Dover, Delaware
Dover | |
---|---|
city | |
City of Dover | |
EDT) | |
ZIP Codes | 19901–19906 |
Area code | 302 |
FIPS code | 10-21200 |
GNIS feature ID | 217882[2] |
Major highway | |
Website | www |
Dover (/ˈdoʊvər/ DOH-vər) is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Delaware.[3] It is also the county seat of Kent County and the principal city of the Dover metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses all of Kent County and is part of the Philadelphia–Wilmington–Camden, PA–NJ–DE–MD, combined statistical area. 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 (for which Kent County is named). As of 2020, its population was 39,403.
Etymology
The city is named after
History
Dover was founded as the court town for newly established
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[5] near The Green in Dover.
Dover and Kent County were deeply divided over the issue of
The
On August 4, 2020, Hurricane Isaias produced an EF2 tornado that struck the city. Trees were significantly damaged, including some that fell on homes, roofing was blown off a middle school, a warehouse had metal walls torn off, some tractor trailers were blown over and a garage was severely damaged. Damage in Dover was rated EF1. The tornado would be on the ground for tracked 35.78 miles (57.58 km), becoming the longest-tracked tornado in the state, but there were no casualties.[7][8]
Geography
Dover is located at 39°09′29″N 75°31′28″W / 39.15806°N 75.52444°W (39.1581680, −75.5243682).[9]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 22.7 square miles (59 km2), of which 22.4 square miles (58 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2), or 1.32%, is water.
Climate
Dover has a warm
Climate data for Dover, Delaware (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1893–present) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 77 (25) |
80 (27) |
88 (31) |
97 (36) |
98 (37) |
101 (38) |
104 (40) |
102 (39) |
99 (37) |
95 (35) |
85 (29) |
75 (24) |
104 (40) |
Mean maximum °F (°C) | 65.7 (18.7) |
65.4 (18.6) |
73.5 (23.1) |
83.0 (28.3) |
88.1 (31.2) |
93.1 (33.9) |
95.4 (35.2) |
93.1 (33.9) |
89.0 (31.7) |
82.8 (28.2) |
73.9 (23.3) |
66.1 (18.9) |
96.1 (35.6) |
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 44.4 (6.9) |
47.4 (8.6) |
54.5 (12.5) |
66.0 (18.9) |
74.4 (23.6) |
82.7 (28.2) |
86.9 (30.5) |
85.1 (29.5) |
79.2 (26.2) |
68.9 (20.5) |
58.0 (14.4) |
48.6 (9.2) |
66.3 (19.1) |
Daily mean °F (°C) | 36.0 (2.2) |
38.2 (3.4) |
45.0 (7.2) |
55.5 (13.1) |
64.4 (18.0) |
73.2 (22.9) |
77.9 (25.5) |
76.2 (24.6) |
70.1 (21.2) |
59.2 (15.1) |
48.7 (9.3) |
40.3 (4.6) |
57.1 (13.9) |
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 27.6 (−2.4) |
29.0 (−1.7) |
35.4 (1.9) |
44.9 (7.2) |
54.4 (12.4) |
63.8 (17.7) |
69.0 (20.6) |
67.3 (19.6) |
61.0 (16.1) |
49.5 (9.7) |
39.3 (4.1) |
32.1 (0.1) |
47.8 (8.8) |
Mean minimum °F (°C) | 10.8 (−11.8) |
13.3 (−10.4) |
20.5 (−6.4) |
31.1 (−0.5) |
40.7 (4.8) |
51.0 (10.6) |
59.5 (15.3) |
58.4 (14.7) |
47.7 (8.7) |
34.4 (1.3) |
24.0 (−4.4) |
17.8 (−7.9) |
8.8 (−12.9) |
Record low °F (°C) | −7 (−22) |
−11 (−24) |
7 (−14) |
14 (−10) |
28 (−2) |
41 (5) |
45 (7) |
35 (2) |
30 (−1) |
25 (−4) |
11 (−12) |
−3 (−19) |
−11 (−24) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.43 (87) |
3.08 (78) |
4.21 (107) |
3.72 (94) |
3.89 (99) |
4.56 (116) |
4.14 (105) |
4.92 (125) |
4.25 (108) |
4.06 (103) |
3.36 (85) |
3.99 (101) |
47.61 (1,209) |
Average snowfall inches (cm) | 4.1 (10) |
5.9 (15) |
0.6 (1.5) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
2.6 (6.6) |
13.2 (34) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 9.7 | 9.2 | 9.8 | 10.3 | 10.5 | 9.2 | 9.0 | 8.2 | 8.2 | 8.0 | 7.4 | 10.2 | 109.7 |
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 1.8 | 1.9 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 4.9 |
Average ultraviolet index | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
Source 1: | |||||||||||||
Source 2: Weather Atlas (UV)[12] |
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
See or edit raw graph data.
