Dover, Delaware
Encyclopedia
The city of Dover is the capital and second largest city in the U.S. state
of Delaware
. It is also the county seat of Kent County
, and the principal city of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Kent County. 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. As of 2010, the city had a population of 36,047.
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 a special commission of the Delaware General Assembly
. The capital of the state of Delaware was moved here from Newcastle 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, Newcastle, 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. 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 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 a large Quaker community that encouraged a sustained emancipation effort in the early nineteenth 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.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 22.7 square miles (58.8 km²), of which 22.4 square miles (58 km²) is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²), or 1.32%, is water
.
Dover has a humid subtropical climate
(Köppen
Cfa) with four distinct seasons. Winters are cool, but conditions then are moderated by the Delaware Bay
and the partial shielding of the Appalachians. Snow is typically light, averaging 14 inches (35.6 cm), falling a few inches (<10 cm) at a time, and does not usually remain on the ground for long. Spring and autumn provide transitions of reasonable length and are similar, though spring is more wet. Summers are hot and humid, with 29 days per year reaching or surpassing 90 °F (32 °C). Monthly mean temperatures range from 35.3 °F (1.8 °C) in January to 77.8 °F (25.4 °C) in July. Rainfall is spread rather evenly year-round.
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 people per square mile (554.1/km²). There were 13,195 housing units at an average density of 589.2 per square mile (227.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 54.94% White
, 37.22% African American
, 0.45% Native American
, 3.16% Asian
, 0.04% Pacific Islander
, 1.57% from other races
, and 2.62% from two or more races. 4.13% of the population were Hispanic or Latino
of any race.
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 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 population was spread out with 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 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.
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 the poverty line, including 19.6% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.
since 2007. The council consists of nine members, eight of whom are elected from districts with each district having two members. One member of the council is elected at large.
There have been three full-time Mayors of Dover to date: James "Hutch" Hutchison
from 1994 to 2004; Stephen Speed from 2004 to 2007; and Carleton Carey
from 2007 to present.
The mayor is elected directly by the city voters for a two-year term. Municipal elections are held every year, with half the city council members up for re-election each year.
Federally, Dover is part of Delaware's At-large congressional district
, represented by Democrat John C. Carney, Jr.
, elected in 2010 and a former lieutenant governor of Delaware.
The state's senior member of the United States Senate is Democrat Tom Carper, elected in 2000. The state's junior member of the United States Senate is Democrat Chris Coons. The governor of Delaware is Democrat Jack Markell, elected in 2008.
Delaware's largest employer is also Dover's – the state government. A large portion, but not all, of the state's bureaucracy is located in and around Dover. However, like some other American states, Delaware's capital is not its largest city. Consequently, Wilmington
, in the northern part of the state and its largest city, has many state offices and employees one would normally expect to find in the state capital, including the headquarters of the Office of the Attorney General
.
Dover is one of the fast-growing areas in the state of Delaware, due in large part to the relatively low cost of living. As a consequence, the Kent County government is a major employer in the area as well. Apart from the state and county governments, Dover's significant employers include Dover Air Force Base
, located within 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 United States, which accepts and processes the remains of soldiers killed in battle. In addition, Kraft Foods
and Procter & Gamble
have manufacturing facilities in Dover. ILC Dover
, in nearby Frederica, is the producer of fabrics for military and aerospace uses, along with being 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).
Two weekends a year, NASCAR
stock car races are held at Dover International Speedway
, attracting over 100,000 spectators and visitors and temporarily making Dover the state's largest city. These races, and in recent years adjacent slot machine
gambling, contribute millions of dollars to Dover's economy.
Dover is the only state capital in the United States with a volunteer fire department
.
The main north–south highway through Dover is U.S. Route 13
, which runs through 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. The Delaware Route 1 turnpike, which provides the main route to Wilmington
and the Delaware beaches, passes to the east of Dover. It ends near the Dover Air Force Base and DE 1 continues south on Bay Road. U.S. Route 113
formerly ran along Bay Road from Milford to US 13 near the State Capitol Complex, however it was decommissioned in 2004 to avoid the concurrency with DE 1 between the Dover Air Force Base and Milford. 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
. Dover is one of only five state capitals not served by an interstate highway. Pierre, South Dakota
; Jefferson City, Missouri
; Carson City, Nevada
; and Juneau, Alaska
are the other four state capitals with this distinction.
