Claymont: School History and Greenway

Claymont offers two distinct themes to help you plan your trip: the history of its schools and community, and specific sections of the East Coast Greenway. If you’re looking for a hotel in Claymont, the focus of your stay can help guide your choice: Would you like to explore school history and architecture, or are trails and outdoor activities more of a priority? The places and details below offer concrete points of reference.

School History and Historic Buildings

Claymont Stone School is a two-room schoolhouse built in two main phases, around 1805 and 1905. The two building phases are about a century apart, giving the building a clearly defined construction history. Robinson House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. The Stone School is notable for its building type and construction phases, while Robinson House is notable for its listing on a national register.

Another architectural landmark is The Patio, a mansion in the Italian Renaissance Revival style. It was built from 1916 to 1918 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. Compared with the two-room schoolhouse, The Patio represents a different type of building and a specifically named architectural style. The dates refer to different aspects: 1916 to 1918 is the construction period, while 1992 is the later date of its listing on the register.

The Claymont Community Center and Its History

The Claymont Community Center is located in the historic Claymont High School. In September 1952, twelve African American students were legally permitted to attend a school that had previously been reserved exclusively for white students. Because of its role in the desegregation of schools in Delaware, the Community Center is an affiliated area of the Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park. This connects the history of the school building with a specific chapter in Delaware’s school history.

The Brown Gallery at the Community Center documents the history of school desegregation in Claymont through photographs, documents, and exhibits. For tours of the gallery, you can contact the front desk. The WPA murals at the Claymont Community Center also offer insights into local history: created between 1937 and 1939, they depict Claymont’s history, industry, and natural landscapes. The murals have been preserved and are on public display. The gallery and murals thus offer different ways to explore the area’s history.

East Coast Greenway and Trip Planning

If you’re interested in trails and outdoor activities during your stay, Claymont has specific Greenway details to explore. Here, the East Coast Greenway includes the 0.9-mile Claymont State Trail & US 13 sidepath section. Another Greenway feature is a 0.2-mile pedestrian bridge over I-495. These lengths refer to different features: a named section and a pedestrian bridge.

The Claymont Transportation Center has more than 800 parking spaces, adding a practical trip-planning option alongside the area’s historic and scenic attractions. To choose the focus of your stay, you can consider the history of its schools and community, the architecture, and the Greenway separately.

Discover more destinations: Brandywine, Christiana, Wilmington, Brookside, Hockessin, Delaware City, Newark, New Castle

For the broader travel overview: New Castle County.