The legal principle governing Delaware municipalities stems from an 1868 ruling by Iowa judge John Dillon, who declared that “municipal corporations owe their origins to and derive their powers and rights wholly from the legislature.” Because the Delaware General Assembly determines how each local government functions, the Laws of Delaware provide an understanding of each municipality’s legal history. Local governments have been incorporated under Delaware law since 1809, and that process continues through reincorporations and amendments. Select a municipality below to read a summary of the laws governing its development. Current governing documents are available through Delaware Municipal Charters.

Once established, each local government was responsible for documenting its actions, primarily through the minutes of its governing body and, over time, through many other records. Delaware expanded its public records law to municipal governments in 1913. The Delaware Public Archives trains local governments in preservation practices and provides permanent storage for government records. Although some municipal records have been lost, surviving records can offer important evidence of local governmental history. Each municipality page identifies related records held by the Delaware Public Archives.

Explore Town and City Histories