State of the Week: Delaware [Archive]

xzmattzx

February 19th, 2008, 04:54 PM

STATE INFORMATION:

State Population (2007): 864,000
New Castle County Population (2006): 526,000
Kent County Population (2006): 148,000
Sussex County Population (2006): 180,000

State Bird: Blue Hen Chicken
The Blue Hen Chicken was chosen for the state bird because the bird became synonymous with Delaware citizens during the Revolutionary War. A battalion was created in 1775, and some soldiers brought along blue hen chickens for cockfighting during spare time. The blue hens developed a reputation as aggresive. ferocious, and winners. Similarly, Delaware fighters in the War also developed a reputation of ferocity and prowess, and the name was used to apply to Delaware militiamen.

State Tree: American Holly
The American Holly was chosen as the state tree because it can be found throughout the entire state: both in the hilly woodlands of the northern part of Delaware, and in the marshlands and swamplands of the southern part of Delaware.

State Flower: Peach Blossom
The peach blossom was chosen as the state flower because of the thriving peach-growing industry that Delaware noce had. Peaches had been growing on farms in Delaware since colonial times, and when the railroad went through the state, the industry boomed. Peaches were grown in the late 1800's along the western part of the state, from Middletown to Seaford, and were taken by railroad to be sold throughout the Northeast.

xzmattzx

February 19th, 2008, 05:32 PM

Delaware's modern history starts with the first Europeans to come to what is now the state. The Swedes arrived in present-day Wilmington in 1638. Their Fort Christina settlement, and nearby settlements that collectively made up New Sweden, became Sweden's only attempt at colonization in the New World. This was not the first European settlement in Delaware, however. The Dutch had established the colony of Zwaanendael at present-day Lewes in 1631 as a whaling port. The colony was wiped out after local Indians killed all of the occupants.

Old Swedes Church, at 7th & Church Streets. Old Swedes Church is the oldest church in continuous use in the United States, dating back to 1698.

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One of several historical markers in Fort Christina Park.

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The monument in Fort Christina Park, dedicated in March 1938 to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the founding of the Swedish colony.

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The Rocks at Fort Christina Park, which were used by the Swedes as a wharf when they first landed in the New World.

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The Swedes came over to the New World on two ships: The Kalmar Nyckel and the Fogel Grip. The Kalmar Nyckel was re-created in the late 1990's and is the state of Delaware's official Tall Ship.

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Almost nothing of the Zwaandendael colony exists anymore. The largest sign of Dutch settlement in Lewes is the Zwaanendael Museum, which as built in 1931 to celebrate the 300th Anniversary of the Zwaanendael Colony and is modelled after the town hall in Hoorn, The Netherlands.

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Silver Springer

February 19th, 2008, 07:50 PM

xzmattzx, I know you've been waiting for this one. Great place to start a business!

Evergrey

February 19th, 2008, 10:08 PM

"Imagine being magically whisked away to... Delaware. Hi. I'm in Delaware."

FloridaFuture

February 20th, 2008, 02:24 AM

I love all of that history, thanks for posting xzmattzx. :)

Geaux Tigers

February 20th, 2008, 03:05 PM

"Imagine being magically whisked away to... Delaware. Hi. I'm in Delaware."

Nice!! Wayne's World!:lol:

Xusein

February 20th, 2008, 06:32 PM

Great pics of the first state! :D

xzmattzx

February 21st, 2008, 03:34 AM

Very few people know of Delaware's extremely rich Black history. Delaware was an interesting state before the Civil War, and was a slave state but had the highest population of Free Blacks of any state in the country. Also, while slavery was legal, Quakers were prominent in the northern part of the state, particularly Wilmington, and so Delaware was one place where Abolitionism got it's start. The number of Free Blacks in the state made the state the center of African American culture in the early decades of the nation. The nation's first Black church, the Union Church of Africans, was started in Wilmington by Bishop Peter Spencer. Additionally, the August Quarterly, the nation's oldest Arfican American festival, was started in Wilmington in 1813.

