Old Arsenal - New Castle, Delaware - American Guide Series on Waymarking.com

The OLD ARSENAL on the Green, facing Market St. between Delaware and Harmony Sts., was erected in 1809 by the United States Government when the threat of war with England became serious.  It was used in 1813 by Brig. Gen. John Stockton, and in 1831 lodged the garrison from Fort Delaware while the burned fort was being rebuilt.  The fort was then in charge of Major Pierce, brother of Franklin Pierce who became President of the United States in 1853.  The arsenal was used again in 1846 at the outbreak of the Mexican War.

Shortly thereafter it was discovered that the land, in common with the rest of the Green, could not legally be sold.  A new deed was drawn, leasing the land but prohibiting, except with the town's consent, the storing of ammunition or the quartering of troops.  Under these conditions the Government gave the building to the town.  In 1852 the Trustees of the Common added a second floor and the cupola, closed the original wagon entrances at each end, and used the building for a schoolhouse until 1930.

It was repaired and remodeled in 1936, partly as a project of the Works Progress Administration and leased (1937) to the Unemployment Compensation Commission of Delaware.- Delaware - A Guide to the First State, New Castle section, 1938, pg. 240, 242.

The building was later used by the National Youth Administration.  During World War II the building was used as offices for the Bellanca Aircraft Corporation which was building aircraft for the war effort.  In the late 1940s the building was again used as a school building.  By 1950 the building was owned by the State of Delaware and they made some more modifications to the building.  In 1963 the building was leased for use as a restaurant and served that purpose until 2011 when the restaurant closed.  The State of Delaware then restored the building and it is now a meeting and special event venue.