Dover, Delaware

Friends of ours have as a goal to visit every U.S. state capital.  Driving through doesn't count.  They have to visit the capitol building or have a meal in the town.

One cold December day we accompanied them to Dover the capital of Delaware.  We visited the historic capitol building (the Old State House) and had lunch so they can check this state off their list now.

Above is the Old State House as it looks now after a major renovation to return it to what it looked like when first built.  Below is what it looked like before the renovation.

Next door is the Delaware Supreme Court.

All of these building face a small park called The Green.

Immediately upon stepping into the State House, you are in a court room as it looked when Delaware was first a state.  Delaware had a three judge system, that's why there are 3 chairs on the highest dais.

Upstairs are two chambers, one for the state senate and the other for the state representatives.

The rooms are small because a small state like Delaware didn't need many of either type of legislators.  

Above the chambers is a smaller viewing gallery.

I took this shot from that viewing gallery.

This painting looked a bit strange to us until the docent told us that a body double posed for the body of Washington.  Doesn't the head look like its not on right?

Looking out to The Green.

The other windows look out on Legislative Hall: The State Capitol.

We stopped into a tiny house on The Green where a young woman in period garb (a state park employee) gave us background information on Delaware and related the story of Caesar Rodney, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence from Delaware.

In warmer weather, walking tours of the capital are offered from this building.  We enjoyed sitting by the warm fire to hear her stories.

A nice lunch was here in the Governor's Club Cafe, also by a fire.

It gets its name because its across the street from the governor's mansion.

It was a nice trip.  We hope to do it again to visit Harrisburg, PA.