The Underground Railroad was huge in Delaware, since the large number of Free Blacks and the border with Pennsylvania made the state the "home stretch" for runaway slaves. Harriet Tubman, an escaped slave herself from Cambridge, Maryland, on the Delmarva Peninsula, led hundreds of slaves from Cambridge to Wilmington over the course of several years. Once in Wilmington, slaves were helped by people such as Thomas Garrett, a prominent Quaker merchant. Garrett eventually was caught helping slaves, and lost every possession that he owned in court for his actions.

The gravesite of Peter Spencer, the founder of the nation's first Black church and the nation's first Black festival.

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Friends Meeting House on the northwest corner of 4th & West Streets in Wilmington. Quakers were vehemently against slavery, and anti-slavery sentiment in Wilmington was centered around this Quaker house of worship. The surrounding neighborhood is known as Quaker Hill, since the meetinghouse sits on top of a small hill.

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This house on the southeast corner of 4th & West Streets in Wilmington is one of many stops on the Underground Railroad in Delaware. Unfortunately, very few stops exist today. It is rumored that an underground tunnel connects the basement of this house with the Christina River, just a few blocks away.

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Tubman-Garrett Park, on Rosa Parks Drive at Market Street and Water Street in the Riverfront area of Wilmington, was created in the 1990's and is named for Harriet Tubman and Thomas Garrett, two people who played a very important role on the Underground Railroad and who did so in Wilmington.

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This building was once Hockessin School #107C. The school was a Colored school, built in 1920. Before desegregation, busing was not provided for Blacks or for schools for Blacks. One student, Shirley Bulah, needed busing to get to school because she lived far away from this school. Since buses were not available for Blacks, they tried to get the school bus for Whites to pick her up. Officials refused, and Shirley's mother filed a suit. The lawsuit became Bulah vs. Gebhart, and Delaware Chancellor Collins J. Seitz overturned the segregation law. The ruling was appealed, and the case went to the U.S. Supreme Court, where it was combined along with 2 other cases with the Brown vs. Board of Education case which struck down segregation nationwide.

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A statue of Louis Redding, the attorney that represented Shirley Bulah's mother, Sarah, in the Bulah vs. Gebhart landmark case. Redding was considered the best Black attorney in Delaware in his time.

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Howard High School, opened up in 1928 with money from Pierre S. DuPont to build a new school building. Founded in 1867, the school was named for Civil War General Oliver Otis Howard. Howard High School became Delaware's best school for Blacks after receiveing money from P.S. DuPont. In the early 1900's the DuPont family became prominent philanthropists, helping the state in many ways. P.S. DuPont became known for funding schools, both for Whites and Blacks.

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NaptownBoy

February 21st, 2008, 04:05 PM

Is Delaware southern?

xzmattzx

February 21st, 2008, 04:43 PM

Is Delaware southern?

No, it's a Northeast state but it is somewhat of a gateway to the South. The bottom half of the state feels more Southern, but it is part of the waterman culture (also found in the Chesapeake Bay area in Maryland and Virginia, and in the Outer Banks area of North Carolina) as opposed to a true Southern culture.

The northern half of the state is similar to other parts of the Northeast, both geographically and culturally. The top of Delaware is hilly and somewhat rocky, like the terrain found in Pennsylvania. Being on the fall line, cities like Wilmington and Newark thrived with factories powered by water mills. The most prominent company set up along one of our creeks and rivers was DuPont.

As to why I would say that even the lower part of the state is connected to the Northeast instead of the Southeast, I would say that it is because the Delaware River/Bay was the route that connected most of the state together. The river and bay also connected the state to Philadelphia and hence to the rest of the Northeast. There was a smaller connection to the Chesapeake Bay watershed, which connected the state to Baltimore. Obviously, any land route could only go northward before heading in another direction. This northernmost part of Delaware then was connected to Northeast trade routes and pikes (and later to Northeast railroads).