Dover Air Force Base
is located within the southeast corporate limits of Dover, however the closest sizable civilian airport to Dover is the New Castle Airport
in New Castle
. The closest airports with commercial air service to Dover include the Wicomico Regional Airport
in Salisbury, Maryland
, the Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
in Baltimore, Maryland, and the Philadelphia International Airport
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
.
Dover is located on a former Pennsylvania Railroad
line, which is now served by Norfolk Southern. At one time Dover had a daily Amtrak
passenger service; however, the line now is just used for local freight. The closest passenger rail station is the Amtrak station
in Wilmington
.
DART First State
provides weekday local bus service
throughout Dover, radiating from the Water Street Transfer Center in downtown. They also provide inter-county service
to Wilmington
and Georgetown
and seasonal service to Rehoboth Beach
.
Greyhound Lines
are provided as inter-city bus transportation.
, a land-grant university
and Delaware's only historically black university, and Wesley College. 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 high schools serve Dover residents. Caesar Rodney High School
, in the Caesar Rodney School District
(located just outside the city in Camden
); Dover High School
, in the Capital School District
; and Polytech High School
, in the Polytech School District
(located in Woodside
).
The Dover Air Force Base Middle School
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, but by the Caesar Rodney School District.
Dover 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.
, printed weekly and online, and the daily Delaware State News. WBOC-TV
maintains a bureau in Dover, and WHYY-TV
maintains a studio and broadcasting facility in Dover.
is home to two NASCAR
race weekends, one in May or June and one in September. Within Dover International Speedway is Dover Downs
, a harness horse racing
track.
The two colleges in town are both very active in sports, with Wesley being a perennial powerhouse in its conference
in Division III football and Delaware State
making the FCS playoffs for the first time in 2007.
For one week during 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 course
s 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 the Dover Air Base 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 a minor-league affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles
. The teams were variously known as the Senators, Dobbins, Orioles, and Phillies.
In 2008 Sporting News ranked Dover 215th in its list of the 400 Best Sports Cities based on the year October 2007 - October 2008, a year which saw high attendance for the NASCAR races and Delaware State's football team making its first FCS tournament appearance.
Combat Zone Wrestling
holds its yearly Tournament of Death in Dover.
referred to Dover, Delaware as the destination for an all-expenses paid holiday in a comedy routine spoofing a quiz show, and country music singer Garth Brooks
refers to the city in the song "Cold Shoulder" on his 1991 album, Ropin' the Wind
.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
. It is also the county seat of Kent County
Kent County, Delaware
Kent County is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is coextensive with the Dover, Delaware, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 the population was 162,310, a 28.1% increase over the previous decade. The county seat is Dover, the state capital...
, and the principal city of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Kent County. It is located on the St. Jones River
St. Jones River
The St. Jones River is a river flowing to Delaware Bay in central Delaware in the United States. It is long and drains an area of on the Atlantic Coastal Plain. The river is believed to have been named either for Robert Jones, an early European property owner in the region, or for "St. Jone",...
in the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
coastal plain. It was named by William Penn
William Penn
William Penn was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was an early champion of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations and successful...
for Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England. As of 2010, the city had a population of 36,047.
History
Dover was founded as the court town for newly established Kent CountyKent County, Delaware
Kent County is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is coextensive with the Dover, Delaware, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010 the population was 162,310, a 28.1% increase over the previous decade. The county seat is Dover, the state capital...
in 1683 by William Penn
William Penn
William Penn was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was an early champion of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations and successful...
, the proprietor of the territory generally known as the "Lower Counties on the Delaware." Later, in 1717, the city was officially laid out by a special commission of the Delaware General Assembly
Delaware General Assembly
The Delaware General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the Delaware Senate with 21 Senators and the Delaware House of Representatives with 41 Representatives...
