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121-642: The U.S. state of Delaware has 17 state parks . Each of the parks is operated and maintained by the Delaware Division of Parks and Recreation , a branch of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), although one state park, First State Heritage Park , is managed by the Division of Parks and Recreation in partnership with other city and state agencies. Each of Delaware's three counties has at least one state park, with New Castle having
242-577: A Norman lieu-dit La Guerre . This toponymic likely derived from Latin ager , the Breton gwern or from the Late Latin varectum ( fallow ). The toponyms Gara, Gare, Gaire, (the sound [ä] often mutated in [æ] ) also appear in historical texts cited by Lucien Musset , where the word ga(i)ra means gore . It could also be linked with a patronymic from the Old Norse verr . Before Delaware
363-488: A Declaration of Independence. Only the dramatic overnight ride of Caesar Rodney gave the delegation the votes needed to cast Delaware's vote for independence. Initially led by John Haslet , Delaware provided one of the premier regiments in the Continental Army , known as the "Delaware Blues" and nicknamed the " Blue Hen's Chicks ". In August 1777 General Sir William Howe led a British army through Delaware on his way to
484-483: A broad, sluggish inlet of the sea, with many marshes along its side, widening steadily into its great estuary, Delaware Bay . The Delaware River constitutes the boundary between Delaware and New Jersey. The Delaware–New Jersey border is actually at the easternmost river shoreline within the Twelve-Mile Circle of New Castle , rather than at mid-river, mid-channel or thalweg , so small portions of land lying west of
605-569: A day from the Delaware and its upstream tributaries. The Delaware River has been attached to areas of high pollution . The Delaware River in 2012 was named the 5th most polluted river in the United States, explained by PennEnvironment and Environment New Jersey. The activist groups claim that there is about 7–10 million pounds of toxic chemicals flowing through the waterways due to dumping by DuPont Chambers Works. PennEnvironment also claims that
726-500: A depth of 40 ft (12 m). There is an effort underway to deepen the 102.5-mile stretch of this federal navigation channel, from Philadelphia and Camden to the mouth of the Delaware Bay to 45 feet. The Delaware River port complex refers to the ports and energy facilities along the river in the tri-state PA - NJ - DE Delaware Valley region. They include the Port of Salem ,
847-400: A peak of 30.95 feet (9.43 m) on September 23, 2004, 34.07 feet (10.38 m) on April 4, 2005, and 33.62 feet (10.25 m) on June 28, 2006, all considerably higher than the flood stage of 22 feet (6.7 m). Since the upper Delaware basin has few population centers along its banks, flooding in this area mainly affects natural unpopulated flood plains. Residents in the middle part of
968-533: A quiet and charming country of farm and forest, diversified with plateaus and escarpments, until it crosses the Appalachian plain and enters the hills again at Easton , Pennsylvania. From this point it is flanked at intervals by fine hills, and in places by cliffs, of which the finest are the Nockamixon Cliffs, 3 miles (5 km) long and above 200 feet (61 m) high. The Appalachian Trail , which traverses
1089-583: A result of the failure of a controversial plan to build a dam on the Delaware River at Tocks Island , just north of the Delaware Water Gap to control water levels for flood control and hydroelectric power generation. The dam would have created a 37-mile (60 km) lake in the center of present park for use as a reservoir. Starting in 1960, the present-day area of the Recreation Area was acquired for
1210-518: A rivalry with the Du Ponts until the passage of the 17th Amendment . The allegiance of industries with the Republican party allowed them to gain control of the state's governorship throughout most of the 20th century. The GOP ensured black people could vote because of their general support for Republicans and thus undid restrictions on Black suffrage. Delaware benefited greatly from World War I because of
1331-536: A slave society and cultivated tobacco as a cash crop, although English immigrants continued to arrive. Like the other middle colonies, the Lower Counties on the Delaware initially showed little enthusiasm for a break with Britain . The citizenry had a good relationship with the Proprietary government, and generally were allowed more independence of action in their Colonial Assembly than in other colonies. Merchants at
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#17329231897581452-514: A total area of 2,489 square miles (6,450 km ), making it the second-smallest state by either metric in the United States after Rhode Island . Delaware is bounded to the north by Pennsylvania ; to the east by the Delaware River , Delaware Bay , New Jersey , and the Atlantic Ocean; and to the west and south by Maryland . Small portions of Delaware are also situated on the eastern side of
1573-619: A trust to manage and acquire land for the development of parks after his death. Several of the state parks in northern Delaware were at one time either partially or wholly owned by estates belonging to members of the Du Pont family that were acquired by the state after the deaths of family members. Several other state parks throughout Delaware were converted from former military installations that were determined to be surplus property. Three of northern Delaware's state parks ( Alapocas Run , Brandywine Creek , and Wilmington ) exist to protect pieces of
1694-607: A victory at the Battle of Brandywine and capture of the city of Philadelphia. The only real engagement on Delaware soil was the Battle of Cooch's Bridge , fought on September 3, 1777, at Cooch's Bridge in New Castle County, although there was a minor Loyalist rebellion in 1778. Following the Battle of Brandywine, Wilmington was occupied by the British, and State President John McKinly
1815-475: Is a major barrier to travel between New Jersey and Pennsylvania . Most of the larger bridges are tolled only westbound, and are owned by the Delaware River and Bay Authority , Delaware River Port Authority , Burlington County Bridge Commission or Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission . After New York City built 15 reservoirs to supply water to the city's growing population, it was unable to obtain permission to build an additional five reservoirs along
