Dover
Dover is the capital and second-most populous city of Delaware, situated on the St. Jones River in the east-central portion of the state. It serves as the seat of Kent County and lies in the east-central portion of the state on the St. Jones River. In 1683, William Penn first introduced the idea of a town to be called Dover as the court town for Kent County; however, it was not until 1717 that a plot was laid out for streets, squares, and lots. Today, Dover functions as the center of Delaware's state government and a hub for military, educational, and cultural activity. According to the 2020 United States Census, the city's population reached 39,403 people.
History
In 1683, William Penn first introduced the idea of a town to be called Dover as the court town for Kent County; it was not until 1717 that a plot was laid out for streets, squares, and lots. By 1722, a courthouse was built on the square — now known as The Green — and the settlement became the county seat.
The city was named by William Penn for Dover in Kent, England, for which Kent County itself is also named. Colonial buildings clustered around the Green include the Old State House (1792), which served as the capitol until 1933 when the main state offices were transferred to nearby Legislative Hall.
The capital of the state of Delaware was moved here from New Castle in 1777 because of its central location and relative safety from British raiders on the Delaware River. Because of an act passed in October 1779, the assembly elected to meet at any place in the state they saw fit, meeting successively in Wilmington, Lewes, Dover, New Castle, and Lewes again, until it finally settled down permanently in Dover in October 1781.
The city's central square, known as The Green, was the location of many rallies, troop reviews, and other patriotic events, and to this day remains the heart of Dover's historic district — home to the Delaware Supreme Court and the Kent County Courthouse.
The boyhood home (1740) of John Dickinson, the "penman of the Revolution," is preserved and remains a significant landmark for visitors studying the founding era. King Charles II's royal grant and William Penn's deeds to Delaware (1682) from James, Duke of York (later King James II), are displayed in the Hall of Records.
In 1829, the town's government was formalized through incorporation as "The Commissioners of the Town of Dover." Five men were appointed as Commissioners and charged with hiring a surveyor who would make an accurate survey of the town, establish its boundaries, and file the survey with the Kent County Recorder of Deeds. Dover was incorporated as a town in 1829 and as a city in 1929.
Government and Civic Structure
As the state capital, Dover is home to the principal institutions of Delaware's government. Legislative Hall, home to Delaware's General Assembly since 1933, is a notable example of Georgian-style architecture. Delaware's first permanent capitol building was completed in 1791 on Dover's historic Green; the State House served as the home of Delaware's General Assembly until 1933.
The city of Dover utilizes a council-manager system of municipal government. The city's budget process operates by fiscal years running from July 1 to June 30; the city manager presents a proposed budget to the city council in which proposed expenditures cannot exceed expected income for the year, and the city council is responsible for adopting the budget.
The Delaware State Library, the Delaware State Museum, and the Delaware State Archives are located in downtown Dover and are open to the public for research and browsing. Delaware was the first state to ratify the United States Constitution, an event commemorated throughout the capital's civic spaces.
Economy
Dover is a state government and farm trade center with some light industries. The major employers in Dover include Dover Air Force Base, the Bayhealth healthcare system, Dover Downs, Delaware State University, and the state government. Agriculture has historically been another large part of the Dover region's economy, representing one of the largest industries in Kent County; crops include soybeans, corn, and apples.
Dover Air Force Base plays an especially significant role in the local economy. Dover Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base under the operational control of Air Mobility Command, located approximately 2 miles southeast of the city of Dover. Construction began in March 1941 and the facility opened on December 17, 1941, ten days after the Attack on Pearl Harbor. The total economic impact on the local economy in Fiscal Year 2023 was estimated at $891 million, supporting an estimated 8,969 jobs. The base has 6,096 employees — 5,457 of them military personnel and 639 civilians — for a total annual payroll in excess of $382 million. The two wings at the base fly a fleet of C-5M Super Galaxy and C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. Dover AFB also has the distinction of receiving the bodies of service members who were killed overseas and returning them to families for burial.
The city also features the Dover International Speedway, which attracts large crowds during NASCAR events, contributing significantly to the local economy. The population of Dover increases by the hundreds of thousands during the annual NASCAR race at Dover International Speedway.
Historic Sites and Culture
Dover preserves an unusually dense collection of colonial-era and early-American landmarks. First State Heritage Park, part of the National Parks System, is Delaware's first urban park without boundaries, exploring the stories of remarkable Delawareans and the lives of ordinary people throughout the history of the First State. The park centers around the historic Dover Green and consists of the John Bell House Interpretive Center and Legislative Hall as well as six partner sites, which include the Biggs Museum of Art, Woodburn Hall House, and the Johnson Victrola Museum.
The Johnson Victrola Museum was built in honor of Eldridge R. Johnson, founder of the Victor Talking Machine Company; exhibits include paintings, objects, memorabilia, and trademarks that highlight the development of the sound recording industry.
The Old State House served as the state's first permanent capitol building from 1791 until 1932 and is located on Dover's historic Green. Originally built in a Georgian architectural style, the state house was remodeled in 1873 to reflect a Victorian style and later restored in 1976 to its original appearance.
Numerous properties in Dover are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including the Bradford-Loockerman House, the John Dickinson House, the Dover Green Historic District, the Delaware Governor's Mansion, Loockerman Hall, the Old Statehouse, and the Victorian Dover Historic District, among others.
An Amish community resides to the west of Dover, consisting of 11 church districts and about 1,650 people; the Amish first settled in Kent County in 1915, with the settlement almost dying out in the 1920s and 1930s before rebounding from the 1960s to the present. The area is home to several Amish businesses selling items such as food, furniture, quilts, and handmade crafts, and every September the Amish Country Bike Tour — the largest bike ride in Delaware — takes place in the area.
In 1780, Barratt's Chapel was built, which today is the oldest Methodist Church in the United States that is still in use.
Education
Dover is home to Delaware State University, a land-grant university and Delaware's only historically Black university, and was also home to Wesley College, which is now the Delaware State University Downtown campus. Delaware State University was founded in 1891 and Wesley College in 1873. The city is also home to the Terry Campus of Delaware Technical Community College and that college's administrative offices, as well as satellite locations of the University of Delaware and Wilmington University.
Three public school districts serve Dover residents; the majority of the city is served by the Capital School District, which includes Dover High School, while the southern portion is served by the Caesar Rodney School District, which includes Caesar Rodney High School located just outside the city in Camden.
Demographics
According to the 2020 United States Census, Dover's population was 39,403 people. The city is currently growing at a rate of approximately 0.49% annually. As of the 2020 Census, the racial composition was approximately 38.2% White, 42.6% Black or African American, 3.3% Asian, 8.3% Hispanic, 1.2% Native American or other, and 6.4% multiracial.
Dover has a humid subtropical climate; summers are hot and humid, with approximately 25 days per year reaching or surpassing 90 °F (32 °C), and brief but heavy summer thunderstorms are common. Winters are moderated by the Delaware Bay and the partial shielding of the Appalachians, though snow averages only about 13.2 inches (34 cm) per year and does not usually remain on the ground for long.