100-750: Constitution Park may refer to a park or location in the United States: Constitution Park (Delaware) , a park in Dover, Delaware Constitution Park (Maryland) , a public park in Cumberland Constitution Park (New Hampshire) , a hotel proposed in 2005 in New Hampshire in response to legal rulings around the concept of eminent domain Topics referred to by
200-645: A French Huguenot , emigrated to the United States. Knowledgeable in the manufacture of gunpowder , by 1802 DuPont had begun making the explosive in a mill on the Brandywine River north of Brandywine Village and just outside the town of Wilmington. The DuPont company became a major supplier to the U.S. military. Located on the banks of the Brandywine River , the village was eventually annexed by Wilmington city. The greatest growth in
300-542: A court of equity , is empowered to grant broad relief in the form of injunctions and restraining orders, which is of particular importance when shareholders seek to block or enjoin corporate actions such as mergers or acquisitions. The Court of Chancery, as a statewide court, may hear cases in any of the state's three counties. A dedicated-use Chancery courthouse was constructed in 2003 in Georgetown, Sussex County. It has hosted high-profile complex corporate trials such as
400-539: A hub-and-spoke system from the Dover Transit Center in downtown. They also provide inter-county service to Wilmington on the Route 301, Middletown on the Route 302, Georgetown on the Route 303, and Lewes on the Route 307 and seasonal service to Lewes on the Route 305 "Beach Connection". Wilmington, Delaware Wilmington ( Lenape : Paxahakink / Pakehakink ) is the most populous city in
500-567: A 2020 core metropolitan statistical area population of 6,228,601, representing the seventh largest metropolitan region in the nation, and a combined statistical area population of 7.366 million. Wilmington is built on the site of Fort Christina and the settlement Kristinehamn, the first Swedish settlement in North America. The modern city also encompasses other Swedish settlements, such as Timmerön / Timber Island (along Brandywine Creek ), Sidoland (South Wellington), Strandviken (along
600-644: A consequence, the Kent County government is a major employer in the area. Apart from the state and county governments, Dover's significant employers include Dover Air Force Base , in the southeast corporate limits of the city. The base houses two airlift wings as well as the U.S. military's only mortuary in the continental U.S., which accepts and processes the remains of soldiers killed in battle. In addition, Kraft Foods and Procter & Gamble have manufacturing facilities in Dover. Kraft Foods' Dover plant has been
700-620: A conservation district. The historic districts are the Baynard Boulevard, Kentmere Parkway, Rockford Park, Cool Spring/Tilton Park, the tri-part sections of the Eastside, St. Marys and Old Swedes Church , Quaker Hill , Delaware Avenue, Trinity Vicinity, and Upper/Lower Market Street. The conservation district is Forty Acres. Wilmington has recently overcome its safety woes and is "safer now than it's ever been" with crime at its lowest rate in recent history. Prior to 2018, Wilmington
800-496: A female householder with no husband present, and 39.2% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.98. In the city of Dover the age distribution of the population shows 23.5% under the age of 18, 15.7% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
900-784: A gym with two basketball courts and three volleyball courts, and an indoor walking track; it is home to a variety of fitness classes, sports, and sport leagues. Dover Park offers three tennis courts, a softball field, multipurpose field, two basketball courts, a disc golf course, and two pavilions. Dover is home to several smaller neighborhood parks including City Hall Plaza, Continental Park, Crossgates Park, Division & Kirkwood Streets Park, Kirkwood & Mary Streets Park, Hamlet, Heatherfield East, Mallard Pond, Mayfair Park, Millcreek Park, New & Dover Streets Park, Orville Myers, Paul's Property, Richardson Park, Saulsbury Park, The Green, Turner Drive, Westfield, Westwind Meadows, Williams Park, and Woodbrook. Two newspapers are headquartered in Dover,
1000-737: A large Quaker community that encouraged a sustained emancipation effort in the early 19th century. There were very few slaves in the area, but the institution was supported, if not practiced, by a small majority, who saw to its continuation. The Bradford-Loockerman House , Building 1301, Dover Air Force Base , John Bullen House , Carey Farm Site , Christ Church , Delaware State Museum Buildings , John Dickinson House , Dover Green Historic District , Eden Hill , Delaware Governor's Mansion , Greenwold , Hughes-Willis Site , Loockerman Hall , Macomb Farm , Mifflin-Marim Agricultural Complex , Old Statehouse , Palmer Home , Town Point , Tyn Head Court , and Victorian Dover Historic District are listed on
1100-875: A perennial powerhouse in NCAA Division III football, where they began play in the New Jersey Athletic Conference in 2015, while other sports compete in the Capital Athletic Conference . The Delaware State Hornets compete in NCAA Division I , with football competing at the FCS level of Division I, as a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference made up of other historically black colleges and universities . For one week during
