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    John Dickinson Plantation

    4.1 (9 reviews)

    John Dickinson Plantation Photos

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    The house
    Shannon R.

    Been there twice. Once with school and the other time with my fiancée. It is free and they do accept donations. It is beautiful. Mostly all the info is correct. They do events.

    Roadsign
    Christopher C.

    Backstory: The Dickinson Plantation house (also known as Poplar Hall) was built in 1740 by John's father Samuel who was a wealthy merchant and tobacco planter. John eventually inherited the house where he lived for short stretches until his death in 1808 especially during the Revolutionary War when one of the family's other homes in Philadelphia was confiscated and turned into a hospital. The house stayed in the Dickinson family until the 1950's when it was purchased by a non-profit group who then turned it over to the state of Delaware who spent three years restoring everything and eventually the house was opened as a museum in 1956. Dickinson actually was a central figure in the Revolutionary War even though for the most part you won't hear much about him since he was overshadowed by Adams, Washington, Franklin and Jefferson and even overshadowed in Delaware's own history of the time by Caesar Rodney. From US History.org: "Dickinson joined politics as a member of the Pennsylvania assembly in 1764, proceeded with the Stamp Act Congress in 1765 where he drafted the Resolutions of the Stamp Act Congress. It was also during this he wrote an important series of essays, Letters of a Pennsylvania Farmer, regarding the non-importation and non-exportation agreements against Gr. Britain. These essays were published in London in 1768 by Benjamin Franklin, and later translated to French and published in Paris. In 1774 he attended the first Continental Congress and wrote an Address to the Inhabitants of the Province of Quebec. There also, in 1775, and in combination with Jefferson, he wrote a Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms. Dickinson was opposed to a separation from Gr. Britain and worked very hard to temper the language and action of the Congress, in an effort to maintain the possibility of reconciliation. It was for this reason that he abstained from voting on and signing the Declaration of Independence. In what may have been a rather cruel joke, Thomas M'Kean (a signer of the Declaration), then president of Delaware, appointed Dickinson a Brigadier-General in the Continental Army. His Military career is said to have been brief. Dickinson was elected again to the Continental Congress in 1779, then to the Delaware Assembly in 1780. He was elected Governor of Pennsylvania in 1782 and served there until October, 1785. He joined the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787 and afterward joined the chorus of writers promoting the new constitution, in a series of nine essays, using the pen name of Fabius. In 1792 he assisted in forming a new constitution for Delaware." With all of that writing it's easy to see why he earned the nickname of the "Penman of the Revolution". In addition to the above Dickinson earned a degree in law, was named at different times President of Delaware and Governor of Pennsylvania. He also donated over 500 acres of land in what is today Carlisle Pennsylvania which became the site for Dickinson College. If you go: You first go to the visitor center/barn to watch a short movie about the life of Dickinson and then you walk to the house where you are met by a guide in period dress who leads you through the basement, 1st and 2nd floors of the house. The house has two different halves in that the original part which was built by Samuel Dickinson is very plain but the later addition and post-fire renovation that John had added on show more more wealth by adding on more closets (closets were taxed in the 18th century), a very large kitchen area and expensive for the day paint colors. The visitor center and house are open from Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. year round with Sundays from 1:30-4:30 p.m. added on from April 1 - Sept. 30. Total movie and tour time was an hour and change plus this can very easily be done with the nearby Air Mobility Command Museum which is less than five minutes away. The parking lot is large enough that I couldn't imagine there ever being a space issue and the cost is lovingly picked up by the fine taxpayers of Delaware so in other words, it's free.

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    The Old State House

    The Old State House

    4.4(9 reviews)
    5.4 mi

    The Old State House is on a quaint little street in a cute part of town. There was plenty of nearby…read moreparking when I went. The tours were free, but it wasn't crowded and we basically interrupted the guide's phone call. She did give us a personalized one-on-one tour after debating if she should wait to start the tour on the hour and said she'd be mad if someone else came in. She did give off a vibe like we were interrupting her sitting around time. Despite that, she was very knowledgeable on the history of the building, and it was nice to be able to look around with someone and ask them questions. The inside really seemed a lot like Independence Hall in Philadelphia. It's amazing the small, perfunctory building was in use until like 1933. There was a really nice painting of George Washington in one of the rooms and good information on early delegates. If you are in the area, it's a free stop and there's free parking, and there's good information and not too long to see. It was worth visiting. No gift shop though.

    I really like old buildings and have enjoyed visiting Philadelphia and Washington DC old historic…read morebuildings. This building and the furniture inside of the Old State House were uninteresting to me. Though the stairs were enjoyable to see inside and outside. I posted a picture of the marble stairs on the outside. There was a volunteer finishing up with some people who liked history, and they said he was very knowledgeable. I was mainly there just to see the building. I would recommend if you are interested in Delaware politics and history go here.

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    The Old State House
    The Old State House
    The Old State House

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    Johnson Victrola Museum

    Johnson Victrola Museum

    4.8(11 reviews)
    5.6 mi

    I wasn't originally planning on coming here but got a recommendation from another museum. It's in…read morewalking distance of the state capitol so on a nice weather day, we found street parking and strolled over. It's a free museum, and I wouldn't say to drive hours out of your way to come, but it was fun for about an hour after doing something else nearby. They have a lot of different musical devices to see, but they had one they played for an example which was cool to hear. We talked to two guides since it was empty, and both were clearly knowledgeable and passionate about the products, which made it a much better experience rather than just reading the signs. There are also 2 levels of museum including a whole section on Nipper the dog merchandise over time. They also had a big display vintage ad. So overall this won't take too long to look through, but it was a neat little find, was free, and had people there to answer all my questions. Worth the stop and giving a donation to.

