Dover

Dover was established in 1717 and became the state capital in 1777. On December 7, 1787, in the Golden Fleece Tavern on the Dover Green, Delaware became the first state to ratify the United States Constitution. Constitution Park, on State Street, honors this historic event. Among the other historical sites in downtown Dover are Legislative Hall, the Old State House on the Green, the Meeting House Galleries I & II, the Johnson Victrola Museum, and the Delaware State Visitor Center and Sewell C. Biggs Museum of American Art.

Exhibits at the Delaware State Visitor Center on Federal Street showcase Delaware’s history, arts, and culture. A museum shop offers a variety of gifts and souvenirs. Stop by for information on the many attractions in and around Dover. Restroom facilities are available. The Center is operated by Delaware State Museums. Hours are Monday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Visitor Center is closed on state holidays. Call (302) 739-4266 for more information.

The Delaware Agricultural Museum and Village is located in Dover on North DuPont Highway (Route 13). This museum features exhibits on the history of Delaware agriculture, a rural village from the late 1800’s, and regularly-scheduled special events and exhibits. Public restroom facilities and a gift shop are available in the museum. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.; there is an admission fee. For more information call (302) 734-1618.

The Dover Air Force Base Museum features displays of aircraft ranging from an early bi-plane trainer to giant four-engine transports. To reach the museum, use the South Gate entrance off of Route 113. Hours are Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is free; public restrooms are available. For more information call (302) 677-5938.

Milford

Milford was founded in 1787 by Reverend Sydenham Thorne, the first rector of Christ Church, and Joseph Oliver, a merchant with extensive landholdings in the area. Reverend Thorne’s residence, the Parson Thorne Mansion, located on Front Street, is owned and administered by the Milford Historical Society. This house also served as home to Governor William Burton during his term from 1859 to 1863. The Parson Thorne Mansion is open the first Saturday and Sunday of each month from May through October between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Admission is $1.00; members and children free.

Milford’s historic district also includes other homes built in the 18th and 19th centuries, many of which are privately owned. The Milford Museum is located downtown on Walnut Street in the old post office. The Milford Museum displays exhibits relating to the history of the area. The museum is open to the public on Saturday and Sunday from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., but is closed during the month of August. For more information, call (302) 422-1127.

A pleasant place for a leisurely stroll, the Mispillion Riverwalk features a brick walkway running along the banks of the Mispillion River. An amphitheater, the new Milford Public Library, and a community theater lie along the Riverwalk.

Just west of Milford (take Route 36 west, and turn right onto Road 620) is the Abbott’s Mill Nature Center. This privately-run Nature Center offers 64 acres of forests, fields, and marshes, with a scenic 23-acre pond and historic (though non-operational) grist mill. A boardwalk runs through stream-side habitats of towering loblolly pine, fragrant swamp rose, and rare Atlantic white cedar. River otter, great blue heron, barred owl, and frogs are just some of the wildlife found living in these habitats.

The Nature Center is owned by Delaware State Museums and managed by the Delaware Nature Society. Offerings include programs, trails, canoes, and a gift shop; public restrooms are also available. The Nature Center is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and by appointment on weekends. For more information call (302) 422-0847.

Milton

Previously called Clowes and Broadkill, Milton was named in 1807 for poet John Milton. The Governors Walk, which runs along the Broadkill River, provides a scenic path through the center of town. Milton features a variety of examples of Colonial and Victorian architecture. Historic buildings line Milton’s streets, including King’s Ice Cream Parlor, the oldest building in continuous commercial use in Sussex County.

Five of Delaware’s governors made their homes in Milton; two of these governors’ houses remain standing: the Governor James Ponder Mansion on Federal Street and the Governor Hazzard Mansion on Union Street. Almost 200 of Milton’s buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Lydia Ann B. Cannon Museum, built as a church around 1855 and opened as a museum in 1970, features a printing press, a button-cutting machine, relics from Milton’s shipbuilding industry, and other memorabilia. The museum is open on Saturdays from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., and other times by appointment. For an appointment call (302) 684-2504. There is no admission fee for the museum and public restrooms are available.