Delaware Public Archives (DPA) logo



 Posts & Pages Tagged With: "Kent County"

Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church

KC-111: It is believed that parishioners of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church were worshiping in a private residence on North Street by 1859. The church eventually moved to a site on Church Street to accommodate the growing congregation. On March 2, 1895 Bethel AME Church was formally incorporated. In April of the same year, a […]



East Dover Hundred

KC-13: Originally part of St. Jones Hundred renamed Dover Hundred 1823, the boundaries being Little Creek on north and St. Jones Creek on south, extending from Delaware River to Maryland line. Dover Hundred was divided 1877 into two hundreds, called East Dover Hundred and West Dover Hundred. Installed in 1932. Reinstalled in 1959. Refurbished in […]



Town of Kenton

KC-66: The origin of this community can be traced to the mid-18th century, when growing travel between Dover and the head of the Chester River resulted in the establishment of a Public House here to support the needs of travelers. Increasing commerce led to the growth of settlement. First known as Grog-Town and Lewis’ Cross […]



Captain Jonathan Caldwell

KC-17: This farm, formerly known as Burberry’s Berry, was home of Captain Jonathan Caldwell of Colonel Haslet’s Regiment in Revolution. Tradition says Delaware soldiers received name “Blue Hen’s Chickens” from Caldwell’s men having with them game chickens, celebrated in Kent County for their famous fighting qualities, the brood of a certain blue hen. Installed in […]



John Dickinson 1732-1808

NCC-A4: Nearby is grave of John Dickinson, Lawyer, Scholar, and Statesman. Member Colonial Assemblies of Delaware and Pennsylvania and Legislative council of Delaware State. Delegate from Pennsylvania to Stamp Act Congress. Representative in Continental Congress from Pennsylvania and Delaware, and President of both states. Signer for Delaware of Articles of Confederation. Member from Delaware and […]



State House

KC-A6: Completed in 1792 and restored in 1976, it was shared by Kent County and the State from 1792 to 1873. Prior to the construction of this building, an older county court house stood on the same site. That small brick structure, about twenty-five feet square, had been built in 1722. On July 29, 1776, […]



Zion African Methodist Episcopal

KC-110: The roots of this congregation can be traced to 1845, when a group of local residents met to formally organize Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church. With several churches established in the area by free African Americans during the mid-19th century, the town of Camden became an important stop on the Underground Railroad. Trustees of […]



Coming of the Railroad

KC-99: Delaware rail transit began in 1832, when the New Castle & Frenchtown Railroad connected shipping traffic on the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware River. In 1836, the General Assembly chartered the Delaware Railroad to build a line from the New Castle & Frenchtown to the state’s southern border. After financial delays, tracks reached here in […]



Murderkill / Motherkiln Friends Meeting

KC-090: By 1712, Quakers of the Religious Society of Friends met “at the widow Needham’s at Murderkill Creek,” later establishing as Motherkiln Preparative Meeting. Circa 1760, a meetinghouse was constructed on this site. The structure burned soon thereafter, and for a time the Friends debated locating to a site near Tidbury Creek. A brick meetinghouse […]



Former Site of ILC Dover

KC-86: Makers of the Apollo Moonsuit In 1947 the International Latex Corporation established a specialty products division and chose this site for its location. The company’s rise to prominence as a supplier of aeronautic and aerospace equipment began in 1952 when it was contracted to produce high altitude pressure helmets for the military. By the […]