. The capital of the state of Delaware was moved here from Newcastle in 1777 because of its central location and relative safety from British raiders on the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
. 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
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located 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...
, Lewes
Lewes, Delaware
Lewes is an incorporated city in Sussex County, Delaware, USA, on the Delmarva Peninsula. According to the 2010 census, the population is 2,747, a decrease of 6.3% from 2000....
, Dover, Newcastle, 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. To this day, The Green remains the heart of Dover's historic district and is the location of the Delaware Supreme Court
Delaware Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Delaware is the sole appellate court in the United States' state of Delaware. Because Delaware is a popular haven for corporations, the Court has developed a worldwide reputation as a respected source of corporate law decisions, particularly in the area of mergers and...
and the Kent County Courthouse.
Dover was most famously the home of Caesar Rodney
Caesar Rodney
Caesar Rodney was an American lawyer and politician from St. Jones Neck in Dover Hundred, Kent County, Delaware, east of Dover...
, the popular wartime leader of Delaware during the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. He is known to have been buried outside Dover, but the precise location of his grave is unknown. A cenotaph
Cenotaph
A cenotaph is an "empty tomb" or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been interred elsewhere. The word derives from the Greek κενοτάφιον = kenotaphion...
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
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
, and the city was a "stop" on the Underground Railroad
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
because of its proximity to slave-holding Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
and free Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. It was also home to a large Quaker community that encouraged a sustained emancipation effort in the early nineteenth 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.
Geography
Dover is located at 39°09′43"N 75°31′36"W (39.161921, −75.526755).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 22.7 square miles (58.8 km²), of which 22.4 square miles (58 km²) is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²), or 1.32%, is water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
.
Dover has a humid subtropical climate
Humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
(Köppen
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Cfa) with four distinct seasons. Winters are cool, but conditions then are moderated by the Delaware Bay
Delaware Bay
Delaware Bay is a major estuary outlet of the Delaware River on the Northeast seaboard of the United States whose fresh water mixes for many miles with the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. It is in area. The bay is bordered by the State of New Jersey and the State of Delaware...
and the partial shielding of the Appalachians. Snow is typically light, averaging 14 inches (35.6 cm), falling a few inches (<10 cm) at a time, and does not usually remain on the ground for long. Spring and autumn provide transitions of reasonable length and are similar, though spring is more wet. Summers are hot and humid, with 29 days per year reaching or surpassing 90 °F (32 °C). Monthly mean temperatures range from 35.3 °F (1.8 °C) in January to 77.8 °F (25.4 °C) in July. Rainfall is spread rather evenly year-round.
Demographics
In 1890, 3,061 people lived in Dover; in 1900, 3,329; in 1910, 3,720; and in 1940, 5,517. As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 32,135 people, 12,340 households, and 7,502 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,435.0 people per square mile (554.1/km²). There were 13,195 housing units at an average density of 589.2 per square mile (227.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 54.94% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 37.22% African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.45% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 3.16% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.04% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.57% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.62% from two or more races. 4.13% of the population were Hispanic or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
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
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 16.7% had 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
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
of Dover the population was spread out with 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 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.
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
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $19,445. About 11.5% of families and 13.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.6% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Dover is governed via the manager-council system with an elected mayor, currently Carleton CareyCarleton Carey
Carleton E. Carey Sr. is an American politician who has served as the Mayor of Dover, Delaware, the capital of the U.S. state of Delaware, since 2007. Carey is Dover's third full-time mayor....
since 2007. The council consists of nine members, eight of whom are elected from districts with each district having two members. One member of the council is elected at large.
There have been three full-time Mayors of Dover to date: James "Hutch" Hutchison
James Hutchison (American politician)
James L. "Hutch" Hutchison Sr. is an American politician. Hutchison served as the first full-time Mayor of Dover, Delaware, from 1994 to 2004. Hutchison is a member of the Republican Party. However, Dover's mayoral office is officially nonpartisan....
from 1994 to 2004; Stephen Speed from 2004 to 2007; and Carleton Carey
Carleton Carey
Carleton E. Carey Sr. is an American politician who has served as the Mayor of Dover, Delaware, the capital of the U.S. state of Delaware, since 2007. Carey is Dover's third full-time mayor....
from 2007 to present.