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#17327720223851200-602: A series of wars between the Dutch and English , the area stabilized under British rule, with strong influences from the Quaker communities under the auspices of Proprietor William Penn . A borough charter was granted in 1739 by King George II , which changed the name of the settlement from Willington, after Thomas Willing (the first developer of the land, who organized the area in a grid pattern similar to that of its northern neighbor Philadelphia), to Wilmington, presumably after
1300-798: A special commission of the Delaware General Assembly . 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 ,
1400-404: A total of 440 spaces. Parking lots in downtown Dover contain a mix of permit parking, parking meters , and free two-hour, 15-minute, and handicapped parking spaces along with spaces reserved for tenants and apartments. Parking is free on evenings and weekends. Dover Air Force Base is located within the southeast corporate limits of Dover. Airports near Dover with commercial air service include
1500-564: Is Wilfredo Campos. In 2002, the Wilmington Police Department started a program known to some in the neighborhoods as jump-outs in which unmarked police vans would patrol crime-prone neighborhoods late at night, suddenly converge at street corners where people were loitering and detain them temporarily. Using loitering as probable cause, the police would then photograph, search, and fingerprint everyone present. Along with apprehending anyone with drugs or weapons, it
1600-611: Is a 182-acre park located along Silver Lake and offers fishing, boating, a walking/jogging path that provides views of the lake, a playground, benches, and pavilions. Schutte Park offers a variety of athletic facilities including 10 multipurpose fields, four lighted softball fields, a pavilion, a playground, a cross country course, waking paths, the Dover Little League baseball fields, and the John W. Pitts Recreation Center. The recreation center at Schutte Park has meeting rooms,
1700-698: Is also home to The Children's Theatre, Inc. of Dover and Kent County, a non-profit organization. The Delaware State Library, the Delaware State Museum , and the Delaware State Archives are in downtown Dover and are open to the public for research and browsing. In Dover's historical district is the Sewell C. Biggs Museum of American Art, featuring collections from the Colonial days to the present. An Amish community resides to
1800-419: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Dover, Delaware Dover ( / ˈ d oʊ v ər / DOH -vər ) is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Delaware . It is also the county seat of Kent County and the principal city of the Dover metropolitan statistical area , which encompasses all of Kent County and
1900-433: Is elected directly by the city voters for a four-year term. City council members are elected to staggered four-year terms. There have been four full-time Mayors of Dover to date: James "Hutch" Hutchison from 1994 to 2004; Stephen Speed from 2004 to 2007; Carleton Carey from 2007 to 2014; Robin R. Christiansen since 2014. The Dover Police Department provides police services to the city of Dover. The police department
2000-453: Is governed via the council-manager system with an elected mayor, currently Robin R. Christiansen since 2014. The council consists of nine members, eight of whom are elected from four districts with each district having two members. One member of the council is elected at large. Municipal elections, which are nonpartisan , are held on the third Tuesday in April in odd-numbered years. The mayor
2100-726: Is home to a NASCAR race weekend in late April or early May. The race weekend features the ARCA Menards Series East on Friday, the NASCAR Xfinity Series on Saturday, and the NASCAR Cup Series on Sunday. Located with Dover Motor Speedway is Bally's Dover , a harness horse racing track, hotel and casino. The harness track is located within the NASCAR track. The two colleges in town are both active in sports. The Wesley College Wolverines are
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#17327720223852200-554: Is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km ), or 1.32%, is water. Dover has a warm temperate climate or humid subtropical climate ( Köppen Cfa ). Summers are hot and humid, with 25 days per year reaching or surpassing 90 °F (32 °C). Brief, but heavy summer thunderstorms are common. Winters are moderated by the Delaware Bay and the partial shielding of the Appalachians , though there are normally 8−9 days when
2300-593: Is led by Chief John Looney and maintains five engine companies, two ladder companies, a rescue squad company, and a marine company (fireboat) fire fighting fleet. Emergency medical services are provided through contract with the city's St. Francis Hospital, whose EMS division operates a minimum five BLS transport units at all times of the day. Advanced Life Support services in the City of Wilmington are provided by New Castle County's EMS Division with two city-based medic units. All Wilmington firefighters since 2002 are trained to
2400-472: Is led by a Chief of Police, currently Thomas Johnson, and consists of 101 officers, responding to 43,000 calls a year. The Dover Police Department is composed of several sworn police units along with civilian units. Fire protection in Dover is provided by the Dover Fire Department, a volunteer fire department which has served the city since 1882 and operates two stations in Dover. Station 1
2500-578: Is located in Wilmington. The prison is often referred to as the "Gander Hill Prison" after the neighborhood it is located in. The prison opened in 1982. Many Wilmington City workers belong to one of several Locals of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union. The city of Wilmington is made up of the following neighborhoods: The City of Wilmington designates nine areas as historic districts and one area as