1936-450: Is an important part of the Delaware River's history, adding to its diverse cultural legacy. The magnitude of the commerce of Philadelphia has made the improvements of the river below that port of great importance. Small improvements were attempted by Pennsylvania as early as 1771. Commerce was once important on the upper river, primarily prior to railway competition of 1857. The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area came about as
2057-619: Is in New Castle County, in the town of Townsend . According to HUD 's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report , there were an estimated 2,369 homeless people in Delaware. According to the 2010 United States census, the racial composition of the state was 68.9% White American (65.3% Non-Hispanic White , 3.6% White Hispanic ), 21.4% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native , 3.2% Asian American, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander , 3.4% some other race, and 2.7% of multiracial origin . People of Hispanic or Latino origin, of any race, made up 8.2% of
2178-453: Is significant variation in mean temperature and amount of snowfall between Sussex County and New Castle County. Moderated by the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay , the southern portion of the state has a milder climate and a longer growing season than the northern portion of the state. Summers are long, hot, and humid in Delaware, often with intense (but brief) late day thundershowers. Delaware averages 2,300 hrs of sunshine annually (higher than
2299-415: Is the 33rd largest river in the United States in terms of flow, but is among the nation's most heavily used rivers in daily freight tonnage. The average annual flow rate of the Delaware is 11,700 cubic feet per second at Trenton, New Jersey . With no dams or impediments on the river's main stem, the Delaware is one of the few remaining large free-flowing rivers in the United States. The West Branch of
2420-402: Is working to try to address the issue of flooding along the river. As the past few years have seen a rise in catastrophic floods, most residents of the river basin feel that something must be done. The local governments have worked in association with FEMA to address many of these problems, however, due to insufficient federal funds, progress is slow. A number of oil spills have taken place in
2541-513: The A.U.M.P. Church . In 1814, Spencer called for the first annual gathering, known as the Big August Quarterly , which continues to draw members of this denomination and their descendants together in a religious and cultural festival. Delaware voted against secession on January 3, 1861, and so remained in the Union. While most Delaware citizens who fought in the war served in the regiments of
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#17329231897582662-553: The Army Corps of Engineers through eminent domain . Between 3,000 and 5,000 dwellings were demolished, including historical sites, and about 15,000 people were displaced by the project. Because of massive environmental opposition, dwindling funds, and an unacceptable geological assessment of the dam's safety, the government transferred the property to the National Park Service in 1978. The National Park Service found itself as
2783-499: The Brown ruling was that Delaware became fully integrated, albeit with time and much effort. In October 1954, the city of Milford became the scene of one of the country's first pro-segregation boycotts after eleven Black students were enrolled in the previously all-white Milford High School . Mass protests continued in Milford; the school board eventually ceded to the protestors, expelling
2904-793: The Chesapeake and Delaware Canal embody a Southern culture , while densely-populated Northern Delaware above the canal—particularly Wilmington, a part of the Philadelphia metropolitan area —has more in common with that of the Northeast and the North . The U.S. Census Bureau designates Delaware as one of the South Atlantic States , but it is commonly associated with the Mid-Atlantic States or northeastern United States by other federal agencies,
3025-731: The Delaware City Refinery , the Dupont Chambers Works , Oceanport Terminal at Claymont , the Marcus Hook Refinery, the Trainer Refinery , the Paulsboro Asphalt Refinery , Paulsboro Refinery , Eagle Point Refinery, and Sunoco Fort Mifflin. As of 2011, crude oil was the largest single commodity transported on the Delaware River, accounting for half of all annual cargo tonnage. The Delaware River
3146-524: The East Branch at Grand Gorge , Delaware County . The branches merge to form the main Delaware River at Hancock, New York . Flowing south, the river remains relatively undeveloped, with 152 miles (245 km) protected as the Upper , Middle , and Lower Delaware National Scenic Rivers . At Trenton, New Jersey , the Delaware becomes tidal , navigable , and significantly more industrial . This section forms
3267-515: The First Anglo-Powhatan War . Lord de la Warr waged a punitive campaign to subdue the Powhatan after they had killed the colony's council president, John Ratcliffe , and attacked the colony's fledgling settlements. Lord de la Warr arrived with 150 soldiers in time to prevent the colony's original settlers at Jamestown from giving up and returning to England and is credited with saving
3388-605: The Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic states region of the United States. It borders Maryland to its south and west, Pennsylvania to its north, New Jersey to its northeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state's name derives from the adjacent Delaware Bay , which in turn was named after Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr , an English nobleman and the Colony of Virginia 's first colonial-era governor. Delaware occupies
3509-578: The New Netherland colony in 1664. However, the river and bay were known by the name Delaware as early as 1641. The state of Delaware was originally part of the William Penn 's Pennsylvania colony . In 1682, the Duke of York granted Penn's request for access to the sea and leased him the territory along the western shore of Delaware Bay, which became known as the "Lower Counties on the Delaware". In 1704,
3630-542: The Otter Creek tributary , leading to a water advisory in Philadelphia . With the failure of the dam project to come to fruition, the lack of flood control on the river left it vulnerable, and it has experienced a number of serious flooding events as the result of snow melt or rain run-off from heavy rainstorms. Record flooding occurred in August 1955, in the aftermath of the passing of the remnants of two separate hurricanes over