It is interesting that such a small state has diverse landscapes and cultures. The northern landscape of hilly woodlands can be found in the northern part of the state; pinelands and swamplands (even a cypress swamp) can be found in the southern part of the state; and along the entire Delaware River/Bay, marshlands can be found. Culturally, the northern part of the state had the same architecture and philosophies in colonial times, then continued to have Northern traits when manufacturing came. The southern part of the state has always been an agricultural area, with fishing also playing a very large role along the Delaware Bay.

KennyDE302

February 22nd, 2008, 12:46 AM

ah the home state, the first state, the diamond state and so on... Delaware is a unique state with fast talking, business savy people in the north and a more laid back population in the south. route 1 traffic jams in the summer time are a nightmare. home of tax free shopping, no professional sports teams, 800,000 thousand residents, should reach 1,000,000 by 2025 i believe. with all these things said i still wouldnt want to live anywhere but... Delaware!!!

xzmattzx

February 22nd, 2008, 03:04 AM

Actually, we are closing in on 900,000 residents. We had 864,764 residents as of 2007, and the population continues to go up.

Evergrey

February 22nd, 2008, 04:11 AM

Delaware should get an NHL team.

xzmattzx

February 22nd, 2008, 04:33 AM

Delaware has an interesting wartime history, for the little wartime history that it has. The Revolutionary War and the Civil War did not play a role in Delaware, for the most part, despite the surrounding states playing big roles for both wars (especially with Philadelphia in the Revolutionary War). Delaware did see action in the War of 1812, when the British tried to take the town of Lewes in 1814. In World War II, no place saw any real action, besides Hawaii, but Delaware mobilized for the war like any other state.

Only one battle during the Revolutionary War was fought in Delaware: the Battle of Cooch's Bridge. This battle was more of a skirmish, as local militiamen took the responsibility of trying to stall the British as they marched to Philadelphia from nearby Elkton, Maryland. Using guerilla tactics and hiding in the banks of Christina Creek, the militiamen stalled the British for a couple days. Legend has it that the Stars & Stripes were flown for the first time in battle at Cooch's Bridge.

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In the War of 1812, the British tried to take the town of Lewes, at the mouth of Delaware Bay. In April 1813, the British began firing on Lewes. Lewes, at the time, did not stretch out to the Delaware Bay, and water access was limited to Lewes Creek. The British ships were too big to sail into the creek, and so the spit of land between the town and the Delaware Bay was big enough to make most cannon shots ineffective. No human casualties were reported, and after a few days of firing, the British had to give up. The Cannonball House, built in 1797 on Front Street, was one of the few structures hit by cannon fire. The spot where a cannonbal hit the house can still be seen to this day.

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Fort Delaware, on Pea Patch Island in the Delaware River, is located near Delaware City. The fort never saw any action, but it was built in 1859 primarily to protect Philadelphia, Wilmington, and smaller ports from the inevitable war between the states. Once the war started, since fighting took place in the South, the fort began to be used as a Prisoner of War camp. Most Confederate P.O.W.s from the Battle of Gettysburg were sent to Fort Delaware, and the P.O.W. population in the tent barracks surrounding the fort swelled from 12,000 to over 40,000. Inhumane living conditions led to the fort eventually being called the "Andersonville of the North".

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Fort Miles was developed in 1940 with a World War just beginning. When the U.S. entered World War II, Fort Miles was used to guard the Delaware coast and Delaware Bay from Nazi U-Boats, which were occasionally seen offshore in Delaware. Towers were built along the Delaware coast to keep watch, with most towers being located in Fort Miles and the Cape Henlopen area. Fort Miles saw almost no action, however, and only fired its guns in defense once during the entire war. Fort Miles has the distinction of having a U-Boat surrender to them; in 1945, the Nazis began Operation Seawolf, which was to sink as many American vessels along the American shoreline as possible in a desperate attempt to win the war. Germany surrendered before any U-Boats could begin the operation, but on U-Boat had made it to the U.S. U-858 surrendered at Fort Miles on May 14, 1945, and was the first Nazi vessel to surrender to Allied troops.

