Dover, Delaware

The second largest city of the State of Delaware, Dover is a typical capital city that has typical State Departments and official buildings throughout the city. However, the city is governed by the manager-council system and has an elected mayor. The council has 9 members, eight of which are selected from districts (two from each). One of the members is elected at large.

The city has a relatively large African American population and is also known for its historical Delaware State University that Delaware's only historically black university. The culture of the place is evident from the Opera House that has been renovated and maintained well along with the Children's Museum and the Polytech School too. Some of the notable residents of the city have been Madison Brengle, a tennis star, Robert Crumb, an underground artist who lived in Dover for 6 years, Mike Meade, an NFL player who was born in the city, Teri Polo, an actress, Ian Snell, the Seattle Mariners pitcher and Rob Tornoe, the nationally syndicated and famed cartoonist.

Welcome to the city of Dover, where you will be able to make just about anything happen. The city also has a bustling nightlife, various places to eat, places to see and can also offer you a great shopping experience. Many businesses in the city also thrive.

Dover History

Early explorations of the city were made by Spaniards and Portuguese in the 16th century. Henry Hudson is known to be the first explorer followed by Samuel Argall and Cornelius May. A group of Dutchmen created a trading company headed by Captain David Pietersen de Vries. Their settlement was called Zwaanendael, the valley of Swans

The city of Dover was founded as a court town in 1683. The city was created for the Kent County when it was founded by William Penn, who was the proprietor of the territory that was called the 'Lower Counties on the Delaware'. The city was officially laid out in 1717 by a special commission of the Delaware General Assembly.

Dover was made the capital of the state of Delaware in 1777 when it was shifted from new Castle. The reason for the shift was the central location of the city and the safety that it presented from the British raiders. The assembly met in various places like Wilmington, Lewes, Dover, New Castle and Lewes before Dover was designated the city where the assembly meets. The specific location decided was The Green which was known to be the location of rallies, troop reviews and other significant events. This is also the place where a large number of historical events of the city and state have taken place. Today it is the location of the Delaware Supreme Court and the Kent County Courthouse too.

The city of Dover was and remains till date famous for the home of Caesar Rodney. Caesar Rodney was a famous wartime leader and played a significant part in the American Revolution. Even though he had a home here, he is known to be buried in an unknown location outside Dover.

Dover was a major stop in the Underground Railroad because it was extremely close to slave holding Maryland and free Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The city also had the Quaker Community that supported a sustained emancipation effort in the 19th century. Despite the fact that there were not too many slaves in Dover, slavery was supported in the area.

Today the city is the fastest growing city in the state of Delaware and is growing due to the various State Departments that are present in the city.

About Dover, Delaware

The city of Dover is the capital of the state of Delaware. It is the second largest city in the state as well. It is also the county seat of the Kent County and the main city in the Delaware Metropolitan Area. The city was named by William Penn. According to the census, the city has a total area of 22.7 square miles and most of it is land.

The racial makeup of the city comprises of slightly more than 54 percent as Whites. There are about 37 percent African American people and more than 3 percent Asians.

The climate of the place is classified as humid subtropical and it has four distinct seasons. Winters are cold but they are relatively moderate for the latitude of the city due to the Delaware Bay. Snow in the area is light and falls at about 14 inches per annum. Spring and autumn form the transitional seasons and remain for a longer period of time. Spring is relatively better but the temperatures are similar between these two seasons. Summers are humid and hot and about 30 days in a year record a temperature of more than 32 degrees Celsius.

The main employer in the city is the State Government since the city is the capital city for the state. The city is one of the fastest growing areas in the state and this is mainly due to the relatively low cost of living. Some of the other employers of the city include the Dover Air Force Base, Kraft Foods and Procter & Gamble. ILC Dover produces fabrics for the military and aerospace people.

The city has a Dover opera house that was built in 1904. This was renovated and converted to the Schwartz Center for the Arts and now hosts performances, shows and ballets by the Dover Symphony Orchestra. There is also a Children's Theatre Inc. that is a non-profit organization. The Delaware State library, the State Museum and the State Archives are also present in the city. Another cultural aspect of the city is the Sewell C. Biggs Museum of American Art.

With regards to education, the city has the Delaware State University. This is a university that is a historically black university. The city also has the Terry Campus of the Delaware Technical & Community College. There are three public high schools in Dover. These include the Caesar Rodney High School, the Dover High School and the Polytech High School.

Today the city is the fastest growing city in the state of Delaware and is growing due to the various State Departments that are present in the city.

About Kent County, Delaware

Dover is located in the Kent County. Located in the central part of the state of Delaware, the Kent county has New Castle County towards the north, Salem County towards the northeast, Cumberland County and Cape May County towards the east, Sussex County towards the South, Caroline County in Maryland towards the southwest, Queen Anne's County in Maryland towards the west and Kent County in Maryland towards the west.

The Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge is part of this county and is located on Delaware Bay. It is a great place for migratory birds and wintering fowls.

The main cities in the county include Dover, Harrington and Milford. Some of the known towns are Camsden, Clayton, Felton, Hartly, Kenton, Little Creek, Magnolia, Viola and Wyoming. Other census designated places include the Dover Air Force Base, Highland Acres, Kent Acres, Rising Sun, Riverview, Rodney Village and Woodside East.

The population of the county is more than 127,000 and the density is estimated to be 215 people per square mile. There are about 74 percent Whites, more than 20 percent African American and about 2 percent Asians. The proportion of Native Americans and Pacific Islanders is relatively low. The median income of the county is estimated to be $40,950 and about 111 percent of the people are considered to be below the poverty line.

While in Kent County, you should definitely visit some of the attractions of the place including the Air Mobility Command Museum, the Dover International Speedway, Johnson Victrola Museum, Biggs Museum of American Art, Old State House, Dovers Downs, Christ Episcopal Church, Delaware Archaeology Museum, the Delaware State fair Ice Rink and the Killens Pond State Park. There are also the beautiful beaches including the Big Stone Beach, Pickering Beach and the Bowers Beach. The nature park Blackiston Wildlife Area is also not to be missed.