3751-406: The Port of Wilmington , the Port of Chester , the Port of Paulsboro , the Port of Philadelphia and the Port of Camden . Combined they create one of the largest shipping areas of the United States. In 2015, the ports of Philadelphia, Camden, and Wilmington handled 100 million tons of cargo from 2,243 ship arrivals, and supported 135,000 direct or indirect jobs. The biggest category of imports
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3872-581: The Southern United States by the U.S. Census Bureau , but the state's geography, culture, and history are a hybrid of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the country. Before the Delaware coastline was explored and developed by Europeans in the 16th century, the state was inhabited by several Native American tribes, including the Lenape in the north and Nanticoke in the south. The state
3993-533: The Twelve-Mile Circle . The border follows the Circle for a short distance and then continues in a straight line due north until reaching the southern border of Pennsylvania. The Wedge of land between the northwest part of the arc and the Maryland border was claimed by both Delaware and Pennsylvania until 1921, when Delaware's claim was confirmed. Delaware is on a level plain, with the lowest mean elevation of any state in
4114-424: The clean-up of property "lightly contaminated" by hazardous waste , the proceeds for which come from a tax on wholesale petroleum sales. Wilmington is the state's most populous city (70,635) and its economic hub. It is located within commuting distance of both Philadelphia and Baltimore. Dover is the state capital and the second most populous city (38,079). The table below lists the ten largest municipalities in
4235-574: The cupola of the courthouse in the city of New Castle . This boundary is often referred to as the Twelve-Mile Circle . Although the Twelve-Mile Circle is often claimed to be the only territorial boundary in the U.S. that is a true arc , the Mexican boundary with Texas includes several arcs, and many cities in the South (such as Plains, Georgia ) also have circular boundaries. This border extends all
4356-473: The windmill palm , needle palm , and dwarf palmetto . Delaware's all-time record high of 110 °F (43 °C) was recorded at Millsboro on July 21, 1930. The all-time record low of −17 °F (−27 °C) was also recorded at Millsboro, on January 17, 1893. The hardiness zones are 7B and 8A at the Delaware Beaches . The transitional climate of Delaware supports a wide variety of vegetation. In
4477-689: The "Lifeblood of the Northeast" by American Rivers . Its watershed drains an area of 13,539 square miles (35,070 km ) and provides drinking water for 17 million people, including half of New York City via the Delaware Aqueduct . The Delaware River has two branches that rise in the Catskill Mountains of New York: the West Branch at Mount Jefferson in Jefferson , Schoharie County , and
4598-566: The 1910s and 1920s. This included primary and secondary schools for Black people and women. Delaware suffered less during the Great Depression than other states, but the depression spurred further migration from the rural south to urban areas. Like in World War I, the state enjoyed a big stimulus to its gunpowder and shipyard industries in World War II. New job opportunities during and after
4719-605: The 1940s and 1950s, Delaware attempted to integrate its schools, although the last segregated school in the state did not close until 1970. The University of Delaware admitted its first black student in 1948, and local courts ruled that primary schools had to be integrated. Delaware's integration efforts partially inspired the US Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. Board of Education , which found racial segregation in United States public schools to be unconstitutional. The result of
4840-461: The 50 U.S. states; from north to south, the three counties are: New Castle County , Kent County , and Sussex County . The southern two counties, Kent and Sussex counties, historically have been predominantly agrarian economies. New Castle is more urbanized and is considered part of the Delaware Valley metropolitan statistical area that surrounds Philadelphia . Delaware is considered part of
4961-611: The American Midwest and Canada. The Delaware River's drainage basin has an area of 13,539 square miles (35,070 km ) and encompasses 42 counties and 838 municipalities in five U.S. states: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware. This total area constitutes approximately 0.4% of the land mass in the United States. In 2001, the watershed was 18% agricultural land, 14% developed land, and 68% forested land. There are 216 tributary streams and creeks comprising an estimated 14,057 miles of streams and creeks, in
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5082-491: The Black students. The ensuing unrest, which included cross burnings , rallies, and pro-segregation demonstrations, contributed to desegregation in most of Southern Delaware being delayed for another ten years. Sussex County did not start closing or integrating its segregated schools until 1965, 11 years after the Brown ruling. Throughout the state, integration only encouraged more white flight, and poor economic conditions for
5203-631: The Clean Water Act explains how conditions of the river should be stable enough for human fishing and swimming. Even though the river has had success with the cleanup of pollution, the Delaware River still does not meet that standard of swimmable or fishable conditions in the Philadelphia/Chester region. In March 2023, a pipe rupture at a Trinseo chemical plant in Bristol, Pennsylvania , released over 8,000 gallons of latex finishing material into
5324-577: The Delaware River , also called the Mohawk Branch, spans approximately 90 miles (140 km) from the northern Catskill Mountains to its confluence with the Delaware River's East Branch at Hancock, New York . The last 6 miles (9.7 km) forms part of the boundary between New York and Pennsylvania . The West Branch rises in Schoharie County , New York at 1,886 feet (575 m) above sea level, near Mount Jefferson , and flows tortuously through
5445-642: The Delaware River as the River of the Year for 2020, citing 75 years of progress in reducing pollution and restoring wildlife. In 1984, the U.S. Department of the Treasury authorized the creation of a wine region or " American Viticultural Area " called the Central Delaware Valley AVA located in southeastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey . The wine appellation includes 96,000 acres (38,850 ha) surrounding