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Evergrey

February 24th, 2008, 02:01 AM

what is "Delaware cuisine"?

xzmattzx

February 24th, 2008, 03:09 AM

Delaware doesn't have any cuisine to truly call its own. That is kind of how Delaware's culture is: Delaware's identity is that it has no identity. This applies to a lot more things than food; outsiders have nothing to establish an identity for Delaware.

One thing that people used to eat around here and can still be found in a couple restaurants in the state is muskrat. I have never heard of people in other places eating muskrat. If there was one thing that I had to pick as Delaware cuisine, that would be it. General Mid-Atlantic cuisine applies here, as well: scrapple, subs and hoagies, pork rolls, etc. Delaware does have some culinary institutions to call its own, like Capriotti's Subs, Cassapulla's Subs, Grotto Pizza, Charcoal Pit burgers and ice cream, and some other places. Many of the Delaware restaurants that have become institutions in the state have expanded into neighboring states where Delawareans have moved, in areas that could be considered suburbs of Wilmington and Newark: Elkton MD, Avondale PA, Kennett Square PA, and even Pennsville NJ.

Evergrey

February 24th, 2008, 04:34 AM

Are mushrooms popular in Delaware? I know that area just north of Delaware in the Avondale / Kennett Square area is the biggest mushroom growing area in the country.

doctorjef

February 24th, 2008, 09:57 PM

Since moving here I haven't noticed mushrooms being unusually prominent on Delaware restaurant menus or as ingredients in dishes -- not more so than other places.

In terms of Delaware cuisine, I did run across something that I think is absolutely brilliant -- shrimp and grits with what amounts to red eye gravy. I've no idea where this recipe comes from, but it seems regional at least.

Actually, I think the idea that Delaware has no identifiable state culture is a little like the English complaining they have no national identity, in contrast to the Scots who have a very strong sense of identity, and even in contrast to the national identity of Wales. Actually, it's not that there's no specifically English culture and identity, it's just that the places that are used as reference points have much stronger national/regional institutions and folkways -- so if you're comparing the local culture and identity of Delawareans to that of Texas, for example, Delaware is going to look pale by comparison.

xzmattzx

February 25th, 2008, 12:47 AM

Are mushrooms popular in Delaware? I know that area just north of Delaware in the Avondale / Kennett Square area is the biggest mushroom growing area in the country.

Actually, part of Delaware is Mushroom Country as well. The area of Delaware near Avondale and Kennett Square has a large number of mushroom farms. The four places that are considered Mushroom Country are Kennett Square, Avondale, and Landenberg in Pennsylvania, and Hockessin in Delaware.

Mushrooms aren't any more popular than they are anywhere else, though. No one in my family likes mushrooms, so I never see any trends in local purchases, however.

Hockessin doesn't play up the mushroom business like they do in Pennsylvania. Kennett Square has a Mushroom Festival, and Landenberg has a Mushroom Queen and Mushroom Parade.

snookums

February 25th, 2008, 01:27 AM

No, it's a Northeast state but it is somewhat of a gateway to the South. The bottom half of the state feels more Southern, but it is part of the waterman culture (also found in the Chesapeake Bay area in Maryland and Virginia, and in the Outer Banks area of North Carolina) as opposed to a true Southern culture.

Actually, Delaware is a "border state" that was once more Southern :yes:

As you pointed out:
-Delaware had slavery; albeit not much of it.
-Delaware is mostly below the Mason-Dixon line.
-Delaware also had Jim Crow segregation.

Nowadays, it is largely considered MidAtlantic or even Northeast.

