1922 | Edward Lippincott Tilton | Beaux-Arts | Library |}

==Corporate headquarters== [[Image:Wilm Trust Bldg.jpg|thumb|Wilmington Trust headquarters with the I. M. Pei Building to the left]]

===Current=== * Chemours * Wilmington Trust * Bank of America Credit Card Division

===Former=== * American Viscose Company * Atlas Powder Company * Barnsdall Oil * Delaware Trust * DuPont * Hercules Inc. * MBNA

==Transportation== [[Image:DART Gillig Advantage hybrid 111.jpg|thumb|DART hybrid bus in Rodney Square]] Rodney Square serves as a bus stop for several DART First State bus routes including 2, 4, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 18, 20, 25, and 301.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dartfirststate.com/information/routes/index.shtml|title=Routes and Schedules|publisher=DART First State|accessdate=August 16, 2013}}</ref> From 1992 to December 2017, Rodney Square served as the main hub for DART First State buses in Wilmington. In December 2017, the state of Delaware under the direction of Governor John Carney eliminated the bus hub at Rodney Square by scattering stops throughout downtown Wilmington, removing 13 routes from stopping at the square. The decision to eliminate the hub was made in order to reduce congestion and overcrowding at Rodney Square. This action resulted in many riders having to walk multiple blocks to make transfers, and many of the new bus stops do not have shelters or benches. The Wilmington Transit Center was built as a new hub for DART First State buses adjacent to the Wilmington Train Station, opening in May 2020.<ref>{{cite news|last=Jedra|first=Christina|title=Wilmington bus riders clash with DART over elimination of Rodney Square stops|work=The News Journal|location=Wilmington, DE|date=January 30, 2018|url=https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2018/01/30/wilmington-bus-riders-clash-dart-over-elimination-rodney-square-stops/1068991001/|accessdate=December 10, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Jedra|first=Christina|title=New Wilmington transit center coming December 2019, officials say|work=The News Journal|location=Wilmington, DE|date=November 19, 2018|url=https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2018/11/19/new-wilmington-transit-center-coming-dec-2019-officials-say/1986464002/|accessdate=December 10, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Join DART for a Community Conversation|publisher=DART First State|url= https://www.dartfirststate.com/newsy/community_conversations/2019/index.shtml|accessdate=December 28, 2019}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}} * Location coordinates from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), feature ID 217603; use ID at [https://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/ search interface]

==External links== {{commons category|Rodney Square}} *[http://www.downtownwilmington.com/ Downtown Wilmington] *[http://www.visitwilmingtonde.com/ Wilmington Visitors Bureau] *[http://www.ci.wilmington.de.us/ Wilmington City Government]

Category:DART First State Category:Historic districts in Wilmington, Delaware Category:Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Delaware Category:National Register of Historic Places in Wilmington, Delaware Category:Neoclassical architecture in Delaware Category:Squares in the United States