Online Readings & Resources

General Information on Delaware Back Roads

Delaware Byways by the Delaware Department of Transportation lists has a map and links for Delaware’s six scenic byways.

These Are Delaware's Top Outdoor Attractions by Delaware Today is a nice introduction to Delaware’s scenic byways.

Scenic Tour of Delaware Byways Showcase by the University of Delaware offers a picturesque overview of each of Delaware’s six scenic byways. For most of the byways, there’s a self-guided tour of some key points of interest along the byway.

SAH Archipedia: Delaware by the Society of Architectural Historians is an interesting history of Delaware, through the lens of its architecture, that provides a good general setting for the historic sites you'll encounter. The SAH Archipedia is a treasure trove of resources on many of Delaware’s historic buildings. Scroll down the left-hand column for links to information on specific regions, towns and buildings.

Delaware's Quaint Villages by the Kent County Tourism Corporation provides brief overviews of Kent County's small towns and information on some of their their independent restaurants, lodging, shops, and attractions. 

ecoDelaware has information on experiencing nature in Delaware. Its Great Places page includes links to many sites in Delaware, including a number along the Delaware Bayshore Byway.

Pennsylvania Architectural Field Guide: Historic Architectural Styles in Pennsylvania by the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission is a great resource if you're interested in the array of architectural styles you'll see in buildings on Delmarva's backroads. Yes, it focuses on Pennsylvania, but a lot of buildings in northern Delaware were influenced by styles in and around Philadelphia. The website also includes a Dictionary of Architectural Terms. 

Reid's CHoW Site has photos and brief information on Colonial-era churches and houses of worship on the East Coast, including 14 in Delaware.

Delaware Bayshore Byway

UPDATE 8/2022: The Delaware Bayshore Byway now has its own website! 

Delaware Byways: Delaware Bayshore Bay (yes, that’s how it’s titled) is a very brief overview of the Delaware Bayshore Byway by the Delaware Department of Transportation. Its main value is its links to a few points of interest and a few other resources.

Delaware Greenways has a downloadable map of the Byway.

Click on the Delaware Bayshore Byway tab of Scenic Tour of Delaware Byways Showcase for a self-guided tour of about 50 points of interest along the Byway by the University of Delaware. Each point of interest has a photo, a very brief description, a link to its location on Google Maps, and a link to a relevant website if there is one. Fifty points of interest sound like a lot, and this is a good place to start planning a tour, but a remarkable number of interesting places to visit are missing, and some of the links are broken.

Delaware's Bayshore Byway Corridor Management Plan by Delaware Greenways is the most thorough resource to understanding the Delaware Bayshore Byway and all it offers. Chapters 1 and 2 are an excellent overview of the history and ecology of the region and why the Bayshore is so important. (Most of the information in my blog’s Delaware Bayshore Byway Overview page is taken from those chapters.) Chapter 3 provides good information on most of the points of interest on the northern half of the Byway. If you’d rather download select chapters instead of the entire document, visit Delaware Byways: Delaware Bayshore Byway Corridor Management Plan

Chapter 3 of Delaware Bayshore Byway Corridor Management Plan: Update 2020 provides good information on most of the points of interest on the southern half of the Byway. 

Thank You Delaware Bay is a campaign to raise awareness of the Delaware Bay by a coalition of public and private organizations. It has general information on the bay's ecology.

The Delaware Bayshore Byway’s Facebook page features posts of interest to ecotourists.

The Best of the Delaware Bayshore: A Tour of Historic Architecture by the University of Delaware's Center for Historic Architecture and Design provides photos and brief descriptions of many key historic buildings along the Delaware Bayshore Byway. Unfortunately, I found it to be a disappointing resource. Some buildings have missing or incorrect addresses, making them hard to find. The descriptions are generally limited to a description of the building's architectural features, which can be seen in the accompanying photo. And the dates and architectural styles provided don’t always match what’s in other resources, and I don’t have the wherewithal to figure out who’s right. 

Why Kent County Beaches Are Hidden Gems and Where Nowhere Is by Delaware Today are nice overviews of Delaware Bayshore beaches.

About the Estuary by the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary explains what the Delaware estuary is and why it’s important. The Partnership’s Oysters page explains the oyster disease (MSX) that wiped out most of the Delaware Bay’s oysters. The Ecological Development & Research Group's Horseshoe Crab page is a comprehensive look at the horseshoe crab and its central role in the Delaware Bayshore's ecosystem.

What Does Climate Change Look Like in Delaware? by Delaware Today explains the combination of sea level rise and land subsidence that threatens much of Delaware.