Here are the maps that proove my points on OLD Delaware:

http://history.sandiego.edu/gen/st/~clawson/000000bd.jpg
http://www.worldbook.com/wb/images/content_spotlight/civil_war/slaverymap.gif
http://www.scarsdaleschools.k12.ny.us/mslib/images/13colmap.gif
http://www.jimwegryn.com/Names/13Colonies.jpg

Nice pics :)

xzmattzx

February 25th, 2008, 02:00 AM

Delaware is completely north of the Mason-Dixon Line.

Jim Crow laws could be found in some form in almost every state.

Your maps show Delaware as a middle colony, lumped in with New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.

Evergrey

February 25th, 2008, 02:56 AM

Matt, why does the Census Bureau insist on lumping Delaware into the "South" region? The Northeast is small enough and they won't even let us have three of our territories (MD, DC, DE)!

xzmattzx

February 25th, 2008, 03:05 AM

Matt, why does the Census Bureau insist on lumping Delaware into the "South" region? The Northeast is small enough and they won't even let us have three of our territories (MD, DC, DE)!

You got me. I was always taught that Delaware (and Maryland) was a northern state both culturally and geographically.

xzmattzx

February 25th, 2008, 04:15 AM

Delaware's history is almost synonymous with the history of the Dupont Company. The company was founded in 1803 to produce black powder for guns in North America. The Dupont Company became the leader in gunpowder and explosive products around the world, and the du Pont family amassed inconceivable wealth. The company became a Federally-protected monopoly in the early 20th Century, even with anti-monopoly laws going into effect, because the U.S. did not want the company broken up and the gunpowder products becoming inferior during World War I. After World War I, the company diversified into chemical products, and continueed to grow into a world power. Today, Dupont is one of the strongest and most famous corporations in the world, and the company is one of 30 included in the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The du Pont family became the first Royal Family of Corporate America, and the effects of the family on the state can be seen everywhere, from A.I. DuPont Children's Hospital (considered the best children's hospital in the world), DuPont Highway, several schools bearing the DuPont family name, several buildings in Wilmington bearing the name of the family or other names indicating ties to the family or company, and so on.

Winterthur was the home of Henry Francis du Pont. Winterthur was built in 1839 by James Bidermann and was expanded in the early 20th Century by Henry du Pont. H.F. du Pont was a horticulturalist who planted extensive flower gardens on part of the surrounding 2,500 acres, and he also collected artifacts of Americana. Today, Winterthur houses the largest collection of Americana items, and the gardens surrounding the old mansion are considered to be one of the best flower gardens in the world.

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Eleutherian Mills was the first du Pont family home. The house overlooks the surrounding Eleutherian Mills Blackpowder Yard, where the DuPont Company was started and was based for over 100 years.

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The Gibraltar Mansion was built in 1844 by John Rodney Brinkle, and was bought by Isabella Mathieu du Pont Sharp in 1909. The mansion is now abandoned but the gardens are open to the public.

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The Nemours Mansion was the home of Alfred Irene du Pont, and was built in 1910. Nemours Mansion is undergoing a $39 million renovation and is closed to the public until this Summer.

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From: www.thebrandywine.com

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From: www.brandywineinn.com

Granogue is a home that is still inhabited by members of the du Pont family. Granogue is a private residence and not available for tours or photos.

http://www.les-leach.com/images/pimages/gmansion.jpg
From: www.les-leach.com

xzmattzx

February 25th, 2008, 05:10 AM

Here is one final entry of pictures with random information on Delaware.

The Dutch House in New Castle is the only instance of Dutch colonization in the city of New Castle. The house dates back to the mid-1600's and is considered to be the oldest house in New Castle.

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Bob Marley lived in this house on Tatnall Street in Wilmington before his music career blossomed. Marley worked in the Chrysler plant in Newark while living in Delaware with relatives.

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Judy Johnson, a Negro Leaguer who is considered to be one of the best third basemen of all time, was born in Marshallton and lived in Marshallton after playing baseball. This is his adulthood home.

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The Cypress Swamp in Sussex County is the northernmost cypress swamp in the United States.

