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A Walking Tour of Dover, Delaware
Shortly after sailing up the Delaware river on the ship Welcome in 1682 to take possession of his land, William Penn issued a directive to his chief surveyor in Kent and Sussex to lay out a town of Dover. But Penn’s instructions contained no instructions as to its exact location. The selection of the site was not made until 1694 and when a courthouse was built in 1697 it was in advance of any Town. In fact, it would be another 20 years before the Town would be laid out and lots sold.
It was during the American Revolution that Dover became the capital of Delaware. With the threat of British raiders along the coast the state government moved from New Castle to a presumably safer location inland. The business of government - Dover is also the Kent County seat -propelled the settlement to its position as the second city of the First State.
At the turn of the 20th century Dover looked like most towns with a diverse mix of popular Victorian buildings standing among older stock. That all changed in 1909 after the Old State House underwent a restoration. For the next 20 years Dover experienced a steady march to re-make as much of the surrounding area as possible in a similar Colonial Revival style. Since that time most of the new commercial and civic buildings in the City have been designed in that style.
Our walking tour will begin on a lush square lawn that was once the site of fairs and markets under majestic elm trees, a stretch of ground that has been the historic heart of Dover for over 200 years...
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