The Green

The Green is the historic center of Dover, laid out in 1717 when William Penn's surveyor established the original town plan. This rectangular green was the center of civic life from the earliest colonial period and still anchors downtown Dover. The surrounding buildings, many dating from the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, form one of the more intact colonial-era streetscapes in the mid-Atlantic region.

The State House, Christ Church, the courthouse, and several historic homes all face onto or are within a short walk of The Green. The First State Heritage Park uses The Green as its orientation point and offers guided walking tours that take in the key buildings and explain Dover's role in the founding of the republic. First State Heritage Park facilities are free to visit.

things to do sight
A story
On December 7, 1787, Delaware became the first state to ratify the United States Constitution. The celebration took place here on The Green, and Delaware has been known as the First State ever since. A marker on The Green records the moment. The speed of Delaware's ratification — just five days after the Constitutional Convention sent the document to the states — reflected a small state's eagerness to lock in equal representation with the large ones.