5566-711: The Delaware River north of Philadelphia and Trenton , New Jersey. In Pennsylvania, it consists of the territory along the Delaware River in Bucks County ; in New Jersey, the AVA spans along the river in Hunterdon County and Mercer County from Titusville , New Jersey, just north of Trenton, northward to Musconetcong Mountain . As of 2013, there are no New Jersey wineries in the Central Delaware Valley AVA. In
5687-615: The Delaware River sharing land boundaries with New Jersey. The state of Delaware, together with the Eastern Shore counties of Maryland and two counties of Virginia , form the Delmarva Peninsula , which stretches down the Mid-Atlantic Coast. The definition of the northern boundary of the state is unusual. Most of the boundary between Delaware and Pennsylvania was originally defined by an arc extending 12 miles (19.3 km) from
5808-491: The Delaware River's tributaries. As a result, in 1928 the city decided to draw water from the Delaware River, putting them in direct conflict with villages and towns across the river in Pennsylvania which were already using the Delaware for their water supply. The two sides eventually took their case to the U.S. Supreme Court , and in 1931, New York City was allowed to draw 440 million US gallons (1,700,000 m ) of water
5929-415: The Delaware River. This settlement marked one of the earliest European establishments in the region, with Fort Christina (located near modern-day Wilmington, Delaware) becoming a key trading post and symbol of Swedish colonial ambition. The Swedes engaged in peaceful land negotiations with the local Lenape people and developed a thriving colony. New Sweden became a center for trade and cultural exchange between
6050-516: The Delaware basin experience flooding, including three major floods in the three years (2004–2006) that have severely damaged their homes and land. The lower part of the Delaware basin from Philadelphia southward to the Delaware Bay is tidal and much wider than portions further north, and is not prone to river-related flooding (although tidal surges can cause minor flooding in this area). The Delaware River Basin Commission , along with local governments,
6171-716: The Delaware. Similarly, the East Branch begins from a small pond south of Grand Gorge in the town of Roxbury in Delaware County , flowing southwest toward its impoundment by New York City to create the Pepacton Reservoir , the largest reservoir in the New York City water supply system . Its tributaries are the Beaver Kill River and the Willowemoc Creek which enter into the river ten miles (16 km) before
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#17329231897586292-419: The EPA involved the Delaware County Regional Water Authority (DELCORA) where they set up a plan to spend around $ 200 million to help rid the waterway of about 740 million gallons of sewage and pollution. DELCORA was also fined about $ 1.4 million for allowing the Delaware River to have so much pollution residing in the river in the first place and for not complying with the Clean Water Act. Part of
6413-507: The English colonists had arrived as indentured servants (contracted for a fixed period to pay for their passage), and in the early years the line between servant and slave was fluid. Most of the free African-American families in Delaware before the Revolution had migrated from Maryland to find more affordable land. They were descendants chiefly of relationships or marriages between white servant women and enslaved, servant or free African or African-American men. Under slavery law, children took
6534-448: The Lenape". The Delaware River played a key factor in the economic and social development of the Mid-Atlantic region. In the seventeenth century it provided the conduit for colonial settlement by the Dutch ( New Netherland ) and the Swedish ( New Sweden ). Beginning in 1664, the region became an English possession as settlement by Quakers established the colonies of Pennsylvania (including present-day Delaware ) and West Jersey . In
6655-409: The Lower Counties were given political autonomy to form a separate provincial assembly, but they shared Pennsylvania's provincial governor until the two colonies separated on June 15, 1776, and they remained separate as states after the establishment of the United States. The name "Delaware" also came to be used as a collective name for the Lenape , a Native American people who inhabited an area of
6776-420: The Lower Counties. The fact that Delaware and Pennsylvania shared the same governor was not unique; from 1703 to 1738, New York and New Jersey shared a governor. Massachusetts and New Hampshire also shared a governor for some time. Dependent in early years on indentured labor, Delaware imported more slaves as the number of English immigrants decreased with better economic conditions in England. The colony became
6897-426: The New York City water system. It is the most recently constructed New York City reservoir and began serving the city in 1964. Draining a large watershed of 455 square miles (1,180 km ), the reservoir's capacity is 95.7 billion US gallons (362,000,000 m ). This water flows over halfway through the reservoir to enter the 44-mile (71 km) West Delaware Tunnel in Tompkins , New York. Then it flows through
7018-501: The Pennsylvania–New Jersey state line for 25 miles (40 km) to the end of the ridge at Walpack Bend in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area . The Minisink is a buried valley where the Delaware flows in a bed of glacial till that buried the eroded bedrock during the last glacial period . It then skirts the Kittatinny ridge , which it crosses at the Delaware Water Gap , between nearly vertical walls of sandstone , quartzite , and conglomerate , and then passes through
7139-410: The Project of 1885, the U.S. government undertook systematically the formation of a 26-foot (7.9 m) channel 600 feet (180 m) wide from Philadelphia to deep water in Delaware Bay . The River and Harbor Act of 1899 provided for a 30-foot (9.1 m) channel 600 feet (180 m) wide from Philadelphia to the deep water of the bay. Since 1941, the Delaware River Main Channel was maintained at
7260-403: The Swedish settlers, Native Americans, and neighboring Dutch colonies. Although the Dutch would later assert dominance over the region in 1655, New Sweden laid the groundwork for European settlement along the Delaware River. The fort and surrounding settlements played a crucial role in the early European rivalry for control of North America's resources and territory. This era of Swedish colonization
