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Documenting Delaware's Past... The State House  Click
to Focus on...The Delaware State Museums in Dover |
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| The Delaware State House was the first permanent
capitol building in Dover. Begun in 1787 and completed by May 1792, this
Georgian-style structure was home to all levels of government in the First
State. Sitting on the historic Green in Dover, the State House has been
witness to many important events that have occurred in Delaware history.
From the breathtaking gilt sunflower ceiling medallion to the grand John Howe "geometrical" stair of 1791staircase, the State House has been a center of attention for two centuries. The landing on the second floor of the State House provides a step back into history. The House of Representatives is on the right and is furnished as it was two hundred years ago. Two portraits painted by Thomas Sully enhance the walls of the House Chamber. On the left is the Senate Chamber. Learn about the judicial branch of government as you enter the re-created courtroom of the eighteenth century. Participants are encouraged to take a seat in this area as a judge, juryman or even the prisoner to help make the experience come alive. A guide will tell documented stories of famous trials and issues of everyday people who were affected by Delaware government or society in general. Although the General Assembly moved to nearby Legislative Hall in 1933, the State House remains Delaware's symbolic capitol. |
The State House
The Delaware State Museums in Dover
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