The mayor is elected directly by the city voters for a two-year term. Municipal elections are held every year, with half the city council members up for re-election each year.
Federally, Dover is part of Delaware's At-large congressional district
Delaware's At-large congressional district
Delaware's At-large congressional district is a congressional district that includes the entire U.S. state of Delaware.It is currently represented by Democrat John C. Carney, Jr., the former Lieutenant Governor of Delaware.-Voting:-History:...
, represented by Democrat John C. Carney, Jr.
John C. Carney, Jr.
John Charles Carney, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Democratic Party. He was the 24th Lieutenant Governor of Delaware from 2001 to 2009...
, elected in 2010 and a former lieutenant governor of Delaware.
The state's senior member of the United States Senate is Democrat Tom Carper, elected in 2000. The state's junior member of the United States Senate is Democrat Chris Coons. The governor of Delaware is Democrat Jack Markell, elected in 2008.
Economy
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located 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...
, in the northern part of the state and its largest city, has many state offices and employees one would normally expect to find in the state capital, including the headquarters of the Office of the Attorney General
Delaware Attorney General
The Attorney General of Delaware is a constitutional officer of the U.S. state of Delaware, and is the chief law officer and the head of the State Department of Justice.-Description of the office:...
.
Dover is one of the fast-growing areas in the state of Delaware, due in large part to the relatively low cost of living. As a consequence, the Kent County government is a major employer in the area as well. Apart from the state and county governments, Dover's significant employers include Dover Air Force Base
Dover Air Force Base
Dover Air Force Base or Dover AFB is a United States Air Force base located two miles southeast of the city of Dover, Delaware.-Units:...
, located within 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 United States, which accepts and processes the remains of soldiers killed in battle. In addition, Kraft Foods
Kraft Foods
Kraft Foods Inc. is an American confectionery, food and beverage conglomerate. It markets many brands in more than 170 countries. 12 of its brands annually earn more than $1 billion worldwide: Cadbury, Jacobs, Kraft, LU, Maxwell House, Milka, Nabisco, Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia, Trident, Tang...
and Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble
Procter & Gamble is a Fortune 500 American multinational corporation headquartered in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio and manufactures a wide range of consumer goods....
have manufacturing facilities in Dover. ILC Dover
ILC Dover
ILC Dover, LP is an engineering development and manufacturing company based in Frederica, Delaware. ILC specializes in the use of high-performance flexible materials, serving the aerospace, personal protection, and pharmaceutical industries.Best known for making space suits for NASA, ILC...
, in nearby Frederica, is the producer of fabrics for military and aerospace uses, along with being the primary contractor for production of the Apollo
Project Apollo
The Apollo program was the spaceflight effort carried out by the United States' National Aeronautics and Space Administration , that landed the first humans on Earth's Moon. Conceived during the Presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower, Apollo began in earnest after President John F...
and Skylab
Skylab
Skylab was a space station launched and operated by NASA, the space agency of the United States. Skylab orbited the Earth from 1973 to 1979, and included a workshop, a solar observatory, and other systems. It was launched unmanned by a modified Saturn V rocket, with a mass of...
spacesuits, as well as the spacesuit assembly for the Space Shuttle
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...
's Extravehicular Mobility Unit
Extravehicular Mobility Unit
The Space Shuttle/International Space Station Extravehicular Mobility Unit is an independent anthropomorphic system that provides environmental protection, mobility, life support, and communications for a Space Shuttle or International Space Station crew member to perform extra-vehicular activity...
(EMU).
Two weekends a year, NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
stock car races are held at Dover International Speedway
Dover International Speedway
Dover International Speedway is a NASCAR-sanctioned race track located in Dover, Delaware, owned by, and serving as the corporate headquarters of, Dover Motorsports, Inc. It is co-located with a harness racing track, Dover Downs, and shares the complex with Dover Downs Hotel & Casino...
