Daniel L. Herrmann Courthouse, Wilmington

Located on the east side of Rodney Square in downtown Wilmington, the Daniel L. Herrmann Courthouse stands as a neoclassical monument to the city’s judicial and civic past. Built in 1916 to replace an earlier courthouse, the structure originally housed local courts along with the administrative offices of the City of Wilmington and New Castle County. Its imposing columns and classical detailing reflect early 20th-century ideals of justice and order, characteristic of public architecture from the era. Originally named the Public Building, it played a central role in Wilmington’s legal and governmental life for much of the 20th century.

In 1996, the building was renamed in honor of Daniel L. Herrmann, a respected Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court. By 2002, however, the courthouse had outlived its functional capacity and operations moved to the newer New Castle County Courthouse. For several years, the building sat in limbo until it was revived in 2012 by Wilmington-based law firm Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, which undertook a major renovation, transforming the courthouse into its modern headquarters. The project added a contemporary outdoor plaza and a parking garage, blending historical preservation with adaptive reuse.

Today, the Daniel L. Herrmann Courthouse not only reflects Wilmington’s layered legal heritage but also serves as a model for thoughtful urban revitalization. In 2024, it re-entered public discourse in a new way when civic leaders at the MILLSUMMIT leadership conference proposed repurposing the site as the future home of the Joseph R. Biden Jr. Presidential Library. If realized, the plan would mark another transformation for this enduring landmark-once again aligning it with the narrative of American civic life.