Delaware Trivia & Tidbits - Page 3

Looking for Delaware trivia? Try our list Delaware little know facts, tidbits and trivia.

—James A. Bayard, a U.S. senator for Delaware from 1805 to 1813, was among the delegation chosen to negotiate peace terms for ending the War of 1812 with the British. The Treaty of Ghent was signed on Dec. 24, 1814.

first appeared: 2/10/2008

—Established in 1831 at the mouth of the Mispillion River, Mispillion Light was struck by lightning and damaged by fire in 2002. The remains of the wooden-frame lighthouse were bought and moved to Lewes, where it later was converted to a home.

first appeared: 1/27/2008

—The 1832 New Castle-Frenchtown Railroad ticket office in New Castle (pop. 4,862) was relocated several times before finding a home near Battery Park in the 1950s. The office served a pre-Civil War era train that was powered by a steam locomotive.

first appeared: 1/13/2008

—The Highball Signal in Delmar (pop. 1,407) was used to control the movement of trains during the 19th century. Stationmasters would hoist a large metal ball 30 feet to alert conductors that it was safe to proceed.

first appeared: 12/30/2007

—Mike’s Famous Harley-Davidson in New Castle (pop. 4,862) is not just a dealership for the well-known motorcycle brand. It’s also a tourist attraction for its museum and restaurant, and rents Harleys.

first appeared: 12/2/2007

—Restoration of the Old Wilmington Marsh that began in 1998 has focused on returning tidal wetlands and other wildlife habitats to health. The 202-acre marsh, which lies along the Christina River in Wilmington, now is known as the Russell W. Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge.

first appeared: 11/18/2007

—Broad Dyke, a dike originally built by the Dutch in 1655 in New Castle (pop. 4,862), is at the center of a 12-mile circle, according to a marker at the site. Surveyed in 1701, the northern part of the circle forms an arc that marks the state’s northern boundary with Pennsylvania.

first appeared: 11/4/2007

—Daniel Nathans, born in 1928 in Wilmington, shared the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine in 1978 with Hamilton Smith and Werner Arber for their research on molecular genetics.

first appeared: 10/21/2007

—In 1859, William Henry Harrison Ross, the state’s governor from 1851 to 1855, built a brick Italian Villa-style home featuring a three-story entry tower in Seaford (pop. 6,699) where he and his family lived. Today, the mansion, owned by the Seaford Historical Society, is open for weekend tours.

first appeared: 10/7/2007

—The University of Delaware in Newark (pop. 28,547) traces its beginning to 1743 when the Free School in New London, Pa., was founded. The school became the Academy of Newark in 1769, and later, after more name changes, evolved into the University of Delaware.

first appeared: 9/30/2007

—John Phillips Marquand, a leading 20th-century American writer, was born in 1893 in Wilmington. A frequent contributor of short stories to popular magazines of the day, including The Saturday Evening Post, Marquand explored life among New England’s middle and upper class in his gently satirical novels.

first appeared: 9/9/2007

—Before the Civil War, rivers, such as the Choptank, Nanticoke and St. Jones, served as safe corridors for runaway slaves and had the added benefit of leaving no tracks that could be followed. But gangs seeking to capture people who they could sell into slavery for a profit also patrolled the rivers.

first appeared: 8/26/2007

—During a lengthy career that included singing, acting and musical composition, John Walter Bratton (1867-1947) had more than 250 songs published, including the 1907 instrumental “Teddy Bears’ Picnic.” He was raised in New Castle by his grandmother.

first appeared: 8/12/2007

—Peter Spencer Plaza in Wilmington is the burial site of the Rev. Peter Spencer, the slave who escaped from Maryland and founded the Independent Black Church Movement. The plaza once served as a safe haven for runaway slaves.

first appeared: 7/29/2007

—Outfielder Dave May of New Castle (pop. 4,862) had 920 hits and 96 home runs in a 12-year career from 1967 to 1978 with the Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Texas Rangers, Pittsburgh Pirates and Milwaukee Brewers.

first appeared: 7/15/2007

—Although Delaware remained a slave state during the Civil War, it stayed in the Union. Many of its residents fought for the North during the war, while others elected to join regiments from other states fighting for the Confederacy.

first appeared: 7/1/2007

—Dave Nelson (1920-1991) of Newark (pop. 28,547) was football coach for the University of Delaware from 1951 to 1965. He was the architect of the Blue Hens’ famed winged-T offense and led the school to three Middle Atlantic Conference championships.

first appeared: 6/17/2007

—The 80-foot-tall Great Dune, located within Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes (pop. 2,932), is the state’s highest sand dune and once was home to the Henlopen Lighthouse, which slid into the sea in 1926.

first appeared: 6/3/2007

—Leaving her native Mexico to move to Harbeson (pop. 598) in 1996, Rocio Flores might have been overwhelmed by American customs and the subtleties of English. Instead, the former radio producer opted to found Hoy en Delaware, a bilingual newspaper catering to the state’s Latino community.

first appeared: 5/28/2007

—Football standout Ron Waller of Laurel (pop. 3,668) earned All-Pro honors as a rookie running back with the Los Angeles Rams in 1955. During his career, he was twice named Delaware Athlete of the Year.

first appeared: 5/6/2007

jump to page: 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17

newspaper partner login create account

Recent

Popular

Recipes

Below are the most recent American Profile articles:

Below are the most recent, highest rated American Profile articles:

Below are the most recent, highest rated American Profile recipes:

Relish

Spry

Below are the most recent articles from our Relish sister site. Click on the "Spry" tab above to see the most recent articles from our other sister site.

Below are the most recent articles from our Spry sister site. Click on the "Relish" tab above to see the most recent articles from our other sister site.