Delaware straddles the Thames River, and is accessed by the old highway (Highway 2) linking London and Chatham and the freeway (Highway 402) linking Sarnia along with Port Huron and Toronto. The community of Delaware was first founded in 1796. Delaware was the objective of an American raid into Upper Canada in 1814 during the War of 1812, which resulted in the Battle of Longwoods, on March 4, 1814, just about 24 km outside of Delaware.