2600-634: Is located on a former Pennsylvania Railroad line, later operated by Penn Central , Conrail , and Norfolk Southern and now operated by the Delmarva Central Railroad as its Delmarva Subdivision. Into the 1950s multiple PRR passenger trains daily, on a Philadelphia - Cape Charles, Virginia circuit, made stops in Dover, including the Del-Mar-Va Express and the night train, the Cavalier. Passenger service ended when
2700-833: Is located on the premises of the Dover Air Force Base. This school is unusual in that it is run not by the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), but by the Caesar Rodney School District. The former Dover Opera House, built in 1904, was renovated and converted to the Schwartz Center for the Arts, which hosted performances by the Dover Symphony Orchestra, ballet, and classic films. The Schwartz Center for
2800-805: Is now the Delaware State University Downtown campus. Campus Community School , a public charter school, is located on the Wesley College grounds. It is also home to the Terry Campus of the Delaware Technical Community College and that college's administrative offices. Dover also has satellite locations of the University of Delaware and Wilmington University . Three public school districts serve Dover residents. The majority of
2900-640: Is part of the Philadelphia – Wilmington – Camden , PA – NJ –DE– MD , combined statistical area . It is located on the St. Jones River in the Delaware River coastal plain. It was named by William Penn for Dover in Kent , England (for which Kent County is named). As of 2020, its population was 39,403. The city is named after Dover , Kent , in England . First recorded in its Latinised form of Portus Dubris ,
3000-421: Is spread rather evenly year-round. See or edit raw graph data . In 2010, Dover had a population of 36,047 people. During the census of 2000, there were 32,135 people, 12,340 households, and 7,502 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,435.0 inhabitants per square mile (554.1/km ). There were 13,195 housing units at an average density of 589.2 per square mile (227.5/km ). According to
3100-519: Is the department's headquarters and houses Engines 4, 6, and 7; Ladder 2; Rescue 1; Brush 9; and Marine 1. The Dover Fire Department Museum is also located at the headquarters. Station 2 houses Engines 2 and 3; Ladder 1; Utility 1; and the foam trailer. Dover is the only state capital in the United States with a volunteer fire department. Federally, Dover is part of Delaware's at-large congressional district , represented by Democrat Lisa Blunt Rochester , first elected in 2016. The state's senior member of
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3200-474: The Dover Post , printed weekly and online, and the daily Delaware State News . Kent County is within the Philadelphia television market , with the local Xfinity cable system carrying most channels from that city, alongside Salisbury stations WBOC-TV 16 ( CBS ), WMDT 47 ( ABC ), WCPB 28 ( PBS ), and low-powered NBC affiliate WRDE-LD 31. WBOC-TV maintains a bureau in Dover, and WHYY-TV 12,
3300-465: The 2020 United States census , there were 70,898 people, 31,754 households, and 13,572 families residing in the city. As of the census of 2010, there were 70,851 people, 28,615 households, and 15,398 families residing in the city. The population density was 6,497.6 inhabitants per square mile (2,508.7/km ). There were 32,820 housing units at an average density of 3,009.9 per square mile (1,162.1/km ) and with an occupancy rate of 87.2%. The racial makeup of
3400-532: The 2020 census , its population grew to 39,403 people. In 2010, the racial makeup of the city was 48.3% White , 42.2% African American , 2.7% Asian , 0.5% Native American , 0.1% Pacific Islander , 2.1% from other races , and 4.1% from two or more races; 6.6% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. In 2000, the racial makeup of the city was 54.9% White, 37.2% African American, 0.5% Native American, 3.2% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.6% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races; 4.1% of
3500-724: The Blue Diamond was discontinued on December 31, 1965. In later years, Dover was served by special Amtrak trains to NASCAR races at Dover International Speedway and the Delaware State Fair in Harrington . Today, the rail line is just used for local freight. The closest passenger rail station is the Wilmington station in Wilmington, served by Amtrak's Northeast Corridor and SEPTA Regional Rail 's Wilmington/Newark Line . DART First State provides local bus service throughout Dover and Kent County, radiating as
3600-601: The Delaware River near Simonds Garden) and Översidolandet (along the Christina River , near Woodcrest and Ashley Heights). The area now known as Wilmington was settled by the Lenape (or Delaware Indian) band led by Sachem (Chief) Mattahorn just before Henry Hudson sailed up the Len-api Hanna ("People Like Me River", present Delaware River ) in 1609. The area was called "Maax-waas Unk" or "Bear Place" after
3700-638: The Disney shareholder litigation . Because Delaware is the official state of incorporation for so many American companies, the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, located in Wilmington, is one of the busiest of the 94 federal bankruptcy courts located around the United States. Delaware has among the strictest rules in the U.S. regarding out-of-state legal practice, allowing no reciprocity to lawyers who passed
