About Us

FRIENDS of FSNHP

"It is desirable that some large and easily accessible region of American soil should remain as far as possible in its primitive condition, at once a museum for the instruction of the students, a garden for the recreation of the lovers of nature, and an asylum where indigenous trees, plants and beasts may dwell and perpetuate their kind."

- George Perkins Marsh

"There is nothing so American as our National Parks... The fundamental idea behind the Parks...is that the country belongs to the people, that it is in the process of making for the enrichment of the lives of all of us."

- Franklin Roosevelt

"Few of us can hope to leave a poem or work of art to posterity; but working together or apart, we can yet save meadows, marshes, strips of seashore, and stream valleys as a green legacy for the centuries."

- Stuart Udall

"Our National Parks belong to each of us, and they are natural places to learn, exercise, volunteer, spend time with famil and friends, and enjoy the magnificent beauty of our great land."

- George W. Bush

Friends of First State is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting First State National Historical Park in Delaware and southeastern Pennsylvania.

About The Friends

Friends of First State works to build strong partnerships among individuals, businesses, organizations and agencies in support of the Park and its mission, with a focus on programs, activities and projects of the Brandywine Valley Unit. The Friends will provide funding and services to enhance public use, engagement, community outreach, enjoyment and conservation of the park in concert with the National Park Service. Supporting activities include fundraising, grant writing, special events, educational programs, volunteer support, and operation and retail sales of publications, gifts, and other park related items.

Mission

To support the First State National Park with a focus on preserving and enhancing the Brandywine Valley Unit as an integral part of the cultural, recreational and environmental landscape of the Brandywine Valley.

Vision

We join the National Park Service in imagining a future where:

Visitors near and far learn about the cultural history of the Brandywine Valley.
Residents from throughout our region - especially children and youth - become the next stewards of the land, thanks to educational, scientific cultural and volunteer programs.
There are rich interpretive programs and partnership education and a visitor's center.
There is appropriate infrastructure - such as trails, signage, parking lots and bathrooms - to ensure safe enjoyment for people and long-term stewardship of the Brandywine River and other natural resources in the park.
The trails and open spaces of the Brandywine Valley Unit link to a regional trail and park system connecting to Wilmington and beyond.
The National Park contributes to and leverages existing cultural and natural resource entities and uplifts the overall visitor experience.

About The Park

The Park was established as First State National Monument by Presidential Proclamation 8944 signed by President Barack Obama on March 25, 2013, followed by the Park’s redesignation by Congressional action as First State National Historical Park through Public Law 113-291, signed into law on December 19, 2014. The Park works in partnership to preserve and interpret the nationally significant cultural and historic resources associated with early settlement of the Delaware Valley by the Dutch, Swedish, Finnish, and English; Delaware’s role in the establishment of the nation and as the first state to ratify the Constitution. First State National Historical Park works in partnership to conserve and interpret the natural and cultural landscape of the Brandywine Valley consistent with William Poole Bancroft’s vision of an open space accessible to the public for their health and well-being.

What we do

Current Projects

We'll let you know details about our current projects as soon as we're able. Check back for more information.

Get Involved

If you would like to help us, send us a message on our Contact page. Or send us your name, email address, and phone number to:

Friends Of First State, Inc.
5807 Kennett Pike,
Wilmington, DE 19807

Donate

If you'd like to donate, please send a check made out to "Friends of First State, Inc" to:

Friends Of First State, Inc.
5807 Kennett Pike,
Wilmington, DE 19807

Your donation will be 100% tax-deductible.

Seems frozen in time

The Brandywine section of the Park seems frozen in time. The farmhouses, barns, spring houses, rock walls and other structures that dot the land look much like their original owners constructed them many centuries ago.

Pam Rizzo - Wilmington, Delaware

An opportunity to revel in their unique and ever evolving beauty

I have learned to see myself as more of an artist rather than just as a photographer. I’ve been fortunate that I’ve grown up Delaware, the First State and lived in the Brandywine Valley most of my life. The rich character of these preserved open spaces, like the State and National Parks, the dwellings and the people that reside here have always inspired me. Cicero said, "Art is born of the observation and investigation of nature.” The open spaces that remain, have been preserved, or been created offer all of us that live here an opportunity to revel in their unique and ever evolving beauty.

Jim Graham - Montchanin, Delaware

An enchanting place

Beaver Valley is an enchanting place! When you step onto its trails your spirit comes into tune with the rhythms of nature and the flow of the Brandywine. You forget where you are. But it doesn't matter, because you're exactly where you need to be.

John Crossan, Vice-President Concord Township Council

CONTACT US