Rodney Square, Wilmington

Rodney Square is a historic square in downtown Wilmington. It was built in 1921 and completed in 1937. The square was designed in the Beaux-Art and Moderne styles. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2011.

The square was named after Caesar Rodney, signer of the Declaration of Independence and the first President of Delaware. A large statue of Rodney atop a horse formerly stood in front of the square, but was removed in June 2020 due to his status as a slave owner. The statue was designed by James Edward Kelly in 1923.

After the removal of the statue, a large fountain was installed in the square. There are also plans for ongoing renovations. This is led by the Rodney Square Conservancy, the City of Wilmington and the State of Delaware.

Rodney Square is home to a number of outdoor meetings and festivals. Among these are the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival, a free jazz festival held each June. The Citizens Bank Caesar Rodney Half Marathon meets at the square each March. The city-wide New Year's Eve and St. Patrick's Day celebrations also occur at Rodney Square.