3800-587: The Dover Mall situated along this corridor and serving as the area's only shopping mall. One weekend a year in the spring, NASCAR races are held at Dover Motor Speedway , attracting about 65,000 spectators. Attendance at the races is much lower than in the 1990s and 2000s, when 140,000 spectators sometimes came. The races bring in increased patronage for local businesses, and hotels and motels sell out weeks in advance. Many race fans camp in RVs and tents adjacent to
3900-473: The National Register of Historic Places . On August 4, 2020, Hurricane Isaias produced an EF2 tornado that struck the city. Trees were significantly damaged, including some that fell on homes, roofing was blown off a middle school, a warehouse had metal walls torn off, some tractor trailers were blown over and a garage was severely damaged. Damage in Dover was rated EF1. The tornado would be on
4000-514: The Philadelphia metropolitan area). Wilmington was named by Proprietor Thomas Penn after his friend Spencer Compton , Earl of Wilmington , who was prime minister during the reign of George II of Great Britain . As of the 2020 census , the city's population was 70,898. Wilmington is part of the Delaware Valley metropolitan statistical area (which also includes Philadelphia , Reading , Camden , and other urban areas), which had
4100-459: The U.S. state of Delaware . The city was built on the site of Fort Christina , the first Swedish settlement in North America. It lies at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek , near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River . It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley metropolitan area (synonymous with
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4200-907: The Wilmington Airport in Wilmington, the Wicomico Regional Airport in Salisbury, Maryland , the Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport in Baltimore , and the Philadelphia International Airport in Philadelphia . Other general aviation airports near Dover include Chandelle Estates Airport to the northeast of the city, Delaware Airpark near Cheswold , and Jenkins Airport near Wyoming . Dover
4300-441: The poverty line , including 19.6% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over. In 2021, the median household income for a household in the city was $ 51,073 (~$ 57,427 in 2023) and 20.5% of the population lived at or below the poverty line. Delaware's largest employer is also Dover's: the state government. A large portion, but not all, of the state's bureaucracy is in and around Dover. Wilmington , in northern Delaware and
4400-413: The 1950s, more people began living in the suburbs of North Wilmington and commuting into the city to work. This was made possible by extensive upgrades to area roads and highways and through the construction of Interstate 95 , which cut through several of Wilmington's neighborhoods and accelerated the city's population decline. Urban renewal projects in the 1950s and 1960s cleared entire blocks of housing in
4500-501: The Arts closed on June 30, 2017, due to financial issues. The Kent County Theatre Guild was founded in 1953 and presents a five-show season at the organization's theater, the Patchwork Playhouse. It is run solely by volunteers, who handle everything from governance and building maintenance to set construction, acting and directing. It is open to anyone interested in participating in or learning about live theater. Dover
4600-686: The British Prime Minister Spencer Compton , Earl of Wilmington , who took his title from Wilmington, East Sussex , in southern England. Although during the American Revolutionary War only one small battle was fought in Delaware, British troops occupied Wilmington shortly after the nearby Battle of Brandywine on September 11, 1777. The British remained in the town until they vacated Philadelphia in 1778. In 1800, Eleuthère Irénée du Pont ,
4700-744: The Center City and East Side areas. The Wilmington riot of 1968 , a few days after the April 4 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. , became national news. On April 9, Governor Charles L. Terry, Jr. deployed the National Guard and the Delaware State Police to the city at the request of Mayor John Babiarz. Babiarz asked Terry to withdraw the National Guard the following week, but the governor kept them in
4800-746: The Christina River, the Coastal Plain land is flat, low-lying, and in places marshy. The Delaware River here is an estuary at sea level (with twice-daily high and low tides), providing sea-level access for ocean-going ships. On the western side of Market Street, the Piedmont topography is rocky and hilly, rising to a point that marks the watershed between the Brandywine River and the Christina River. This watershed line runs along Delaware Avenue westward from 10th Street and Market Street. These contrasting topography and soil conditions affected
4900-544: The City Council President. The Council President is elected by the entire city. The Mayor of Wilmington is also elected by the entire city. The current mayor of Wilmington is Mike Purzycki (D). The current city council members are listed in the table below. The Delaware Department of Correction Howard R. Young Correctional Institution , renamed from Multi-Purpose Criminal Justice Facility in 2004 and housing both pretrial and posttrial male prisoners,
5000-565: The Delaware headquarters of: Wilmington Trust (now a branch of M&T Bank , after Wilmington Trust merged with M&T in 2011), PNC Bank , Wells Fargo , JPMorgan Chase , HSBC , Citizens Bank , Wilmington Savings Fund Society , and Artisans' Bank), and legal services. A General Motors plant was closed in 2009. Wilmington is home to one Fortune 500 company, E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company . Science and Technology are also thriving as companies such as Incyte , Chemours , Corteva , Solenis and ZipCode call Wilmington home. In addition,
