The Mount Pleasant School House at Bellevue State Park was one of the first public schools in Delaware. Photo by DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation

Part of New Investments in the Park

The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control held a ribbon cutting for the historic Mount Pleasant School House at Bellevue State Park, one of the first public schools in the state of Delaware. It is one of several major projects completed in the last six years.

The Mount Pleasant School House was built under the Free School Act of 1829, which divided each county into many school districts and provided funding to build a school house in each district. The one-room school house, designated as School District No. 2, was a common school where children of all ages learned reading, writing, arithmetic and English grammar together, led by a single teacher. It was used for nearly 35 years from 1830 to 1864, primarily serving the children of the local farming community. Today, Mount Pleasant Elementary School and Mount Pleasant High School are schools that descended from the original school house and are part of the Brandywine School District.

“Our state history matters, and I believe it is our duty as Delawareans to preserve what we can so that each generation that comes after us can not only access educational materials, but see these landmarks for themselves,” said Rep. Debra Heffernan of District 6, who serves as chair of the Joint Capital Improvement Committee.

“The Free School Act of 1829 was not perfect, but it began the process of ensuring that every Delaware child has access to quality education, no matter their background. The Mount Pleasant School House is a physical representation of the progress we have made in our state: from a small schoolhouse for the local farming community led by a single teacher, to two spectacular schools that serve students from all walks of life. I am grateful to have played a role in making sure that this piece of history is accessible to everyone in our community.”

After the original school house fell into disrepair in 1857, Hanson Robinson, a Philadelphia wool merchant and an advocate for racial and gender equality who lived at neighboring Woolton Hall, offered to build a new, larger school on the other side of the Pennsylvania Turnpike in exchange for the original school and land. The original school property was later used as a guest house and sold to several new owners. In 1893, it was purchased by William du Pont, Sr. and renamed the Bellevue Estate. The school house continued to be used as a guest house or employee housing, most notably by the estate’s lead racehorse trainer.

Bellevue opened as a state park in 1977, and the school house has been used as a park office, holiday venue and gift shop before it sat empty and unused for nearly three decades. Initial restoration began in 2019-2020 thanks to funding advocated for by the Friends of Bellevue State Park in 2020. A thorough preservation plan was created in 2022 for total exterior and interior renovations. It will now serve as an interpretive center for programming to recount the rich history of Bellevue and its community.

“As one of the historical sites in Delaware State Parks, it is critical to invest in its preservation to help educate residents about important landmarks in Delaware history,” said Matt Ritter, director of the DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation. “We couldn’t have done this project without the dedicated support of the Friends of Bellevue State Park. With more than 390 historic structures in the system, we are continually updating and improving our amenities for future generations to enjoy.”

In addition to the restoration of the school house, more than $5.2 million in capital improvements have been invested in Bellevue over the last six years. Among the improvements are:
• a new roof for the Figure 8 barn, a facility used for events and programming
• parking lot improvements for the Tennis Center and pavilion
• a paved pathway linking the Bellevue Mansion to the Figure 8 Barn and Tennis Center
• upgrades to the track, with a new surface and drainage enhancements

Bellevue State Park offers lots of other activities, such as a fishing pond, a concert bandshell, stables, trails, disc golf and cross county trails. For more information on Bellevue and its programs, visit the destateparks.com/park/bellevue-state-park webpage.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation oversees more than 26,000 acres in 17 state parks and the Brandywine Zoo and the Indian River Marina.  For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Celebrating A Milestone Year
Delaware State Parks is celebrating 75 years of outdoor adventures and lasting memories. What began in 1951 with three parks has grown into a system that now includes 17 state parks, 22 nature preserves, the Brandywine Zoo and the Indian River Marina — together protecting more than 27,000 acres. In 2026, the division will honor the people, parks and partners who built this legacy and invite visitors to join in inspiring exploration, discovery and a deeper connection to the outdoors for generations to come.

Media contact: Beth Kuhles-Heiney, elizabeth.kuhlesheiney@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

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Foreclosure filings climbed in April, with Delaware, South Carolina, and Florida emerging as the nation’s primary hot spots for distressed property activity.

Across the U.S., foreclosure rates are up 18% from a year ago, according to the latest data from ATTOM. And in the last month, there were a total of 42,430 U.S. properties with foreclosure filings. The total includes default notices, scheduled auctions, and bank repossessions. While that might seem high, it’s down 8% from March.

Meanwhile, foreclosure starts were up 12% from a year ago, while completed foreclosures increased 42%.