, attracting over 100,000 spectators and visitors and temporarily making Dover the state's largest city. These races, and in recent years adjacent slot machine
Slot machine
A slot machine , informally fruit machine , the slots , poker machine or "pokies" or simply slot is a casino gambling machine with three or more reels which spin when a button is pushed...
gambling, contribute millions of dollars to Dover's economy.
Dover is the only state capital in the United States with a volunteer fire department
Volunteer fire department
See also the Firefighter article and its respective sections regarding VFDs in other countries.A volunteer fire department is a fire department composed of volunteers who perform fire suppression and other related emergency services for a local jurisdiction.The first organized force of...
.
Transportation
U.S. Route 13
U.S. Route 13 is a north–south U.S. highway established in 1926 that runs for from Interstate 95 just north of Fayetteville, North Carolina to the northeastern suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Morrisville. In all, it traverses five states in the Atlantic coastal plain region,...
, which runs through 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. The Delaware Route 1 turnpike, which provides the main route to Wilmington
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located 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...
and the Delaware beaches, passes to the east of Dover. It ends near the Dover Air Force Base and DE 1 continues south on Bay Road. U.S. Route 113
U.S. Route 113
U.S. Route 113 is a spur of US 13 in the U.S. states of Maryland and Delaware. The U.S. Highway runs from US 13 in Pocomoke City, Maryland north to Delaware Route 1 in Milford, Delaware...
formerly ran along Bay Road from Milford to US 13 near the State Capitol Complex, however it was decommissioned in 2004 to avoid the concurrency with DE 1 between the Dover Air Force Base and Milford. Delaware Route 8
Delaware Route 8
Delaware Route 8 is a state highway located in Kent County, Delaware. It runs from Maryland Route 454 at the Maryland border near Marydel, Maryland east to an intersection with Delaware Route 9 north of Little Creek. The route passes through the heart of Delaware's capital, Dover, on Division...
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
Chesapeake Bay Bridge
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge is a major dual-span bridge in the U.S. state of Maryland. Spanning the Chesapeake Bay, it connects the state's rural Eastern Shore region with the more urban Western Shore. The original span opened in 1952 and, at the time, with a length of , it was the world's longest...
. Dover is one of only five state capitals not served by an interstate highway. Pierre, South Dakota
Pierre, South Dakota
Pierre is the capital of the U.S. state of South Dakota and the county seat of Hughes County. The population was 13,646 at the 2010 census, making it the second least populous state capital after Montpelier, Vermont...
; Jefferson City, Missouri
Jefferson City, Missouri
Jefferson City is the capital of the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Cole County. Located in Callaway and Cole counties, it is the principal city of the Jefferson City metropolitan area, which encompasses the entirety of both counties. As of the 2010 census, the population was 43,079...
; Carson City, Nevada
Carson City, Nevada
The Consolidated Municipality of Carson City is the capital of the state of Nevada. The words Consolidated Municipality refer to a series of changes in 1969 which abolished Ormsby County and merged all the settlements contained within its borders into Carson City. Since that time Carson City has...
; and Juneau, Alaska
Juneau, Alaska
The City and Borough of Juneau is a unified municipality located on the Gastineau Channel in the panhandle of the U.S. state of Alaska. It has been the capital of Alaska since 1906, when the government of the then-District of Alaska was moved from Sitka as dictated by the U.S. Congress in 1900...
are the other four state capitals with this distinction.
Dover Air Force Base
Dover Air Force Base
Dover Air Force Base or Dover AFB is a United States Air Force base located two miles southeast of the city of Dover, Delaware.-Units:...
is located within the southeast corporate limits of Dover, however the closest sizable civilian airport to Dover is the New Castle Airport
New Castle Airport
New Castle Airport , also known as the New Castle County Airport, is a public airport located in unincorporated New Castle County, Delaware, United States and four miles south of the central business district of the city of Wilmington....
in New Castle
New Castle, Delaware
New Castle is a city in New Castle County, Delaware, six miles south of Wilmington, situated on the Delaware River. In 1900, 3,380 people lived here; in 1910, 3,351...
