Founding of the Delaware Colony
When was the colony of Delaware founded? The Delaware Colony was founded in 1638 by Peter Minuit and New Sweden Company.
The Naming of the Delaware Colony
Named after the Delaware River whose name was derived from that of Sir Thomas West (Lord de la Warr) who was Virginia Company's first governor. The Delaware river and bay were first explored on behalf of the Dutch by Henry Hudson in 1609, and more thoroughly in 1615-1616 by Cornelius Hendrikson, whose reports did much to cause the incorporation of the Dutch West India Company. The first settlement on Delaware soil was made under the auspices of members of the Dutch West India Company in 1638 near the site of the present Lewes.