Movie road trip: A cinematic site per state for all 50 states

St. Andrew’s School, Delaware, photo from Yelp

Delaware: Dead Poets Society

O Captain, My Captain. Many people would not know this famous poem if it wasn’t for Dead Poets Society. The Walt Whitman poem about Abraham Lincoln’s death was one of the famous moments from the Robin Williams movie. Set at an all-boys private school, several boys learn to break from the norm and find the extraordinary in their lives.

Dead Poets Society was filmed in Delaware. A real, college preparatory school was used in the filming. The St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, Delaware was used as the setting of the fictional Welton Academy. Founded in the 1920s, the school’s buildings added to the stature of the school.

While the private school isn’t open to general visitors, the Everett Theatre offers performances throughout the year. The historic theater is location where the class sees a production of Midsummer’s Night Dream, starring their classmate Neil. First opening in 1863, the building was destroyed by fire. The theater was rebuilt in 1922.

Today, the Everett Theatre is a popular destination in Middletown. It has been part of the community for decades. The theater plays movies, musicals, and plays. Additionally, the theater hosts several camps and children’s programming.

For history fans, Historic New Castle is a worthy stop. This area is filled with museums, restaurants, and shops. Notably, the Historic District is a national landmark. In a small area, the Historic District has numerous buildings dating back to the 1700s. Also, New Castle is where William Penn first stepped on U.S. soil.