HARRINGTON, Del. - For generations of families in Harrington and surrounding communities, Wheeler’s Park was more than a place to play. It was where childhood memories were made.
On Thursday, that history was officially preserved with the unveiling of a new State of Delaware Historical Marker at the former park at 428 Harrington Avenue.
The marker recognizes Wheeler’s Park, which was established in 1948 by Harrington resident William A. Wheeler. What began with a single concrete picnic table for Wheeler’s family eventually grew into a 30-acre recreational destination with more than 30 attractions, including playgrounds, pony rides, a miniature railroad and nature trails.
The park was also a gathering place for the broader community, hosting church picnics and company events for Dover Air Force Base and businesses throughout Kent and Sussex counties. It became known locally as the "Disneyland of Harrington."
For a time, Wheeler’s Park was the only park of its kind in Kent County. It was open seven days a week and could draw as many as 20,000 visitors during its summer season.
The park closed in 1977 as Wheeler’s health declined.
But decades later, the memories of Wheeler’s Park remained strong.
Current property owners Kenny and Nicole Shinn said they first learned about the property’s history after purchasing it. They began hosting an annual Wheeler’s Park Kids Day in 2021, inviting people who grew up visiting the park to return and reminisce.
More than 100 people attended the first event.
"It means so much to so many people," Nicole Shinn said, recalling the emotion of seeing former park-goers return.
Greater Harrington Historical Society curator Doug Poore said preserving that history is important for future generations.
"It's important that even a small thing, like a 30 acre park that was more or less just a local thing gets remembered because it is important for our kids to understand where their parents came from, where their grandparents came from, what the area's history is," Poore said.
The marker effort took nearly six years to come to fruition. The Delaware Public Archives says the state's historical marker program is built through partnerships between the Archives, state legislators and local community members. More than 700 state historical markers have been erected in Delaware since the program began in the 1930s.
For William Wheeler’s descendants, the marker is also a way to honor the man behind the park.
Richard Wheeler, who spent time helping his grandfather run the park, remembered learning to drive the tractor and operate the miniature train.
"He will never be forgotten, for not just what he'd done but for who he was," Richard Wheeler said as he reminisced about his grandfather.
According to his family, William Wheeler once said he had the opportunity to watch three generations of children grow up at his park — children he said would always be known as "Wheeler Park kids."
Now, a permanent marker ensures their memories — and his legacy — remain part of Harrington’s history.
The next Wheeler's Park kids open house will be held at the property on Oct. 11.