7381-465: The USA average). Winters are modestly cool to cold in northern Delaware, and cool to mild in southern Delaware. The normal seasonal snowfall ranges from about 20.0 inches in Wilmington to only 10.0 inches in Lewes. In many winters no snow will fall in coastal Delaware. Northern Delaware falls into USDA Garden Zone 7a, while southern and coastal areas fall into USDA zone 7b and 8a. The milder climate in southern Delaware allows for subtropical flora such as
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#17329231897587502-444: The United States and is the longest free-flowing (undammed) river in the Eastern United States . From the meeting of its branches in Hancock, New York , the river flows for 282 miles (454 km) along the borders of New York , Pennsylvania , New Jersey , and Delaware , before emptying into Delaware Bay . The river has been recognized by the National Wildlife Federation as one of the country's Great Waters and has been called
7623-406: The Upper Delaware Scenic Byway. The river flows southeast for 78 miles through rural regions along the New York-Pennsylvania border to Port Jervis and Shawangunk Ridge . At Port Jervis , New York, it enters the Port Jervis trough. At this point, the Walpack Ridge deflects the Delaware into the Minisink Valley, where it follows the southwest strike of the eroded Marcellus Formation beds along
7744-412: The Virginia colony. The name of the barony (later an earldom ) is pronounced as in the current spelling form "Delaware" ( / ˈ d ɛ l ə w ɛər / DEL -ə-wair ) and is thought to derive from French de la Guerre . It has often been reported that the river and bay received the name "Delaware" after English forces under Richard Nicolls expelled the Dutch and took control of
7865-452: The West Branch meets the East Branch. The confluence of the two branches is just south of Hancock . The East Branch and West Branch of the Delaware River parallel each other, both flowing in a southwesterly direction. From Hancock, New York , the Delaware flows between the northern Poconos in Pennsylvania, and the lowered shale beds north of the Catskills. The river flows down a broad Appalachian valley, passing Hawk's Nest overlook on
7986-437: The agricultural development of the region. The strategic Delaware River was the scene of several important campaigns during the American Revolutionary War . Perhaps the most famous event was George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River with the Continental Army on the night of December 25–26, 1776, leading to a successful surprise attack and victory against the Hessian troops occupying Trenton, New Jersey , on
8107-407: The agriculture economy from tobacco to mixed farming resulted in less need for slaves' labor. In addition local Methodists and Quakers encouraged slaveholders to free their slaves following the American Revolution, and many did so in a surge of individual manumissions for idealistic reasons. By 1810, three-quarters of all blacks in Delaware were free. When John Dickinson freed his slaves in 1777, he
8228-424: The aqueduct into the Rondout Reservoir , where the water enters the 85 miles (137 km) Delaware Aqueduct , that contributes to roughly 50% of the city's drinking water supply. At Deposit , on the border between Broome and Delaware counties, it turns sharply to the southeast and is paralleled by New York State Route 17 . It joins the East Branch at 880 feet (270 m) above sea level at Hancock to form
8349-430: The area within less than a week: first Hurricane Connie and then Hurricane Diane , which was, and still is, the wettest tropical cyclone to have hit the northeastern United States. The river gauge at Riegelsville , Pennsylvania recorded an all-time record crest of 38.85 feet (11.84 m) on August 19, 1955. More recently, moderate to severe flooding has occurred along the river. The same gauge at Riegelsville recorded
8470-429: The backbone of the Delaware Valley metropolitan area, serving the port cities of Philadelphia , Camden, New Jersey , and Wilmington, Delaware . The river flows into Delaware Bay at Liston Point, 48 miles (77 km) upstream of the bay's outlet to the Atlantic Ocean between Cape May and Cape Henlopen . Before the arrival of European settlers, the river was the homeland of the Lenape native people. They called
8591-468: The basins of the Susquehanna River , Delaware River, and lower Hudson River in the northeastern United States at the time of European settlement, as well as for their language . As a result of disruption following the French and Indian War , American Revolutionary War , and the later Indian removals from the eastern United States, the name "Delaware" has been spread with the Lenape's diaspora to municipalities, counties and other geographical features in
8712-691: The black population led to some violence during the 1960s. Riots broke out in Wilmington in 1967 and again in 1968 in response to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr , after which the National Guard occupied the city for nine months to prevent further violence. Since WWII, the state has been generally economically prosperous and enjoyed relatively high per capita income because of its location between major cities like Philadelphia, New York, and Washington, DC. Its population grew rapidly, particularly in
8833-400: The caretaker of the previously endangered territory, and with the help of the federal government and surrounding communities, developed recreational facilities and worked to preserve the remaining historical structures. The nearby Shawnee Inn , was identified in the 1990s as the only resort along the banks of the Delaware River. American Rivers , an environmental advocacy group, named
8954-411: The citizens. The earliest attempts at legislating protection of a formalized public parks system were the result of efforts by conservationist William Poole Bancroft , who recognized the beauty of northern Delaware and in the late 19th century became determined to see it preserved for the benefit of future generations. Bancroft also donated many acres of his own land to form public parks as well as created
9075-399: The city grew from $ 5.5 million in 1860 to $ 44 million in 1900. The most notable manufacturer in the state was the chemical company DuPont , which to this day is heavily credited with making the state what it is today in many ways. Because of Wilmington's growth, local politicians from the city and New Castle County pressured the state government to adopt a new constitution providing
9196-578: The colony during the First Anglo-Powhatan War . George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River in 1776 led to the Americans winning the Battle of Trenton , which was a pivotal moment in the American Revolution . The Delaware River is named in honor of Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr (1577–1618), an English nobleman and the Virginia colony's first royal governor , who defended the colony during
