Share: 

How Much Do You Know About Delaware? (Part I)

June 11, 2013

If you are reading this it is because you have visited our site www.mannandsons.com and are interested in the state of Delaware and in Rehoboth Beach real estate or Lewes real estate. But how much do you really know about the state of Delaware? Well thanks to the Greater Wilmington Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Delaware Economic Development Office we have some fun facts that we’ll share with you about Delaware.

  • Delaware was the first state to ratify the United States constitution. It did so on December 7, 1787.
  • Delaware shares a semi-circular border with Pennsylvania. The border was drawn at the time of the original land grants to William Penn from King Charles II and the Duke of York.
  • The nation's first scheduled steam railroad began in New Castle in 1831.
  • The United States battleship Delaware was commissioned in 1910.
  • Delaware is the only state without any National Park System units such as national parks, seashores, historic sites, battlefields, memorials, and monuments.
  • Delmar is popularized as the little town too big for one state. The community has the distinction of being located partly in Delaware and partly in Maryland.
  • The most historic site in Frederica is Barratt's Chapel east of town. The chapel is where the Methodist Church of America was organized in 1784.
  • Today about 500 descendants of the original Nanticoke Indians reside in Delaware. They celebrate their heritage each September with the Nanticoke Indian Pow Wow.
  • The log cabin originated in Finland. Finnish settlers arrived in Delaware in the mid-1600s and brought with them plans for the log cabin, one of the enduring symbols of the American pioneer. One of the cabins has been preserved and is on display at the Delaware Agricultural Museum in Dover.
  • John Dickinson was called the Penman of the Revolution for his writings on independence. His boyhood home is preserved in Dover.
  • Tradition holds the first time Betsy Ross's famous flag was flown was at the Battle of Cooch's Bridge. This historic site is located on route 4 in Newark.
  • The Blue Hen chicken is the official state bird. The hens were noted for their fighting ability. Delaware is sometimes referred to as the Blue Hen State.
  • The Lady Bug is Delaware's official state bug.
  • Eleven years after the landing of the English pilgrims the first white settlement was made on Delaware soil.
  • In 1785 Oliver Evans of Newport invented the automatic flour-milling machinery that revolutionized the industry.
  • "Our Delaware" is the official state song. The words are by George Hynson, music by William Brown.
  • In total area Delaware ranks 49th in the nation. It contains 1,982 square miles. It is 96 miles long and varies from 9 to 35 miles in width.
  • Ebright Road in New Castle County is the highest state elevation at 442 feet above sea level. The lowest elevation is along the coast at sea level.
  • Thomas Garret lost his entire fortune in his battle against slavery. He was sued by a Maryland slave owner and fined for aiding a black family in flight. Over his lifetime, Garrett reportedly helped more than 2,000 fugitive slaves move through Delaware, an important stop on the Underground Railroad.


Subscribe to our monthly newsletter
Bill Mann

Broker Associate / Owner
Mann & Sons, Inc. REALTORS®
302.542.1696 Cell 302.227.9477 Office
Bill@MannAndSons.com

Originally posted at Mann & Sons, Inc. REALTORS® - Rehoboth Beach Real Estate Blog

Subscribe to the CapeGazette.com Daily Newsletter