. The closest airports with commercial air service to Dover include the Wicomico Regional Airport
Wicomico Regional Airport
Salisbury-Ocean City Wicomico Regional Airport , or, more succinctly Wicomico Regional Airport, is located in unincorporated Wicomico County, Maryland, 5 miles from downtown Salisbury, Maryland. This airport is the only commercially served airport on the Delmarva peninsula and brings on average...
in Salisbury, Maryland
Salisbury, Maryland
-Demographics:Salisbury is the principal city of the Salisbury-Ocean Pines CSA, a Combined Statistical Area that includes the Salisbury metropolitan area and the Ocean Pines micropolitan area , which had a combined population of 176,657 at the 2010 census.As of the census of 2000, there were...
, the Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport is an international airport serving the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area in the United States. It is commonly called BWI, BWI Airport or BWI Marshall, BWI being an initialism for "Baltimore/Washington International" and the...
in Baltimore, Maryland, and the Philadelphia International Airport
Philadelphia International Airport
Philadelphia International Airport is a major airport in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, and is the largest airport in the Delaware Valley region and in Pennsylvania...
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
.
Dover is located on a former Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
line, which is now served by Norfolk Southern. At one time Dover had a daily Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
passenger service; however, the line now is just used for local freight. The closest passenger rail station is the Amtrak station
Wilmington Station (Delaware)
Joseph R. Biden Jr. Railroad Station, normally called Wilmington Station, is a passenger rail station in Wilmington, Delaware, formerly known as Pennsylvania Station. The station is located on Front Street between French and Walnut Streets in downtown Wilmington...
in Wilmington
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located 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...
.
DART First State
DART First State
The Delaware Transit Corporation, trading as DART First State is the primary public transportation system that operates throughout Delaware, USA...
provides weekday local bus service
DART First State Kent County bus routes
DART First State operates 14 bus routes Mondays through Fridays with some Saturday service out of the Water Street Transfer Center in Dover. These routes are numbered in the 100-series....
throughout Dover, radiating from the Water Street Transfer Center in downtown. They also provide inter-county service
DART First State inter-county bus routes
DART First State operates two year-round inter-county bus routes and a third seasonal inter-county bus route which serves coastal communities in Sussex County, Delaware.-External links:* *...
to Wilmington
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located 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...
and Georgetown
Georgetown, Delaware
Georgetown is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to 2010 census figures, the population of the town is 6,422, an increase of 38.3% over the previous decade...
and seasonal service to Rehoboth Beach
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Rehoboth Beach is a city in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population is 1,327, a decrease of 11.2% from 2000...
.
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
are provided as inter-city bus transportation.
Education
Dover is home to Delaware State UniversityDelaware State University
Delaware State University , is an American historically black, public university located in Dover, Delaware, and there are two satellite campuses located in Wilmington, Delaware, and Georgetown, Delaware...
, a land-grant university
Land-grant university
Land-grant universities are institutions of higher education in the United States designated by each state to receive the benefits of the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890....
and Delaware's only historically black university, and Wesley College. It is also home to the Terry Campus of the Delaware Technical & Community College
Delaware Technical & Community College
Delaware Technical & Community College is the community college system in the state of Delaware with locations in four cities. It was created by the Delaware General Assembly in 1966 by House Bill 529. The college is fully accredited and several curricula have been accredited by various...
and that college's administrative offices. Dover also has satellite locations of the University of Delaware
University of Delaware
The university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
and Wilmington University
Wilmington University
Wilmington University is a private educational institution, with its main campus located in New Castle near Wilmington, Delaware. It was founded in 1968 as Wilmington College and was granted university status on September 10, 2007, after approval by the Board of Trustees and the Middle States...
.
Three public high schools serve Dover residents. Caesar Rodney High School
Caesar Rodney High School
Caesar Rodney High School is a high school located in Camden-Wyoming, Delaware south of Dover, DE. The school is in Caesar Rodney School District. The school's enrollment is over 2,800...