5100-709: The Dutch post Fort Casimir , located at the site of the present town of New Castle , which was built by the Dutch in 1651. Rising governed New Sweden until the autumn of 1655, when a Dutch fleet under the command of Peter Stuyvesant subjugated the Swedish forts and established the authority of the Colony of New Netherland throughout the area formerly controlled by the Swedes. This marked the end of Swedish rule in North America. Beginning in 1664, British colonization began; after
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#17327720223855200-403: The EMT-B level and serve as first responders for life-threatening emergencies. Much of Wilmington's economy is based on its status as the most populous and readily accessible city in Delaware, a state that made itself attractive to corporations with business-friendly financial laws and a longstanding reputation for a fair and effective judicial system. Contributing to the economic health of
5300-574: The Eagle Creek Golf Course (Must have military I.D.) on the Dover Air Force Base. Historically, Dover hosted a farm team of the Philadelphia Phillies in the Eastern Shore Baseball League . It also served as an affiliate of the minor-league Baltimore Orioles . The teams were variously known as the Senators, Dobbins, Orioles, and Phillies . In 2008, there was high attendance for the NASCAR races and Delaware State's football team making its first FCS tournament appearance. Combat Zone Wrestling held its yearly Tournament of Death in Dover twice. Dover
5400-520: The Maax-waas Hanna (Bear River) that flowed by (present Christina River ). It was called the Bear River because it flowed west to the "Bear People", who are now known as the People of Conestoga or the Susquehannocks . The Dutch heard and spelled the river and the place as Minguannan . When settlers and traders from the Swedish South Company under Peter Minuit arrived in March 1638 on the Fogel Grip and Kalmar Nyckel , they purchased Maax-waas Unk from Chief Mattahorn and built Fort Christina at
5500-420: The PBS member station in Philadelphia, maintains a studio and broadcasting facility in Dover. WHYY programming is seen locally on WDPB-TV channel 64 from Seaford (part of the Salisbury television market). WDDE , Delaware's first NPR station, launched in August 2012. It broadcasts on 91.1 FM. Delaware was the last state in the nation to have an NPR station located within its borders. Dover Motor Speedway
5600-433: The United States Senate is Democrat Tom Carper , first elected in 2000. The state's junior member of the United States Senate is Democrat Chris Coons , first elected in 2010. The governor of Delaware is Democrat John Carney , first elected in 2016. The most prominent highway serving Dover is the Delaware Route 1 toll road, which is the main route to Wilmington and the Delaware Beaches . It passes east of downtown, with
5700-411: The age of 18 living with them, 23.5% were married couples living together, 24.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 46.2% were non-families. 38.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.18. In
5800-432: The area. In recent years, increasing development has led to the decline in the number of Amish living in the community, with some moving to areas with cheaper farmland and less traffic, such as Michigan, Upstate New York, Illinois, Kentucky, and southern Virginia. The City of Dover Parks & Recreation Department maintains several parks in the city, consisting of three larger parks and 27 smaller parks. Silver Lake Park
5900-427: The average number of shooting incidents from 2003 through 2017, which is 108, the 72 shooting incidents in 2018 represent a 33% decrease over the 15-year period average. The Wilmington Police Department (WPD), is authorized to deploy up to 289 officers in motor vehicles, on foot, and on bicycle. Its operations are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. As of 2023, its chief of police
6000-408: The average seasonal total is 20.2 inches (51 cm). Extremes in temperature have ranged from −15 °F (−26 °C) on February 9, 1934, up to 107 °F (42 °C) on August 7, 1918, though both 100 °F (38 °C)+ and 0 °F (−18 °C) readings are uncommon; the last occurrence of each was July 18, 2012 and February 5, 1996, respectively. See or edit raw graph data . As of
6100-471: The cap on interest rates that banks may legally charge customers. Major credit card issuers such as Barclays Bank of Delaware (formerly Juniper Bank ), are headquartered in Wilmington. The Dutch banking giant ING Groep N.V. headquartered its U.S. internet banking unit, ING Direct (now Capital One 360), in Wilmington. Wilmington Trust is headquartered in Wilmington at Rodney Square . Barclays and Capital One 360 have very large and prominent locations along
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#17327720223856200-473: The characteristics of a satellite city to Philadelphia, but Wilmington's long history as Delaware's principal city, its urban core, and its independent value as a business destination makes it more properly considered a small but independent city in the Philadelphia metropolitan area . Wilmington lies along the Fall Line geological transition from the Mid-Atlantic Piedmont Plateau to the Atlantic Coastal Plain . East of Market Street, and along both sides of