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Return Day is a uniquely Delaware celebration, held in Georgetown, the seat of Sussex County, on the day after elections. Politicians who ran against each other ride together in carriages in a parade, and then bury the hatchet, both figuratively and literally. After the parade, the official results of the elections are read from the balcony of the Sussex County Courthouse. The event is followed by an ox roast.

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The Caesar Rodney Statue in ROdney Square in Wilmington celebrates the ride of Caesar Rodney. As the Continental Congress began voting for independence, a problem broke out. Delaware would become the deciding state and would determine the future of the nation, as it was the last state needed to officially declare independence. Two of Delaware's voters were split, leaving the vote for independence down to one vote. Caesar Rodney, the third representative for Delaware, was at his home in Dover with a bad sickness. Upon getting the news that a tie had occured in the voting, he rode overnight on July 1, 1776, through thunderstorms to Philadelphia to vote. He arrived just in time for voting to begin for the day, and cast a vote for independence. His vote broke the tie, and the Declaration of Independence was announced. Rodney's ride not only is symbolized in this statue, but the statue was used to represent Delaware on the state quarter.

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doctorjef

February 25th, 2008, 02:47 PM

Actually, DE is East of the Mason-Dixon Line, which demarcates the MD and PA borders and ends at the DE state line. I've always seen DE classified as a border state (though that's really a civil war category) or as a Southern state, which is a bit of a stretch. ISTM that DE is somewhat less southern than MD, which also falls into the same geographical and cultural categories as DE. The fact that DE has an historically black university is rather a reflection on its historical southerness, I think. Culturally, however, one would be very hard pressed to say that New Castle County shows any surviving southern cultural elements. It's been interesting to me that one hears quit a hodge podge of accents in DE, ranging from a bland Mid-Atlantic, to a Philly-NJ regional accent, to identifiable Southern accents -- it seems to be a sort of melting pot of the various Mid-Atlantic speech patterns. The truest DE speech pattern seems to be the quite bland - almost Midwestern one, while the pronounced accents are immigrants from Virginia, PA, NJ and farther afield.

xzmattzx

February 25th, 2008, 04:36 PM

You are incorrect about the Mason-Dixon Line ending at Delaware. Delaware was a part of Pennsylvania when the line was surveyed and marked, and so the mason-Dixon Line continues southwards through the Delmarva Peninsula. From the southwestern point of Delaware, the Transpeninsular Line (the horizontal line separating Delaware and Maryland) connects with the Mason-Dixon Line. Mason and Dixon surveyed the Transpeninsular Line as well.

Mason-Dixon markers found on the Delaware and Maryland borders hint at or flat-out indicate that the line that they surveyed divides Maryland from Pennsylvania. The coat of arms for each state (or colonial family, in some cases) is found on most of these markers.

KennyDE302

February 25th, 2008, 08:15 PM

Actually, part of Delaware is Mushroom Country as well. The area of Delaware near Avondale and Kennett Square has a large number of mushroom farms. The four places that are considered Mushroom Country are Kennett Square, Avondale, and Landenberg in Pennsylvania, and Hockessin in Delaware.

Mushrooms aren't any more popular than they are anywhere else, though. No one in my family likes mushrooms, so I never see any trends in local purchases, however.

Hockessin doesn't play up the mushroom business like they do in Pennsylvania. Kennett Square has a Mushroom Festival, and Landenberg has a Mushroom Queen and Mushroom Parade.why have i heard that the chicken cheesesteak comes from wilmington? i've heard that from a quite a few people? do you think that its their impression of wilmington trying to be like philly?

xzmattzx

February 25th, 2008, 08:43 PM

why have i heard that the chicken cheesesteak comes from wilmington? i've heard that from a quite a few people? do you think that its their impression of wilmington trying to be like philly?

