Portal:Delaware

The Delaware Portal

Delaware (/ˈdɛləwɛər/ ^ⓘ DEL-ə-wair) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic regions of the United States. It borders Maryland to its south and west, Pennsylvania to its north, New Jersey to its northeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state's name derives from the adjacent Delaware Bay, which in turn was named after Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr, an English nobleman and the Colony of Virginia's first colonial-era governor.

Delaware occupies the northeastern portion of the Delmarva Peninsula, and some islands and territory within the Delaware River. It is the second-smallest and sixth-least populous state, but also the sixth-most densely populated. Delaware's most populous city is Wilmington, and the state's capital is Dover, the second-most populous city in Delaware. The state is divided into three counties, the fewest number of counties of any of the 50 U.S. states; from north to south, the three counties are: New Castle County, Kent County, and Sussex County. The southern two counties, Kent and Sussex counties, historically have been predominantly agrarian economies. New Castle is more urbanized and is considered part of the Delaware Valley metropolitan statistical area that surrounds Philadelphia. Delaware is considered part of the Southern United States by the U.S. Census Bureau, but the state's geography, culture, and history are a hybrid of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the country.

Before the Delaware coastline was explored and developed by Europeans in the 16th century, the state was inhabited by several Native American tribes, including the Lenape in the north and Nanticoke in the south. The state was first colonized by Dutch traders at Zwaanendael, near present-day Lewes, Delaware, in 1631. Delaware was one of the Thirteen Colonies that participated in the American Revolution against Great Britain, which established the United States as an independent nation. On December 7, 1787, Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution of the United States, earning it the nickname "The First State". (Full article...)

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Great Seal of the State of Delaware

The governor of Delaware (known as the president of Delaware from 1776 to 1792) is the head of government of Delaware and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Delaware Legislature, to convene the legislature, and to grant pardons, except in cases of impeachment, and only with the recommendation of the Board of Pardons.

There have been 71 people who have served as governor, over 74 distinct terms. Three (Joseph Haslet, Charles Polk Jr. and Elbert N. Carvel) served non-consecutive terms. Additionally, Henry Molleston was elected, but died before he could take office. Only four governors have been elected to two consecutive terms, with the longest-serving being Ruth Ann Minner, who was elected twice after succeeding to the office, serving a total of just over eight years. The shortest term is that of Bethany Hall-Long, who served 15 days following her predecessor's resignation; Dale E. Wolf served 18 days and David P. Buckson served 19 days under similar circumstances. The current governor is Democrat Matt Meyer, who took office on January 21, 2025. (Full article...)

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This is a list of all people prominent enough to be contained in Wikipedia who were associated with the U.S. state of Delaware, including those who were born, lived or were otherwise associated with locally performed activities in a recognizable way. (Full article...)

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The following are images from various Delaware-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Delaware's license plate design, introduced in 1959, is the longest-running one in U.S. history. (from Delaware)
Image 2Picking Peaches in Delaware, an illustration in an 1878 issue of Harper's Weekly (from Delaware)
Image 3NASCAR racing at Dover Motor Speedway in Dover (from Delaware)
Image 4The population density map for Delaware (from Delaware)
Image 5Rehoboth Beach, a popular vacation spot during the summer months (from Delaware)
Image 6Delaware Route 1 (DE 1) is a partial toll road linking Fenwick Island and Wilmington. (from Delaware)
Image 7The Delaware General Assembly meets in Delaware Legislative Hall in Dover. (from Delaware)
Image 8The Blackbird Pond on the Blackbird State Forest Meadows Tract in New Castle County, Delaware (from Delaware)
Image 9Wilmington (from Delaware)
Image 10The Köppen climate classification for Delaware (from Delaware)
Image 11Joe Biden, the 46th president of the United States and a U.S. senator from Delaware from 1973 to 2009 (from Delaware)
Image 12The Delaware General Assembly meets in Delaware Legislative Hall in Dover. (from Delaware)
Image 13Wilmington Station in Wilmington (from Delaware)
Image 14The Blackbird Pond on the Blackbird State Forest Meadows Tract in New Castle County, Delaware (from Delaware)
Image 15Joe Biden, the 46th president of the United States and a U.S. senator from Delaware from 1973 to 2009 (from Delaware)
Image 16Seaford (from Delaware)
Image 17The Twelve-Mile Circle (from Delaware)
Image 18Fort Delaware State Park on Pea Patch Island, a popular spot during the spring and summer; a ferry takes visitors to the fort from nearby Delaware City. (from Delaware)
Image 19Ethnic origins in Delaware (from Delaware)
Image 20Newark (from Delaware)
Image 21Wilmington Station in Wilmington (from Delaware)
Image 22Map of Delaware (from Delaware)
Image 23Sunset in Woodbrook, Delaware (from Delaware)
Image 24Delaware was named for Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr, an English merchant and governor of the Colony of Virginia from 1610 to 1618. (from History of Delaware)
Image 25Picking Peaches in Delaware, an illustration in an 1878 issue of Harper's Weekly (from Delaware)
Image 26Fort Delaware, painted circa 1870 by Seth Eastman. (from History of Delaware)
Image 27The population density map for Delaware (from Delaware)
Image 28A two-shilling, six-pence banknote issued by Delaware in 1777 (from Delaware)
Image 29Newark (from Delaware)
Image 30Delaware's license plate design, introduced in 1959, is the longest-running one in U.S. history. (from Delaware)
Image 31The Twelve-Mile Circle (from Delaware)
Image 32Dover (from Delaware)
Image 33A two-shilling, six-pence banknote issued by Delaware in 1777 (from Delaware)
Image 34Map of Delaware (from Delaware)
Image 35Fort Delaware State Park on Pea Patch Island, a popular spot during the spring and summer; a ferry takes visitors to the fort from nearby Delaware City. (from Delaware)
Image 36Wilmington (from Delaware)
Image 37Rehoboth Beach, a popular vacation spot during the summer months (from Delaware)
Image 38Sunset in Woodbrook, Delaware (from Delaware)
Image 39Nautical chart of the Dutch colony Zwaanendael and Godyn's Bay (Delaware Bay), 1639 (from History of Delaware)
Image 40Seaford (from Delaware)
Image 41The University of Delaware in Newark (from Delaware)
Image 42The Cape May–Lewes Ferry (from Delaware)
Image 43Dover (from Delaware)
Image 44The Köppen climate classification for Delaware (from Delaware)
Image 45NASCAR racing at Dover Motor Speedway in Dover (from Delaware)
Image 46The University of Delaware in Newark (from Delaware)
Image 47Ethnic origins in Delaware (from Delaware)
Image 48The Cape May–Lewes Ferry (from Delaware)
Image 49Delaware Route 1 (DE 1) is a partial toll road linking Fenwick Island and Wilmington. (from Delaware)
Image 50A field north of Fox Den Road along the Lenape Trail in Middle Run Valley Natural Area (from Delaware)
Image 51A field north of Fox Den Road along the Lenape Trail in Middle Run Valley Natural Area (from Delaware)

