Welcome to Dover, DelawareWhile Delaware is known as the second smallest state in the United States at about 2000 square miles, this thriving community of about 780,000 residents statewide is packed with history, culture, recreation and commerce. Dover, Delaware, the seat of Kent County, is at the heart of it all being the capital of the first state and has consistently been on the move since its inception way back in 1683. William Penn was the original founder of this great city and named it after Dover, England, but it wasn't until 1777 that Dover became the capital of Delaware. Originally founded on merely 125 acres by William Penn, the capital has expanded to roughly 26,000 acres today and continues to expand in this regard as well as in population and economy.
Over the years Dover has seen major expansions in manufacturing and government related work. Dover has been home to the International Laytex Corporation, commonly known as Playtex, since 1937 and has been supporting the U.S. Military via the Dover Air Force Base since just after World War II. Important fabrics that are used for aerospace and military use such as the Skylab and Apollo spacesuits and the spacesuit for the Space Shuttle's Extravehicular Mobility Unit are produced through ILC Dover which is located in Frederica, a town about 15 miles south of Dover.
Due to its sales tax-free status, shopping is a major focus of Dover's recreational activities. People from surrounding areas and even from bordering states come to the area to buy everything from shoes to boats in order to save some bucks. Dover offers unique local stores as well as national chains in Downtown Dover as well as at the Dover Mall.
The Schwartz Center for the Arts located in downtown Dover is the place to be to see everything from the Dover Symphony Orchestra to comedy acts to films. Formerly the Dover Opera house that was built back in 1904, this historic landmark reopened its box offices in 2001 after 19 years of them being closed after major renovations were made to expand and refresh this beautiful Dover original.
Other cultural activities take place year-round in Dover and include events such as Old Dover Days, a tribute to the history of Dover, the Amish Bike Tour, an excursion through the farmlands of Kent County by residents of all ages and abilities to enjoy good food and music and honor the peaceful Amish community, and the African-American Festival which is a celebration of Delaware's brave role in the pre-Civil War Abolitionist and Underground Railroad Movements.
One of the most popular attractions of Dover, Delaware is the famous Dover International Speedway. A host to two of the NASCAR Nextel Cup/Busch Series races, this Delaware benchmark pulls in well over 100,000 tourists twice a year for these nationally known events. During its downtime, races such as the MBNA 400 are run here.
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