9317-467: The country from the National Recreation and Park Association . It was the tenth state to win the award since it was started in 1997. Delaware's oldest public lands date back to 1682 when, upon his arrival as proprietor of the colony, William Penn instructed his deputies to set aside land that is now Cape Henlopen State Park and its natural resources to be held in trust for the common good of all
9438-566: The direction of James, the Duke of York . Fighting off a prior claim by Cecil Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore , Proprietor of Maryland , the Duke passed his somewhat dubious ownership on to William Penn in 1682. Penn strongly desired access to the sea for his Pennsylvania province and leased what then came to be known as the "Lower Counties on the Delaware" from the Duke. Penn established representative government and briefly combined his two possessions under one General Assembly in 1682. However, by 1704
9559-469: The eighteenth century, cities like Philadelphia , Camden (then Cooper's Ferry), Trenton , Wilmington and New Castle were established upon the Delaware and their continued commercial success into the present day has been dependent on access to the river for trade and power. The river provided the path for the settlement of northeastern Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley , and northwestern New Jersey by German Palatine immigrants—a population that became key in
9680-478: The former slave states. The Delaware legislature declared Black people to be second-class citizens in 1866, and restricted their voting rights despite the 15th Amendment, ensuring continued Democratic success in the state throughout most of the 19th century. Fearful that the 1875 Civil Rights Act passed by Congress might establish racial equality, Delaware legislators passed Jim Crow laws that mandated segregation in public facilities. The state's educational system
9801-586: The head of a group of Swedes, Finns and Dutch. The colony of New Sweden lasted 17 years. In 1651, the Dutch, reinvigorated by the leadership of Peter Stuyvesant , established a fort at present-day New Castle and, in 1655, they conquered the New Sweden colony, annexing it into the Dutch New Netherland . Only nine years later, in 1664, the Dutch were conquered by a fleet of English ships by Sir Robert Carr under
9922-404: The historic Brandywine River , which was once heavily utilized by local industry. Four of southern Delaware's state parks ( Cape Henlopen , Delaware Seashore , Fenwick Island , and Holts Landing ) preserve stretches of ocean and bay beaches, which are very popular in summer months. Delaware Delaware ( / ˈ d ɛ l ə w ɛər / DEL -ə-wair ) is a state in
10043-418: The leading proponents of a strong central United States with equal representation for each state. Many colonial settlers came to Delaware from Maryland and Virginia , where the population had been increasing rapidly. The economies of these colonies were chiefly based on labor-intensive tobacco and increasingly dependent on African slaves because of a decline in working class immigrants from England. Most of
10164-726: The loss of their lands on the Delaware River and the destruction of the Minqua by the Iroquois of the Five Nations in the 1670s, the remnants of the Lenape who wished to remain identified as such left the region and moved over the Allegheny Mountains by the mid-18th century. Generally, those who did not relocate out of the state of Delaware were baptized, became Christian and were grouped together with other persons of color in official records and in
10285-763: The lower section of the river and Delaware Bay . Both colonial powers called the river the South River (Zuidrivier), compared to the Hudson River , which was known as the North River . After the English expelled the Dutch and took control of the New Netherland colony in 1664, the river was renamed Delaware after Sir Thomas West , 3rd Baron De La Warr, an English nobleman and the Virginia colony's first royal governor, who defended
10406-445: The media, and some residents. Delaware is the sixth most densely populated state, with a population density of 442.6 people per square mile, 356.4 per square mile more than the national average, and ranking 45th in population. Delaware is one of five U.S. states ( Maine , Vermont , West Virginia , Wyoming ) that do not have a single city with a population over 100,000 as of the 2010 census. The center of population of Delaware
10527-526: The minds of their non-Native American neighbors. The Dutch were the first Europeans to settle in present-day Delaware in the middle region by establishing a trading post at Zwaanendael , near the site of Lewes in 1631. Within a year, all the settlers were killed in a dispute with Native American tribes living in the area. In 1638, New Sweden , a Swedish trading post and colony, was established at Fort Christina (now in Wilmington ) by Peter Minuit at
10648-725: The morning of December 26. During the Philadelphia Campaign control of the Delaware River was urgently needed by the British, allowing their naval fleet to supply troops occupying Philadelphia. To this end, the Battle of Red Bank and the Siege of Fort Mifflin were fought on and along the shores of the Delaware by the American and British navies, commanded by Commodore John Hazelwood and Admiral Francis Reynolds respectively. See historical map of that campaign. In 1638, Swedish settlers, led by Peter Menuet, established New Sweden along
10769-503: The most. Wilmington State Parks , despite being administratively managed as a single unit, is further broken down into several smaller parks. The state park system includes over 26,000 acres of land and over 160 miles of trails. It is possible to faintly view the Milky Way from 10 of the 17 state parks. In 2015, Delaware State Parks won the Gold Medal honoring the best state parks system in
10890-728: The nation. Its highest elevation, located at Ebright Azimuth , near Concord High School , is less than 450 feet (140 m) above sea level. The northernmost part of the state is part of the Piedmont Plateau with hills and rolling surfaces. The Atlantic Seaboard fall line approximately follows the Robert Kirkwood Highway between Newark and Wilmington ; south of this road is the Atlantic Coastal Plain with flat, sandy, and, in some parts, swampy ground. A ridge about 75 to 80 feet (23 to 24 m) high extends along