6300-457: The city is served by the Capital School District , which includes Dover High School . The southern portion of Dover is served by the Caesar Rodney School District , which includes Caesar Rodney High School located just outside the city in Camden . The Polytech School District , which includes Polytech High School located in Woodside , serves as an overlay district for vocational-technical students. The Dover Air Force Base Middle School
6400-424: The city is the corporate domicile of more than 50% of the publicly traded companies in the United States, and over 60% of the Fortune 500. Delaware chartered corporations rely on the state's Court of Chancery to decide legal disputes, which places legal decisions with a judge instead of a jury. The Court of Chancery, known both nationally and internationally for its speed, competence, and knowledgeable judiciary as
6500-413: The city occurred during the Civil War . Delaware, though officially remaining a member of the Union , was a border state and divided in its support of both the Confederate and the Union causes. The war created enormous demand for goods and materials supplied by Wilmington including ships, railroad cars, gunpowder, shoes, and other war-related goods. By 1868, Wilmington was producing more iron ships than
6600-563: The city until his term ended in January 1969. This is reportedly the longest occupation of an American city by state forces in the nation's history. In the 1980s, job growth and office construction were spurred by the arrival of national banks and financial institutions in the wake of the 1981 Financial Center Development Act, which liberalized the laws governing banks operating within the state, and similar laws in 1986. Today, many national and international banks, including Bank of America , Capital One , Chase , and Barclays , have operations in
6700-564: The city was $ 32,884, and the median income for a family was $ 37,352. Males working full-time had a median income of $ 41,878 versus $ 36,587 for females working full-time. The per capita income for the city was $ 24,861. 27.6% of the population and 24.9% of families were below the poverty line. 45.7% of those under the age of 18 and 16.5% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. The Wilmington City Council consists of thirteen members. The council consists of eight members who are elected from geographic districts, four elected at-large and
6800-553: The city was 58.0% African American , 32.6% White , 0.4% Native American , 1.0% Asian , <0.1% Pacific Islander , 5.4% from other races , and 2.6% from two or more races. 12.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Non-Hispanic Whites were 27.9% of the population in 2010, compared to 40.5% in 1990. As of the census of 2000, the largest ethnicities included: Irish (8.7%), Italian (5.7%), German (5.2%), English (4.4%), and Polish (3.6%). There were 28,615 households, out of which 25.0% had children under
6900-413: The city, the age distribution of the population shows 24.4% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.4 males. According to ACS one-year estimates for 2010, the median income for a household in
7000-458: The city, typically credit card operations. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 17.0 square miles (44 km ), of which 10.9 square miles (28 km ) is land and 6.2 square miles (16 km ) is water. The total area is 36.25% water. The city sits at the confluence of the Christina and Delaware rivers , approximately 33 miles (53 km) southwest of Philadelphia . Wilmington Train Station , one of
7100-400: The clock. Other industries produced such goods as automobiles, leather products, and clothing. In desperate need of workers more and more minorities moved to the north and settled in places like Wilmington. This led to tensions that occasionally boiled over like the Wilmington, Delaware race riot of 1919 . The post-war prosperity again pushed residential development further out of the city. In
7200-661: The daily high remains below freezing and 15 nights with lows below 20 °F (−7 °C). Snow is typically light and sporadic, averaging only 13.2 inches (34 cm) per year, and does not usually remain on the ground for long. The hardiness zone is 7b. Spring and autumn provide transitions of reasonable length and are similar, though spring is wetter. The monthly mean temperature ranges from 36.0 °F (2.2 °C) in January to 77.9 °F (25.5 °C) in July. The annual total precipitation of around 47.61 inches (1,209.3 mm)
7300-479: The development of the city's first comprehensive park system. William Poole Bancroft , a successful Wilmington businessman influenced by the work of Frederick Law Olmsted , led the effort to establish open parkland in Wilmington. Rockford Park and Brandywine Park were created due to Bancroft's efforts. Both World Wars stimulated the city's industries. Industries vital to the war effort – shipyards, steel foundries, machinery, and chemical producers – operated around
7400-444: The downtown and Wilmington Riverfront regions has been the presence of Wilmington Station , through which 665,000 people passed in 2009. Wilmington has become a national financial center for the credit card industry, largely due to regulations enacted by former Governor Pierre S. du Pont IV in 1981. The Financial Center Development Act of 1981, among other things, eliminated the usury laws enacted by most states, thereby removing
7500-531: The ground for tracked 35.78 miles (57.58 km), becoming the longest-tracked tornado in the state, but there were no casualties. Dover is located at 39°09′29″N 75°31′28″W / 39.15806°N 75.52444°W / 39.15806; -75.52444 (39.1581680, −75.5243682). According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 22.7 square miles (59 km ), of which 22.4 square miles (58 km )