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1870 | 1,906 | — | |
1880 | 2,811 | 47.5% | |
1890 | 3,061 | 8.9% | |
1900 | 3,329 | 8.8% | |
1910 | 3,720 | 11.7% | |
1920 | 4,042 | 8.7% | |
1930 | 4,800 | 18.8% | |
1940 | 5,517 | 14.9% | |
1950 | 6,223 | 12.8% | |
1960 | 7,250 | 16.5% | |
1970 | 17,488 | 141.2% | |
1980 | 23,507 | 34.4% | |
1990 | 27,630 | 17.5% | |
2000 | 32,135 | 16.3% | |
2010 | 36,047 | 12.2% | |
2020 | 39,403 | 9.3% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[13] |
In 2010,[14] Dover had a population of 36,047 people. During the census of 2000,[14] there were 32,135 people, 12,340 households, and 7,502 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,435.0 inhabitants 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). According to the 2020 census, its population grew to 39,403 people.
In 2010, the racial makeup of the city was 48.3%
As of 2000, 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 age distribution of the population shows 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.
In 2000, 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
Economy
Delaware's largest employer is also Dover's: the state government. A large portion, but not all, of the state's bureaucracy is in and around Dover.
Dover is one of the fastest-growing areas in 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. Apart from the state and county governments, Dover's significant employers include
One weekend a year in the spring, NASCAR races are held at Dover Motor Speedway, attracting about 65,000 spectators. Attendance at the races is much lower than in the 1990s and 2000s, when 140,000 spectators sometimes came. The races bring in increased patronage for local businesses, and hotels and motels sell out weeks in advance. Many race fans camp in RVs and tents adjacent to the track.[16] These races, and in recent years adjacent slot machine gambling at Bally's Dover, contribute millions of dollars to Dover's economy.
Firefly Music Festival has been held in the Woodlands of Dover Motor Speedway every summer since 2012.[17]
Education
Dover is home to
Three public school districts serve Dover residents. The majority of the city is served by the Capital School District, which includes Dover High School.[18] The southern portion of Dover is served by the Caesar Rodney School District, which includes Caesar Rodney High School located just outside the city in Camden.[19][20] The Polytech School District, which includes Polytech High School located in Woodside, serves as an overlay district for vocational-technical students.
The Dover Air Force Base
Culture
The former Dover Opera House, built in 1904, was renovated and converted to the Schwartz Center for the Arts,[21] which hosted performances by the Dover Symphony Orchestra,[22] ballet, and classic films. The Schwartz Center for the Arts closed on June 30, 2017, due to financial issues.[23]
The Kent County Theatre Guild[24] was founded in 1953 and presents a five-show season at the organization's theater, the Patchwork Playhouse. It is run solely by volunteers, who handle everything from governance and building maintenance to set construction, acting and directing. It is open to anyone interested in participating in or learning about live theater.
Dover is also home to The Children's Theatre, Inc. of Dover and Kent County,[25] 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,[26] featuring collections from the Colonial days to the present.
An Amish community resides to the west of Dover, consisting of 11 church districts and about 1,650 people. The Amish first settled in Kent County in 1915, with the settlement almost dying out in the '20s and '30s, but rebounding from the 60's to present. The area is home to several Amish businesses selling items such as Amish food, furniture, quilts, and handmade crafts. Every September, the Amish Country Bike Tour, the largest bike ride in Delaware, takes place in the area. In recent years, increasing development has led to the decline in the number of Amish living in the community, with some moving to areas with cheaper farmland and less traffic, such as Michigan, Upstate New York, Illinois, Kentucky, and southern Virginia.[27][28][29]
Parks and recreation
The City of Dover Parks & Recreation Department maintains several parks in the city, consisting of three larger parks and 27 smaller parks.
Media
Two
Kent County is within the Philadelphia television market, with the local Xfinity cable system carrying most channels from that city, alongside Salisbury stations WBOC-TV 16 (CBS), WMDT 47 (ABC), WCPB 28 (PBS), and low-powered NBC affiliate WRDE-LD 31.[31] WBOC-TV maintains a bureau in Dover, and WHYY-TV 12, the PBS member station in Philadelphia, maintains a studio and broadcasting facility in Dover. WMDT operates a local repeater serving Dover, WEVD-LP channel 27, while WHYY programming is seen locally on WDPB-TV channel 64 from Seaford (part of the Salisbury television market).