    Well worth a visit for fans of music and history. ER Johnson was actually a native of Dover, which…read moreI never knew. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate, and we were taken on an amazing personal tour. The museum is two stories, with bathrooms in the basement. We spent about 45-60 minutes being shown around and learning about vinyls, record players, and the history of music recording. Some of the large decorated players they have upstairs are beautiful and definitely worth seeing. Admission is free with a donation box at the end. A parking lot is shared with the church next door.

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    Johnson Victrola Museum
    Johnson Victrola Museum
    Johnson Victrola Museum

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    First State Heritage Park - Johnson Victrola Museum is a hidden gem!

    First State Heritage Park

    4.9(7 reviews)
    5.7 mi

    A brief stop here to enjoy the history of the first state to ratify the Constitution. Yes, it's…read moreDelaware. In early December 1787, the thirty delegates (ten from each of Delaware's three counties) to the Delaware ratifying convention were called upon to make a momentous decision. For five days, they considered whether to approve the new, stronger central government proposed at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia the previous summer. Finally, on the 7th, the delegates unanimously voted to ratify the United States Constitution, making Delaware the first state to do so. Delegates gathered at The Golden Fleece Tavern, the same place where the state assembly sometimes met. The tavern itself is long gone but its site is well-marked at the corner of State Street and The Green. [Review 11536 overall, 1316 of 2019.]

    Very cool experience from an out of towner like me! I loved learning about the local history of…read moreDover, the exciting tales and history that link back to my own hometown of Philadelphia. The history guides were very knowledgable and I loved that they had folks dressed up and walking around to allow you to time travel a bit and to see the area from the perspective of the past. Great for kids, families, tour groups, etc.

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    First State Heritage Park - State legislature.

    State legislature.

    First State Heritage Park - Lantern Tours in Historic Cemeteries on Friday nights in the spring, summer and fall

    Lantern Tours in Historic Cemeteries on Friday nights in the spring, summer and fall

    First State Heritage Park - 18th Century Market Fair on the First Saturday of November each year

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    18th Century Market Fair on the First Saturday of November each year

    Delaware Public Archives

    Delaware Public Archives

    5.0(3 reviews)
    5.4 mi

    Located just a stones throw from the capital complex, the pubic archives is the largest repository…read morefor all things Delaware. There is a public research room along with a an exhibit space. I found it best to alert archive staff in advance especially when you are in need of some older records.

    I figured I would start with the Delaware Public Archives for my first review. My family is from…read moreDelaware and I am highly interested in Genealogy so I have spent many days pouring over property records, tax assessments, and other miscellaneous documents at the Archives. The building is beautiful and well maintained, it includes the older Hall of Records building as well as the much larger newer section that was build about 10 years ago. The research room is also clean, well lit, and very quiet, making it an ideal place to research. The staff have always been very helpful and eager to assist me with my research. They are all very knowledgeable archival professionals who clearly know Delaware and the Archives holdings. They also have great public programs every first Saturday of the month on topics ranging from Genealogy to the Beatles (believe it or not). They open up the behind the scenes areas of the Archives every once in awhile for tours. I have been through the vaults and processing rooms on a tour and it was great. They even show you the original William Penn charter document for 1682 as well as Delaware's ratification document! I highly recommend checking out the Archives if you need to do Delaware related research or if you are just stopping through Dover to see the capitol or Air Force base. I now live in Connecticut but whenever I'm in the area I usually go in to continue my ongoing geneaological research.

    Delaware Family Court - Next time you see a family court judge drinking from their Stanley while taking your children away tell them "YOU'RE WELCOME."

    Delaware Family Court

    1.0(4 reviews)
    5.2 mi

    Family Court would get negative stars if that was an option. Look into Delaware's Open Data…read morewebsite that shows both the State Checkbook and Credit Card spending of taxpayer, or "OUR", money. There you'll find that in just the month of April 2024 alone, the JUDICIAL branch of the FAMILY COURT in Delaware spent THOUSANDS of dollars on Stanley cups and thermoses. Thousands of dollars of taxpayer money spent so the JUDICIAL branch of FAMILY COURT could be current with the trends. So not only are WE THE PEOPLE paying Delaware's family court judges to dismantle families and ignore and overstep the Del. Code (law) but we're paying for their $400 Stanley cups as they do it. Who judges the judges? WE DO.

    Disapointed is an understatement, more like devastated and heartbroken…read more I believed in the system. I believed that good would outweigh evil. I truly, believed that the truth would prevail. I trusted that the 'best interest' of the children would take precedence above all else. I had faith in our Family Court Judge Barbara Crowell. I held on to the hope that she would make the right decision for the children. I was foolish and naive back then. I realize now that we never stood a chance. The Family Court system claims they do not favor one parent over another based on gender, but that is absolutely untrue. Judge Barbara Crowell you failed us, you failed two innocent boys. I often, wonder if Family Court Judges ever follow up to see what effect their life altering decisions have on families

    Photos
    Delaware Family Court - Here, the Family Court Judicial spent over $2k at a Hawaiian bar and then another almost 2 grand at the Starboard. Good for them!

    Here, the Family Court Judicial spent over $2k at a Hawaiian bar and then another almost 2 grand at the Starboard. Good for them!

    Delaware Family Court

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    John Dickinson Plantation - landmarks - Updated May 2026

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