I've never heard of that, so I don't know if it's true or false. If it is true, it would seem to me that it would be a meshing of two cultures: the Phialdelphia area culture found just north of us, and the Lower Delaware culture, where the poultry industry is huge. For something like the chicken cheesesteak to be born in Wilmington, which is in between the two areas, would make sense.

doctorjef

February 26th, 2008, 02:55 PM

Where is Granogue located?

doctorjef

February 26th, 2008, 03:19 PM

Getting back to the question of the Mason-Dixon line, it seems arbitary to include the transpennisular line, which establishes the border between MD and DE as part of the Mason-Dixon line, which established the border between MD and PA. The three counties that now form DE were already semi-autonomous from PA when these lines were surveyed, and the arc border between PA and DE is another separate issue that couldn't quite be reconciled with where the Mason-Dixon line ends, hence the "wedge" bit of DE. I don't think it's really worth arguing about because what constitutes the South vs. border states and what constitutes the cultural Mason-Dixon line vs. the historic Mason-Dixon line are all open to different legitimate interpretations. One might note, however, that while MD as a State actually raised some troops for the Confederacy, DE did not raise any troops that fought for the Confederacy. MD was truly divided by the cause, while DE was not in any significant way. Here's one take on the Mason-Dixon issues: http://www.johncletheroe.org/usa_can/usa/mas_dix.htm

xzmattzx

February 26th, 2008, 08:05 PM

Where is Granogue located?

Granogue is near the Brandywine River, and somewhat near the intersection of Smiths Bridge Road and Montchanin Road. It is at the end of a very long driveway. You get a good view of the mansion as you drive along Smiths Bridge Road.

bayviews

February 26th, 2008, 10:20 PM

Delaware is to the Mid-Atlantic what Rhode Island is to New England. Both Providence & Wilmington have nice downtowns.

HOME in D-ware

February 27th, 2008, 04:28 AM

Delaware's geography and culture is quite interesting, IMO. The coastal plains that cover most of the state can only be compared to eastern North Carolina, the eastern shore of Maryland, and southern Jersey. The culture in this area is most like that of eastern Maryland, but Delaware seems to have a slightly faster pace because of Routes 1 and 13 (heaviest traveled roads through the Delmarva).

Northern Delaware is home to the Chateau Country which the DuPonts compared to a French countryside. Did you see some of Matt's pictures? I don't think palaces and gardens like that can be found anywhere but Europe. All those places are within 20 minutes of each other. I think Matt once called the DuPonts the royal family of Delaware. A fitting name it was.

The Wilmington area is a blend of cultures from northeastern Maryland, southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and the Delmarva Peninsula. I notice differences in people from each of these areas (you notice when they get together in a Wilmington office). Wilmington is a sort of crossroads in that way. The surrounding areas have quite an effect on the state, but it makes for a unique culture.

A history buff would love Delaware. They would most likely be starting from scratch because so few people know our story. I think it's a good one. Don't you?

snookums

March 4th, 2008, 08:12 AM

You got me. I was always taught that Delaware (and Maryland) was a northern state both culturally and geographically.

You were taught wrong....
Guess you did not look at my maps or the post and links doctorjef made. Look at them.
I will give you DE always being a bit more Northern than Southern. But not Maryland.
And in fact, DE and Maryland voted "Southern" in 1860; even more "Southern" than Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky! As docjef stated: Delaware provided no units for the Confederacy. The few in DE that did support the Confederacy fought in VA or MD units. Lincoln declared martial law on Maryland. He rushed in Union/federal soldiers in DC and Baltimore and overturned Marylands state gov. MD probably would have seceded if he had not done that. He did that so the fed. gov. capitol would not become Confederate territory. Baltimore was a secession hotbed; there were riots there! And the native Marylander, John Wilkes Booth, was the one sho shot Lincoln and stated: "Sic Simper Tyrrannis; The South is avenged!"