, in the Caesar Rodney School District
Caesar Rodney School District
The Caesar Rodney School District is a public school district based in Wyoming, Delaware . The current superintendent is Dr. Kevin Fitzgerald, former principal of the high school.-Geography:The district covers a area in central Kent County....
(located just outside the city in Camden
Camden, Delaware
Camden is a town in Kent County, Delaware, United States. It is part of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,464 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Camden is located at ....
); Dover High School
Dover High School (Delaware)
Dover High School is a notable high school located in Dover, Delaware.-Administration:Dover High School has a principal, Eugene Montaño, and assistant principals Courtney Cooper, Tiff McCullough, and Kevin Turner....
, in the Capital School District
Capital School District
Capital School District is a public school district in Kent County, Delaware in the United States. It serves the greater Dover area.-Geography:The district covers a area in central Kent County....
; and Polytech High School
Polytech High School
Polytech High School is located in Woodside, Delaware. Polytech High School is a vocational high school that was a vocational school in the 1960s and changed to a regular high school in 1991. Polytech takes all students in Kent County Delaware which they start off in freshman year...
, in the Polytech School District
Polytech School District
Polytech School district is a public school district in Kent County, Delaware, United States. It includes Polytech High School and the Polytech adult education program.-External links:* * *...
(located in Woodside
Woodside, Delaware
Woodside is a town in Kent County, Delaware, United States. It is part of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 181 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Woodside is located at ....
).
The Dover Air Force Base Middle School
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
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, but by the Caesar Rodney School District.
Culture
The former Dover Opera House, built in 1904, was renovated and converted to the Schwartz Center for the Arts, which hosts performances by the Dover Symphony Orchestra, ballet, and classic films.Dover 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.
Media
Two newspapers are headquartered in Dover, the Dover PostDover Post
The Dover Post is a weekly newspaper and online website published in Dover, Delaware.The parent company of The Dover Post is GateHouse Media, a U.S. newspaper publisher, headquartered in Fairport, New York, that publishes 97 dailies in 20 states and 198 paid weeklies, in addition to free papers,...
, printed weekly and online, and the daily Delaware State News. WBOC-TV
WBOC-TV
WBOC-TV, channel 16 , is a CBS affiliate based in Salisbury, Maryland, USA. WBOC-TV is owned by the Draper Holdings Business Trust, with its main studios in Salisbury, secondary studios/office facilities in Dover and Milton, Delaware, and transmitter in Laurel, Delaware...
maintains a bureau in Dover, and WHYY-TV
WHYY-TV
For the former channel 12 in Wilmington, see WVUE .WHYY-TV, channel 12, is a non-commercial educational television station licensed to Wilmington, Delaware, USA...
maintains a studio and broadcasting facility in Dover.
Sports
Dover International SpeedwayDover International Speedway
Dover International Speedway is a NASCAR-sanctioned race track located in Dover, Delaware, owned by, and serving as the corporate headquarters of, Dover Motorsports, Inc. It is co-located with a harness racing track, Dover Downs, and shares the complex with Dover Downs Hotel & Casino...
is home to two NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
race weekends, one in May or June and one in September. Within Dover International Speedway is Dover Downs
Dover Downs
Dover Downs Gaming & Entertainment ownes Dover Downs Hotel & Casino a hotel and casino that has a racing facility that holds harness horse racing on a track and NASCAR events on a concrete surface. The Sprint Cup track is now known as Dover International Speedway, and the Dover Downs name is...
, a harness horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
track.
The two colleges in town are both very active in sports, with Wesley being a perennial powerhouse in its conference
Atlantic Central Football Conference
The Atlantic Central Football Conference is a college athletic conference which competes in football only in the NCAA Division III...
in Division III football and Delaware State
Delaware State Hornets football
The Delaware State University Hornets football team plays at 7,193-seat Alumni Stadium located in Dover, Delaware. The facility opened in 1957 as a multi-purpose for football, and track and field. The Hornets compete in Division I FCS, and are full-members of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference...
making the FCS playoffs for the first time in 2007.