7600-522: The homicide total of 2016 despite only being 2/3 through the year. In 2014, Wilmington recorded 28 homicides, making for a rate of 39.5 per 100,000 residents, which is ten times the national average. Wilmington frequently appears on NeighborhoodScout's "Top 100 Most Dangerous Cities in the United States" list. In 2017, Wilmington was ranked as the 5th most dangerous city in the US. Nearby cities such as Camden, New Jersey, and Chester, Pennsylvania, also ranked in
7700-416: The industrial and residential development patterns within the city. The hilly west side was more attractive for the original residential areas, offering springs and sites for mills , better air quality , and fewer mosquitoes . Wilmington has a warm temperate climate or humid subtropical climate ( Köppen Cfa ), with hot and humid summers, cool to cold winters, and precipitation evenly spread throughout
7800-537: The main commercial strip of Dover on the multi-lane, divided Dupont Highway. An alternate route of U.S. Route 13, U.S. Route 13 Alternate , passes through downtown Dover on Governors Avenue. Delaware Route 8 is the main east–west route through Dover, passing through downtown on Division Street and West Dover on Forrest Avenue. It continues west toward Maryland to provide access to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge . Delaware Route 15 passes north–south through
7900-607: The middle of July every year, Dover also hosts the Big League ( Little League 16–18) Eastern Regionals, attracting teams from all of New England and the Mid-Atlantic. There are several golf courses located near Dover. They include the Maple Dale Country Club in Dover, Wild Quail Country Club near Camden, Jonathan's Landing Golf Course near Magnolia, Dover Center Par 3 and Driving Range in Dover, and
8000-587: The mouth of the Maax-waas Hanna (which the Swedes renamed the Christina River after Queen Christina of Sweden ). The area was also known as "The Rocks", and is located near the foot of present-day Seventh Street. Fort Christina served as the headquarters for the colony of New Sweden which consisted of, for the most part, the lower Delaware River region (parts of present-day Delaware , Pennsylvania , and New Jersey ), but few colonists settled there. Dr. Timothy Stidham (Swedish: Timen Lulofsson Stiddem )
8100-536: The name derives from the Brythonic word for waters ( dwfr in Middle Welsh ). The same element is present in the town's French (Douvres) and Modern Welsh (Dofr) forms. Dover was founded as the court town for newly established Kent County in 1683 by William Penn , the proprietor of the territory generally known as the " Lower Counties on the Delaware." Later, in 1717, the city was officially laid out by
8200-609: The plant that manufactures Jell-O since 1964, when it relocated from LeRoy, New York . The P&G plant makes Pampers Baby Fresh wipes. ILC Dover , in nearby Frederica , produces fabrics for military and aerospace uses and is the primary contractor for production of the Apollo and Skylab spacesuits, as well as the spacesuit assembly for the Space Shuttle 's Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU). Several local and national retailers and restaurants line US 13 through Dover, with
8300-522: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. By 2021, the American Community Survey estimated its racial makeup was 41.5% non-Hispanic white , 40.5% African American, 0.6% Native American, 2.4% Asian, 9.7% two or more races, and 8.1% Hispanic or Latino of any race. As of 2000, there were 12,340 households, out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.4% were married couples living together, 16.7% had
8400-546: The precise location of his grave is unknown. A cenotaph in his honor is erected in the cemetery of the Christ Episcopal Church near The Green in Dover. Dover and Kent County were deeply divided over the issue of slavery , and the city was a "stop" on the Underground Railroad because of its proximity to slave-holding Maryland and free Pennsylvania and New Jersey . It was also home to
8500-450: The rest of the country combined and it rated first in the production of gunpowder and second in carriages and leather. Due to the prosperity Wilmington enjoyed during the war, city merchants and manufacturers expanded Wilmington's residential boundaries westward in the form of large homes along tree-lined streets. This movement was spurred by the first horsecar line, which was initiated in 1864 along Delaware Avenue. The late 19th century saw
8600-430: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Constitution Park . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Constitution_Park&oldid=351568704 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
8700-639: The southernmost stops on Philadelphia's SEPTA rail transportation system, is also served by Northeast Corridor Amtrak passenger trains. Wilmington is served by I-95 and I-495 within city limits. In addition, the twin-span Delaware Memorial Bridge , a few miles south of the city, provides direct highway access between Delaware and New Jersey, carrying the I-295 eastern bypass route around Wilmington and Philadelphia, as well as US 40 , which continues eastward to Atlantic City, New Jersey . These transportation links and geographic proximity give Wilmington some of
8800-541: The state's largest city, has many state offices and employees one might expect to find in the state capital, including the headquarters of the Office of the Attorney General , especially as many large American corporations maintain nominal offices in that city to register their Delaware corporation . Dover is one of the fastest-growing areas in Delaware, due in large part to the relatively low cost of living. As