WDDE,[32] Delaware's first NPR station, launched in August 2012. It broadcasts on 91.1 FM. Delaware was the last state in the nation to have an NPR station located within its borders.
Sports
Dover Motor Speedway is home to a NASCAR race weekend in late April or early May. The race weekend features the ARCA Menards Series East on Friday, the NASCAR Xfinity Series on Saturday, and the NASCAR Cup Series on Sunday. Located with Dover Motor Speedway is Bally's Dover, a harness horse racing track, hotel and casino. The harness track is located within the NASCAR track.
The two colleges in town are both active in sports. The
For one week during the middle of July every year, Dover also hosts the Big League (
There are several golf courses located near Dover. They include the Maple Dale Country Club[33] in Dover, Wild Quail Country Club[34] near Camden, Jonathan's Landing Golf Course[35] near Magnolia, Dover Center Par 3 and Driving Range in Dover, and the Eagle Creek Golf Course (Must have military I.D.) on the Dover Air Force Base.
Historically, Dover hosted a farm team of the
In 2008, there was high attendance for the NASCAR races and Delaware State's football team making its first FCS tournament appearance.[36]
Combat Zone Wrestling held its yearly Tournament of Death in Dover twice.
Government
Dover is governed via the
There have been four full-time Mayors of Dover to date:
The Dover Police Department provides police services to the city of Dover. The police department is led by a Chief of Police, currently Thomas Johnson, and consists of 101 officers, responding to 43,000 calls a year.[38] The Dover Police Department is composed of several sworn police units along with civilian units.[39] Fire protection in Dover is provided by the Dover Fire Department, a volunteer fire department which has served the city since 1882 and operates two stations in Dover. Station 1 is the department's headquarters and houses Engines 4, 6, and 7; Ladder 2; Rescue 1; Brush 9; and Marine 1. The Dover Fire Department Museum is also located at the headquarters. Station 2 houses Engines 2 and 3; Ladder 1; Utility 1; and the foam trailer.[40] Dover is the only state capital in the United States with a volunteer fire department.
Federally, Dover is part of Delaware's at-large congressional district, represented by Democrat Lisa Blunt Rochester, first elected in 2016. The state's senior member of the United States Senate is Democrat Tom Carper, first elected in 2000. The state's junior member of the United States Senate is Democrat Chris Coons, first elected in 2010. The governor of Delaware is Democrat John Carney, first elected in 2016.
Infrastructure
Transportation
The most prominent highway serving Dover is the
The main north–south highway through central Dover is
Parking in the downtown area of Dover consists of free on-street two-hour parking and five off-street parking lots offering a total of 440 spaces. Parking lots in downtown Dover contain a mix of permit parking, parking meters, and free two-hour, 15-minute, and handicapped parking spaces along with spaces reserved for tenants and apartments. Parking is free on evenings and weekends.[43][44]
Dover is located on a former
Greyhound Lines are provided as intercity bus transportation along a route running between the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City and Richmond, Virginia, with a bus stop at the 7-Eleven store along U.S. Route 13 in the northern part of Dover.[48]
Utilities
The city of Dover provides various utility services to businesses and residents. The Department of Public Works provides trash collection, recycling,
Health care
Notable people
- Jacob Appel (born 1973), short story writer and bioethicist, lived in Dover 1982–1991
- David H. Berger (born 1959), 38th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps
- Madison Brengle (born 1990), professional tennis player
- Randy Bush (born 1958), Major League Baseball player[58]
- Harvard Classification Scheme
- Robert Crumb (born 1943), underground artist, lived in Dover from 1959 to 1961
- Governor of Delaware, born in Dover
- Murphy Guyer (born 1952), actor, director, playwright, born in Dover
- Doug Hutchison (born 1960), actor, born in Dover
- Gilder D. Jackson Jr. (1893–1966), Brigadier General USMC during World War II
- Mike Meade (born 1960), NFL player, born in Dover
- Teri Polo (born 1969), actress, born in Dover
- Mabel Lloyd Ridgely (1872–1962), suffragist and historical preservationist, based in Dover
- Ian Snell (born 1981), Major League Baseball pitcher[59]
- Dave Taylor (born 1957), retired professional wrestler
- Rob Tornoe (born 1978), nationally syndicated, award-winning cartoonist, attended Dover High School
References
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- ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Dover, Delaware
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