“Foreclosure activity continued its gradual trend higher in April, with both foreclosure starts and completed foreclosures posting annual gains,” said Rob Barber, CEO of ATTOM.

“While overall filings declined from the previous month, the year-over-year increases suggest lenders may be working through distressed inventory as higher borrowing costs and affordability challenges impact some homeowners.”

Nationwide, 1 in every 3,388 housing units had a foreclosure filing in April, according to the firm’s latest report.

“Even so, foreclosure activity remains significantly below pre-pandemic levels,” said Barber.

ATTOM’s report incorporates documents filed in all three phases of foreclosure: default and notice of default; notice of foreclosure; and real estate-owned or REO properties, defined as properties that have been foreclosed on and repurchased by a bank.

Worst foreclosure states

The state with the worst foreclosure rate in April 2026 was Delaware, with 1 in every 1,739 housing units there showing a foreclosure filing.

In Delaware, the median listing price is $500,000 and homes stay on the market a median of 48 days, according to Realtor.com® data.

“Delaware’s high foreclosure rate is partly a math problem,” said Hannah Jones, senior economic research analyst at Realtor.com. “With a relatively small number of total housing units, it doesn’t take many filings to produce an alarming per-unit figure, so the rate overstates how dire conditions are for the average Delaware homeowner compared to a larger state with far more absolute filings.”

Even so, Jones says there is real underlying stress.

“Delaware recently completed its first comprehensive property tax reassessment in roughly 40 years, and many homeowners saw their tax bills jump, which pushed some over the financial edge,” she says.

Delaware real estate agent Jennifer Allan tells Realtor.com that overall housing costs and the rising cost of living also contribute to escalating foreclosure rates.

“In addition to taxes, Delaware has seen a sharp increase in overall housing costs over the last several years—not just mortgage payments, but also insurance, HOA costs, and general cost-of-living pressures,” she says. “Those rising ownership costs are becoming difficult for some households to absorb.”

Behind Delaware on the list of states with the highest foreclosure rates is South Carolina (1 in every 1,745). It has a median listing price of $365,000, with homes staying on the market a median of 54 days.

“South Carolina’s foreclosure pressure is largely a consequence of its own growth,” says Jones. “Rapid in-migration drove home prices well beyond what local income levels could support, and many buyers who purchased near the peak of that appreciation, with elevated mortgage rates on top, are now left with high monthly payments and little equity cushion. When financial stress hits, those homeowners have limited ability to refinance or sell their way out.”

In third place is Florida, with 1 in every 2,092 housing units there showing a foreclosure filing. Florida has a median listing price of $426,000, with homes staying on the market a median of 74 days.

“Florida homeowners are being squeezed from multiple directions simultaneously,” says Jones. “Homeowners insurance premiums have surged dramatically in recent years due to climate and storm risk, and property taxes have climbed alongside rapidly appreciated home values.”

Jones adds that Florida also has an unusually high concentration of condo owners, who face not only mortgage payments but rising HOA fees—expenses that get passed directly to unit owners.

“Together, these stacking costs have made monthly homeownership burdens unsustainable for a growing number of residents,” she says.

Rounding out the top five states for foreclosure rates are Indiana (1 in every 2,129) and Illinois (1 in every 2,262).

The median listing price in Indiana is $299,900, with a median time on the market of 44 days. In Illinois, the median listing price is $312,423, with 38 days on the market.

Indiana real estate agent Fred Krawczyk of Fred Krawczyk & Associates—who specializes in short sales—tells Realtor.com, “After COVID, we had artificial appreciation here in Indiana, and people were pulling out money and refinancing. As a result, I’m getting one to two foreclosures a week right now.”

Metros with the most foreclosures

Among metro areas with populations above 500,000, Lakeland, FL, recorded the highest foreclosure rate in April, with one filing for every 1,221 housing units.

In Lakeland, the median listing price is $335,000 and homes stay on the market a median of 75 days.

Following Lakeland is Columbia, SC (1 in every 1,287) and Charleston, SC (1 in every 1,483).

Columbia has a median listing price of $300,000 and a median time on the market of 43 days. In Charleston, the median listing price is $499,945, with 44 days on the market.

Rounding out the top five are Bakersfield, CA (1 in every 1,566), and Cape Coral, FL (1 in every 1,628).

The median listing price is $403,995 in Bakersfield and $399,600 in Cape Coral.

The median time on the market is 48 days in Bakersfield and 82 days in Cape Coral.

“There is definitely an element of people in certain parts of Florida who bought too high during the pandemic real estate boom and now need to sell and find themselves essentially upside down,” says Florida real estate agent Cara Ameer with Coldwell Banker.