Located in the heart of Delaware's Colonial Capital on the Delaware River, three miles south of the Delaware Memorial Bridge, the Read House and New Castle offer a walk through the past. Built in 1801 by the son of one of Delaware's signers of the Declaration of Independence, the Read House exhibits the height of Federal grandeur. This 22 room, 14,000 square-foot, mansion was the largest house in Delaware when built, and cost George Read Jr. nearly $12,000 to complete (approximately $2.5 million today). Elegant and spacious family bedrooms contrast with cramped servants bedrooms, laundry rooms, and kitchen.