11011-415: The north with more representation. However, the subsequent 1897 constitution did not proportionally represent the north and continued to give the southern counties disproportionate influence. As manufacturing expanded, businesses became major players in state affairs and funders of politicians through families such as the Du Ponts. Republican John Addicks attempted to buy a US Senate seat multiple times in
11132-436: The northeastern portion of the Delmarva Peninsula , and some islands and territory within the Delaware River . It is the second-smallest and sixth-least populous state, but also the sixth-most densely populated . Delaware's most populous city is Wilmington , and the state's capital is Dover , the second-most populous city in Delaware . The state is divided into three counties , the fewest number of counties of any of
11253-496: The northern third of the state are found Northeastern coastal forests and mixed oak forests typical of the northeastern United States. In the southern two-thirds of the state are found Middle Atlantic coastal forests . Trap Pond State Park , along with areas in other parts of Sussex County, for example, support the northernmost stands of bald cypress trees in North America. Delaware provides government subsidy support for
11374-523: The plateau in a deep trough. The branch flows generally southwest, entering Delaware County and flowing through the towns of Stamford and Delhi . In southwestern Delaware County it flows in an increasingly winding course through the mountains, generally southwest. At Stilesville the West Branch was impounded in the 1960s to form the Cannonsville Reservoir , the westernmost of the reservoirs in
11495-568: The pollutants in the river can cause birth defects, infertility among women, and have been linked to cancer. In 2015, the EPA saw the Delaware River as a concern for mass pollution especially in the Greater Philadelphia and Chester, Pennsylvania area. The EPA was involved after accusations that the river met standards made illegal by the Clean Water Act . In complying with the Clean Water Act,
11616-413: The population. The 2022 American Community Survey estimated the state had a racial and ethnic makeup of 60.6% non-Hispanic whites, 23.6% Black or African American, 0.7% American Indian or Alaska Native, 4.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.9% multiracial, and 10.1% Hispanic or Latin American of any race. Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic region of
11737-752: The port of Wilmington had trading ties with the British. New Castle lawyer Thomas McKean denounced the Stamp Act in the strongest terms, and Kent County native John Dickinson became the "Penman of the Revolution". Anticipating the Declaration of Independence, Patriot leaders Thomas McKean and Caesar Rodney convinced the Colonial Assembly to declare itself separated from British and Pennsylvania rule on June 15, 1776. The person best representing Delaware's majority, George Read , could not bring himself to vote for
11858-406: The province of Pennsylvania had grown so large their representatives wanted to make decisions without the assent of the Lower Counties, and the two groups of representatives began meeting on their own, one at Philadelphia , and the other at New Castle. Penn and his heirs remained proprietors of both and always appointed the same person Governor for their province of Pennsylvania and their territory of
11979-668: The ridge of Kittatinny Mountain in New Jersey, and Blue Mountain in Pennsylvania, crosses the Delaware River at the Delaware Water Gap near Columbia, New Jersey. In Easton, Pennsylvania , the Lehigh River joins the Delaware. At Trenton , the Delaware crosses the Atlantic Seaboard Fall Line with a drop of 8 feet (2.4 m). Below Trenton , the Delaware flows between Philadelphia and New Jersey before becoming
12100-451: The river Lenapewihittuk, or Lenape River, and Kithanne, meaning the largest river in this part of the country. In 1609, the river was visited by a Dutch East India Company expedition led by Henry Hudson . Hudson, an English navigator, was hired to find a western route to Cathay (China), but his encounters set the stage for Dutch colonization of North America in the 17th century. Early Dutch and Swedish settlements were established along
12221-528: The shoreline, but on the New Jersey side of the river, are pene-exclaves under the jurisdiction of Delaware. The rest of the borders follow a mid-channel approach. At the time of the arrival of the Europeans in the early 17th century, the area near the Delaware River was inhabited by the Native American Lenape people. They called the Delaware River "Lenape Wihittuck", which means "the rapid stream of
12342-502: The social status of their mothers, so children born to white women were free, regardless of their paternity, just as children born to enslaved women were born into slavery. As the flow of indentured laborers to the colony decreased with improving economic conditions in England, more slaves were imported for labor and the caste lines hardened. By the end of the colonial period, the number of enslaved people in Delaware began to decline. Shifts in
12463-545: The state based on the 2020 United States census . The United States Census Bureau determined that the population of Delaware was 989,948 on April 1, 2020, an increase from the 2010 census figure of 897,934. Delaware's history as a border state has led it to exhibit characteristics of both the Northern and the Southern regions of the United States. Generally, the rural Southern (or "Slower Lower") regions of Delaware below
12584-507: The state's large gunpowder industry. DuPont, the most dominant business in the state by WWI, produced an estimated 40% of all gunpowder used by the Allies during the war. It produced nylon in the state after the war and began investments into General Motors . Additionally, the company invested heavily in the expansion of public schools in the state and colleges such as the University of Delaware in
12705-624: The state, some served in companies on the Confederate side in Maryland and Virginia Regiments. Delaware is notable for being the only slave state from which no Confederate regiments or militia groups were assembled. Delaware essentially freed the few slaves who were still in bondage shortly after the Civil War but rejected the 13th , 14th , and 15th Amendments to the Constitution; the 13th Amendment
12826-503: The suburbs in the north where New Castle county became an extension of the Philadelphia metropolitan area . Americans, including migrants from Puerto Rico, and immigrants from Latin America flocked to the state. By 1990, only 50% of Delaware's population consisted of natives to the state. Delaware is 96 miles (154 km) long and ranges from 9 to 35 miles (14 to 56 km) across, with a land area of 1,982 square miles (5,130 km ) and