For one week during the middle of July every year, Dover also hosts the Big League (Little League
Little League
Little League Baseball and Softball is a non-profit organization in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, United States which organizes local youth baseball and softball leagues throughout the U.S...
16-18) Eastern Regionals, attracting teams from all of New England and the Mid-Atlantic.
There are several golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
s 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 the Dover Air Base Golf Course (Must have military I.D.) on the Dover Air Force Base.
Historically, Dover hosted a farm team of the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
in the Eastern Shore Baseball League
Eastern Shore Baseball League
The Eastern Shore Baseball League was a Class D minor league baseball league that operated on the Delmarva Peninsula for parts of three different decades. The league's first season was in 1922 and the last was in 1949, although the years were not consecutive, and featured teams from Maryland,...
. It also served as a minor-league affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
. The teams were variously known as the Senators, Dobbins, Orioles, and Phillies.
In 2008 Sporting News ranked Dover 215th in its list of the 400 Best Sports Cities based on the year October 2007 - October 2008, a year which saw high attendance for the NASCAR races and Delaware State's football team making its first FCS tournament appearance.
Combat Zone Wrestling
Combat Zone Wrestling
Combat Zone Wrestling is a independent wrestling promotion. In 1999, John Zandig and four of his students, Ric Blade, Lobo, Nick Gage and Justice Pain began to run backyard wrestling shows in New Jersey and Delaware, showcasing a brand of hardcore wrestling dubbed as "ultraviolence"...
holds its yearly Tournament of Death in Dover.
Notable residents
- Madison BrengleMadison BrengleMadison Brengle is an American professional tennis player.-Background:Brengle has won two ITF singles and three ITF doubles titles in her career, and has achieved a ranking on the women's WTA Tour of World Number 152 on April 18, 2011...
, rising tennis star playing for the Delaware Smash - Robert CrumbRobert CrumbRobert Dennis Crumb —known as Robert Crumb and R. Crumb—is an American artist, illustrator, and musician recognized for the distinctive style of his drawings and his critical, satirical, subversive view of the American mainstream.Crumb was a founder of the underground comix movement and is regarded...
, underground artist who lived in Dover from 1959–1961 - Mike MeadeMike MeadeMike Meade is a former running back in the National Football League.-Career:Meade was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 1982 NFL Draft and played two seasons with the team before playing two seasons with the Detroit Lions. He played at the collegiate level at Pennsylvania...
, NFL player born in Dover - Teri PoloTeri PoloTheresa Elizabeth "Teri" Polo is an American actress known for her role of Pam Focker in the movie Meet the Parents and its two sequels, Meet the Fockers and Little Fockers...
, actress born in Dover - Ian SnellIan SnellIan Dante Snell is an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. From -, he went by the name Ian Oquendo, adopting the last name of his wife, and during the 2009 World Baseball Classic he went by Ian Davila-Snell, adopting his stepfather's surname...
, Seattle MarinersSeattle MarinersThe Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
pitcher - Rob TornoeRob TornoeRob Tornoe is the political cartoonist for Politicker.com, a network of state-oriented political websites owned by The New York Observer. He is a member of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists and provides cartoons to The Press of Atlantic City, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The News...
, nationally syndicated, award-winning cartoonist who attended Dover High School)
Pop culture references
George CarlinGeorge Carlin
George Denis Patrick Carlin was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, actor and author, who won five Grammy Awards for his comedy albums....
referred to Dover, Delaware as the destination for an all-expenses paid holiday in a comedy routine spoofing a quiz show, and country music singer Garth Brooks
Garth Brooks
Troyal Garth Brooks , best known as Garth Brooks, is an American country music artist who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon. His eponymous first album was released in 1989 and peaked at number 2 in the US country album chart while climbing to number 13 on the Billboard 200 album chart...
refers to the city in the song "Cold Shoulder" on his 1991 album, Ropin' the Wind
Ropin' the Wind
Ropin' the Wind is the third studio album by American country music artist Garth Brooks. It was released on September 10, 1991 and was his first studio album to debut at #1 the Billboard 200 chart and the Top Country Albums chart...
.