8900-560: The toll portion ending near the Dover Air Force Base and DE 1 continuing south on Bay Road. U.S. Route 113 formerly ran along Bay Road from Milford to US 13 near the State Capitol Complex, but was decommissioned north of Milford in 2004 to avoid the concurrency with DE 1 between the Dover Air Force Base and Milford. The main north–south highway through central Dover is U.S. Route 13 , which runs through
9000-487: The top 15. In early 2017, the mayor's office as well as many public advocates called for comprehensive action to reduce astronomical crime rates in Wilmington, as the city saw a shooting almost every other day throughout the spring, and by May, the city had already seen 15 homicides. According to the WPD's 2018 Compstat report, shooting incidents have decreased to a level not seen in Wilmington in more than 15 years. When compared to
9100-490: The track. These races, and in recent years adjacent slot machine gambling at Bally's Dover , contribute millions of dollars to Dover's economy. Firefly Music Festival has been held in the Woodlands of Dover Motor Speedway every summer since 2012. Dover is home to Delaware State University , a land-grant university and Delaware's only historically black university . The city was also home to Wesley College , which
9200-572: The waterfront of the Christina River . In 1988, the Delaware legislature enacted a law which required a would-be acquirer to capture 85 percent of a Delaware chartered corporation's stock in a single transaction or wait three years before proceeding. This law strengthened Delaware's position as a safe haven for corporate charters during an especially turbulent time filled with hostile takeovers. Wilmington's other notable industries include insurance (American Life Insurance Company [ALICO], Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Delaware), retail banking (including
9300-516: 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 '20s and '30s, but rebounding from the 60's to present. The area is home to several Amish businesses selling items such as Amish food, furniture, quilts, and handmade crafts. Every September, the Amish Country Bike Tour , the largest bike ride in Delaware, takes place in
9400-440: The western part of Dover along Hazlettville Road, West North Street, Saulsbury Road, and McKee Road. Dover is one of only four state capitals not served by an Interstate highway . Pierre, South Dakota ; Jefferson City, Missouri ; and Juneau, Alaska are the other three state capitals with this distinction. Parking in the downtown area of Dover consists of free on-street two-hour parking and five off-street parking lots offering
9500-525: The year. In July, the daily average is 76.8 °F (24.9 °C), with an average 21 days of 90 °F (32 °C)+ highs annually. Summer thunderstorms are common in the hottest months. The January daily average is 32.4 °F (0.2 °C), although temperatures may occasionally reach 10 °F (−12 °C) or 55 °F (13 °C) as fronts move toward and past the area. Snowfall is light to moderate, and variable, with some winters bringing very little of it and others witnessing several major snowstorms;
9600-422: Was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.1 males. In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $ 38,669, and the median income for a family was $ 48,338. Males had a median income of $ 34,824 versus $ 26,061 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 19,445. About 11.5% of families and 13.8% of the population were below
9700-590: Was a prominent citizen and doctor in Wilmington. He was born in 1610, probably in Hammel, Denmark, and raised in Gothenburg , Sweden. He arrived in New Sweden in 1654 and is recorded as the first physician in Delaware. The most important Swedish governor was Colonel Johan Printz , who ruled the colony under Swedish law from 1643 to 1653. He was succeeded by Johan Rising , who upon his arrival in 1654, seized
9800-585: Was consistently ranked among the most dangerous cities in the United States, along with several other cities in the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area , such as Camden , Trenton , and Atlantic City , New Jersey, and Chester, Pennsylvania . In the 2000s, while most cities had seen a decrease in crime and murder, Wilmington had broken its record for homicides in a single year multiple times. In 2017, Wilmington saw an even steeper increase in crime. By August 2017, Wilmington had already eclipsed
9900-628: Was the location of many rallies, troop reviews, and other patriotic events. To this day, The Green remains the heart of Dover's historic district and is the location of the Delaware Supreme Court and the Kent County Courthouse. Dover was most famously the home of Caesar Rodney , the popular wartime leader of Delaware during the American Revolution . He is known to have been buried outside Dover, but
10000-524: Was thought that this program would improve the police's database of fingerprints and eye-witnesses for use in future crime investigations. Some citizens protested that such a practice was a violation of civil rights . Also in 2002, the entire downtown business district was placed under video monitoring. Wilmington was the first city in the United States to monitor the entire business district using video monitoring. The city claims this has helped prevent and reduce crime. The Wilmington Fire Department (WFD)
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