12947-447: The turn of the 20th century, Delaware has become an onshore corporate haven whose corporate laws are deemed appealing to corporations; over half of all New York Stock Exchange -listed corporations and over three-fifths of the Fortune 500 are legally incorporated in Delaware. Over 90% of all U.S. based companies that went public in 2021 incorporated themselves in Delaware. Delaware
13068-404: The war in the Wilmington area coaxed Black people from the southern counties to move to the city. The proportion of blacks constituting the city's population rose from 15% in 1950 to over 50% by 1980. The surge of Black migrants to the north sparked white flight , in which middle class whites moved from the city to suburban areas, leading to de facto segregation of Northern Delaware's society. In
13189-404: The watershed. While the watershed is home to 4.17 million people according to the 2000 Federal Census, these bodies of water provide drinking water to 17 million people—roughly 6% of the population of the United States. The waters of the Delaware River's basin are used to sustain "fishing, transportation, power, cooling, recreation, and other industrial and residential purposes." It
13310-536: The way east to the low-tide mark on the New Jersey shore, then continues south along the shoreline until it again reaches the 12-mile (19 km) arc in the south; then the boundary continues in a more conventional way in the middle of the main channel ( thalweg ) of the Delaware River. On the west, Delaware and Maryland are mostly separated by a line running from the midpoint of the Transpeninsular Line , going slightly west of due north up to its tangent point on
13431-554: The western boundary of the state and separates the watersheds that feed Delaware River and Bay to the east and the Chesapeake Bay to the west. Since almost all of Delaware is a part of the Atlantic coastal plain , the effects of the ocean moderate its climate. The state lies in the humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa ) zone. Despite its small size (roughly 100 miles (160 km) from its northernmost to southernmost points), there
13552-536: The western part of the state before migrating across the Chesapeake Bay. The Kuskarawocks were most likely the Tuscarora . The Unami Lenape in the Delaware Valley were closely related to Munsee Lenape tribes along the Hudson River . They had a settled hunting and agricultural society, and they rapidly became middlemen in an increasingly frantic fur trade with their ancient enemy, the Minqua or Susquehannock . With
13673-494: Was Delaware's largest slave owner with 37 slaves. By 1860, the largest slaveholder owned 16 slaves. Although attempts to abolish slavery failed by narrow margins in the legislature, in practical terms the state had mostly ended the practice. By the 1860 census on the verge of the Civil War , 91.7% of the black population were free; 1,798 were slaves, as compared to 19,829 "free colored persons". An independent black denomination
13794-749: Was chartered in 1813 by freed slave Peter Spencer as the " Union Church of Africans ". This followed the 1793 establishment in Philadelphia of the African Methodist Episcopal Church by Richard Allen , which had ties to the Methodist Episcopal Church until 1816. Spencer built a church in Wilmington for the new denomination. This was renamed as the African Union First Colored Methodist Protestant Church and Connection , more commonly known as
13915-545: Was first colonized by Dutch traders at Zwaanendael , near present-day Lewes, Delaware , in 1631. Delaware was one of the Thirteen Colonies that participated in the American Revolution against Great Britain , which established the United States as an independent nation. On December 7, 1787, Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution of the United States , earning it the nickname "The First State". Since
14036-436: Was fruit, carried by 490 ships, followed by petroleum, and containers, with 410 and 381 ships, respectively. The biggest category of exports was of shipping was containers, with 470 ships. In 2016, 2,427 ships arrived at Delaware River port facilities. Fruit ships were counted at 577, petroleum at 474, and containerized cargo at 431. At one time it was a center for petroleum and chemical products and included facilities such as
14157-551: Was named after its location on the Delaware Bay , which in turn derived its name from Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr (1577–1618), the first governor of the Colony of Virginia . The Delaware people, a name used by Europeans for Lenape people Indigenous to the Delaware Valley, also derive their name from the same source. The name de La Warr was derived from Sussex and is of Anglo -French origin. It came probably from
14278-516: Was rejected on February 8, 1865, the 14th Amendment was rejected on February 8, 1867, and the 15th Amendment was rejected on March 18, 1869. Delaware officially ratified the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments on February 12, 1901. During the Reconstruction Era that followed the Civil War , Democratic Redeemer governments led by the South's Bourbon aristocracy continued to dominate the region and imposed explicitly white supremacist regimes in
14399-434: Was segregated by operation of law. Delaware's segregation was written into the state constitution, which, while providing at Article X, Section 2, that "no distinction shall be made on account of race or color", nonetheless required that "separate schools for white and colored children shall be maintained." Beginning in the late 19th century, the Wilmington area grew into a manufacturing center. Investment in manufacturing in
14520-681: Was settled by European colonists, the present-day state was home to the Eastern Algonquian tribes known as the Unami Lenape , or Delaware, who lived mostly along the coast, and the Nanticoke who occupied much of the southern Delmarva Peninsula . John Smith also shows two Iroquoian tribes, the Kuskarawock and Tockwogh , living north of the Nanticoke—they may have held small portions of land in
14641-495: Was taken prisoner. The British remained in control of the Delaware River for much of the rest of the war, disrupting commerce and providing encouragement to an active Loyalist portion of the population, particularly in Sussex County. Because the British promised slaves of rebels freedom for fighting with them, escaped slaves flocked north to join their lines. Following the American Revolution , statesmen from Delaware were among
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