I know you and your family are originally from PA and NY and that you believe everything you read in federally issed books and federally taught schools. But it may be good for you to actually head to a few libraries and do some reading and research there and online on DE and especially Maryland history. ;)

And I have already stated that MD, DE and DC are NOW Mid-Atlantic. They have been for quite some time. But honestly, it pisses me off when people write off history. You have done that.:bash:

snookums

March 4th, 2008, 08:17 AM

Matt, why does the Census Bureau insist on lumping Delaware into the "South" region? The Northeast is small enough and they won't even let us have three of our territories (MD, DC, DE)!

Yes, it does seem that you Yankees have .....ummm... "colonized" DE, DC and MD. ;)

snookums

March 4th, 2008, 08:18 AM

xzmattzx

March 4th, 2008, 05:02 PM

You were taught wrong....
Guess you did not look at my maps or the post and links doctorjef made. Look at them.
I will give you DE always being a bit more Northern than Southern. But not Maryland.
And in fact, DE and Maryland voted "Southern" in 1860; even more "Southern" than Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky! As docjef stated: Delaware provided no units for the Confederacy. The few in DE that did support the Confederacy fought in VA or MD units. Lincoln declared martial law on Maryland. He rushed in Union/federal soldiers in DC and Baltimore and overturned Marylands state gov. MD probably would have seceded if he had not done that. He did that so the fed. gov. capitol would not become Confederate territory. Baltimore was a secession hotbed; there were riots there! And the native Marylander, John Wilkes Booth, was the one sho shot Lincoln and stated: "Sic Simper Tyrrannis; The South is avenged!"

I know you and your family are originally from PA and NY and that you believe everything you read in federally issed books and federally taught schools. But it may be good for you to actually head to a few libraries and do some reading and research there and online on DE and especially Maryland history. ;)

And I have already stated that MD, DE and DC are NOW Mid-Atlantic. They have been for quite some time. But honestly, it pisses me off when people write off history. You have done that.:bash:

I was taught in Delaware schools, and have lived here pretty much my entire life. Delawareans are taught that Delaware is a northern state.

I am aware of Delaware history and have studied it for fun and as part of my college education. Based on the extensive information that I was given by professors and books, it is clear to me that Delaware has always been a Northern state. Here is a brief rundown on Delaware's history with Northern states:

~Delaware was a Dutch colony and was settled by the Dutch.
~Delaware was a part of Pennsylvania.
~Historic architecture in centuries-old cities like New Castle and Dover were influenced by nearby cities like Philadelphia and Chester, especially due to trade and competition between cities connected to each other by the Delaware River.
~Wilmington is a milling and industrial city just like Philadelphia, Trenton, and Newark.
~The abolition movement was as strong in Delaware as virtually any state, and Delaware was considered a gateway to freedom. The Free Black population in Delaware was higher proportionally than in any other state.
~Wilmington has traditionally been known as a white-collar city since the early 1900s when the DuPont Compnany grew into an industrial powerhouse; Wilmington had more millionaires per capita at one time in the early 1900s than any other city, and had the 4th most millionaires of any city in the U.S. outright.

There are other things as well, which I cannot think of off the top of my head.

And, just because a state has some "Southernness" in it's culture, does not mean that it is a Southern state. Hints of Southern culture reach well into places like South Jersey and Central Pennsylvania. Additionally:

~Southern sympathizers from many Northern states, such as New York, Connecticut, and Ohio, fought for the Confederacy.
~Slavery was legal in New Jersey until 1846, I believe, and New Jersey had a higher population and proportion of slaves than Delaware.
~Segregation existed in numerous states, including many that were not in the South, like Kansas and Nevada. Racial tension could be found in virtually every state.
~Many Southern economic staples like cotton are not regular crops in Delaware. Crops that are familiar to Southern states, like peaches, were grown here but were and sometimes still are grown in more northern states like New York.

You should look at the maps that you posted and examine them for yourself. You'll notice that in your case to label Delaware as a Southern state, you posted two separate maps that categorize Delaware as a Northern state. Another map of yours shows that slavery was about as common in Delaware as it was in New Jersey and Nebraska.

Here is a map of the Mason-Dixon Line:
http://www.exploretheline.com/images/linemap.jpg