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... that Joe Biden has cited Wilmington, Delaware, and Syracuse, New York, as possible locations for the Joseph R. Biden Jr. Presidential Library?
... that Delaware politician Armwell Long was said to have once outranked his close friend, George Washington? (See discussions regarding this hook at Talk:Armwell Long.)
... that the 2024 inductees to the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame include a man with Down syndrome who has lifted 425 pounds (193 kg), an "average gymnast" turned Olympics judge, a "preeminent sportswriter", the state's "greatest high hurdler", the "inventor" of the modern sports mascot, a record-setting 10-year-old, a champion gymnast, an Olympic field hockey player, and a pro baseball player in five countries?
... that Delaware weekly newspaper The Faulkland Quiz was founded, edited and published by an 18-year-old?
... that The Breakwater Light was the first newspaper in the first town in the first state?
... that Gary Tuggle, as head of Philadelphia's Drug Enforcement Administration division, led potentially the largest prepackaged heroin seizure in Delaware history?

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Entries here consist of Good articles, which meet a core set of high editorial standards.

Delaware Route 261 (DE 261) and Pennsylvania Route 261 (PA 261), also known as Foulk Road, is a 6.63-mile (10.67 km) state highway running through Delaware and Pennsylvania. DE 261 runs 4.37 miles (7.03 km) through New Castle County, Delaware from an interchange with U.S. Route 202 (US 202) and DE 141 north of Interstate 95 (I-95) near Fairfax, Delaware, a community north of Wilmington, northeast to the Pennsylvania state line. The road runs through suburban areas of Brandywine Hundred as a four-lane road south of DE 92 and a two-lane road north of DE 92. At the Pennsylvania state line, Foulk Road becomes PA 261 and continues 2.26 miles (3.64 km) through Bethel Township in Delaware County, intersecting PA 491 in Booths Corner before ending at an interchange with US 322.

DE 261 was originally designated along Foulk Road in the 1930s. In the 1960s, most of the route was widened into a four-lane road. The southern terminus at US 202 was reconstructed into an interchange in the 2000s. PA 261 was first designated in 1928 along Foulk Road between the Delaware state line and PA 61 and PA 161 in Chelsea. The route was extended north along Valley Brook Road to US 1 in Chester Heights by 1940. The northern terminus of PA 261 was moved to its current location by 1980. (Full article...)

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Largest cities

Largest cities or towns in Delaware 2018 United States Census Bureau Estimate
	Rank	Name	County	Pop.
Wilmington Dover	1	Wilmington	New Castle	70,635	Newark Middletown
	2	Dover	Kent	38,079
	3	Newark	New Castle	33,673
	4	Middletown	New Castle	22,582
	5	Smyrna	New Castle/Kent	11,580
	6	Milford	Kent/Sussex	11,353
	7	Seaford	Sussex	7,861
	8	Georgetown	Sussex	7,427
	9	Elsmere	New Castle	5,981
	10	New Castle	New Castle	5,529

See List of municipalities in Delaware for a full list.

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