View source for Dover, Delaware

{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                     = Dover
| native_name              = 
| native_name_lang         = 
| other_name               = 
| settlement_type          = [[List of capitals in the United States|State capital]]
| image_skyline            = Dover Delaware.jpg
| image_caption            = View of Loockerman Street in downtown Dover
| image_flag               = Flag of Dover DE.gif
| image_seal               = Seal of Dover DE.png
| etymology                = [[Dover]], [[Kent]], [[England]]
| nickname                 = Capital of the First State
| image_map                = Kent County Delaware incorporated and unincorporated areas Dover highlighted.svg
| map_caption              = Location in Kent County & the state of Delaware
| image_map1               = 
| pushpin_map              = USA
| pushpin_map_caption      = Location in the United States
| coordinates              = {{coord|39|09|29|N|75|31|28|W|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name         = United States
| subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1        = [[Delaware]]
| subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Delaware|County]]
| subdivision_name2        = [[Kent County, Delaware|Kent]]
| established_title        = Founded
| established_date         = 1683
| established_title1       = Incorporated
| established_date1        = 1717
| government_type          = [[Council-manager]]
| leader_party             = 
| leader_title             = Mayor
| leader_name              = [[Robin Christiansen]] (D)
| unit_pref                = Imperial
| area_total_sq_mi         = 23.97
| area_land_sq_mi          = 23.67
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.30
| elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft             = 30
| population_footnotes     = 
| population_total         = 39403
| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| pop_est_footnotes        = 
| population_est           = 
| pop_est_as_of            = 
| population_density_sq_mi = 1664.82
| population_metro         = 152,255
| timezone1                = [[Eastern Standard Time|EST]]
| utc_offset1              = −05:00
| timezone1_DST            = [[Eastern Daylight Time|EDT]]
| utc_offset1_DST          = −04:00
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code|ZIP Codes]]
| postal_code              = 19901–19906
| area_code_type           = 
| area_code                = [[Area code 302|302]]
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = 10-21200
| blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info              = 217882<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|217882}}</ref>
| blank2_name              = Major highway
| blank2_info              = [[File:Elongated circle 1.svg|25px|link=Delaware Route 1]]
| website                  = {{URL|http://www.cityofdover.com}}
|area_footnotes = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_10.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 31, 2021}}</ref>
|area_total_km2 = 62.09
|area_land_km2 = 61.30
|area_water_km2 = 0.79
|population_density_km2 = 642.79
}}

'''Dover''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|d|oʊ|v|ər}} {{respell|DOH|vər}}) is the [[List of capitals in the United States|capital]] and the [[List of municipalities in Delaware|second-most populous city]]  of the [[U.S.]] [[U.S. state|state]] of [[Delaware]], after [[Wilmington, Delaware|Wilmington]].<ref name=popest2>{{cite web| url = http://www.togetherweteach.com/TWTIC/uscityinfo/08de/depopr/08depr.htm| title = Populations of Delaware (DE) Cities – ranked by Population Size| access-date = June 12, 2013| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181013082347/http://www.togetherweteach.com/TWTIC/uscityinfo/08de/depopr/08depr.htm| archive-date = October 13, 2018| url-status = live}}</ref> It is also the [[county seat]] of [[Kent County, Delaware|Kent County]] and the principal city of the [[Kent County, Delaware|Dover metropolitan statistical area]], which encompasses all of Kent County and is part of the [[Philadelphia]]–[[Wilmington, Delaware|Wilmington]]–[[Camden, New Jersey|Camden]], [[Pennsylvania|PA]]–[[New Jersey|NJ]]–DE–[[Maryland|MD]], [[Delaware Valley|combined statistical area]]. It is located on the [[St. Jones River]] in the [[Delaware River]] coastal plain. It was named by [[William Penn]] for [[Dover]] in [[Kent]], England (for which Kent County is named). As of 2020, its population was 39,403.

==Etymology==

The city is named after [[Dover]], [[Kent]], in [[England]]. First recorded in its Latinised form of ''[[Portus Dubris]]'', the name derives from the [[British language (Celtic)|Brythonic]] word for waters (''dwfr'' in [[Middle Welsh]]). The same element is present in the town's [[French language|French]] (Douvres) and [[Welsh Language|Modern Welsh]] (Dofr) forms.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}}

==History==
Dover was founded as the court town for newly established [[Kent County, Delaware|Kent County]] in 1683 by [[William Penn]], the proprietor of the territory generally known as the "[[Lower Counties]] on the Delaware." Later, in 1717, the city was officially laid out by a special commission of the [[Delaware General Assembly]]. The capital of the state of Delaware was moved here from [[New Castle, Delaware|New Castle]] in 1777 because of its central location and relative safety from British raiders on the [[Delaware River]]. Because of an act passed in October 1779, the assembly elected to meet at any place in the state they saw fit, meeting successively in [[Wilmington, Delaware|Wilmington]], [[Lewes, Delaware|Lewes]], Dover, New Castle, and Lewes again, until it finally settled down permanently in Dover in October 1781.<ref>Munroe, John A. ''History of Delaware''. Newark: University of Delaware Press, 2001. p. 75.</ref> The city's central square, known as [[Dover Green Historic District|The Green]], was the location of many rallies, troop reviews, and other patriotic events. To this day, The Green remains the heart of Dover's historic district and is the location of the [[Delaware Supreme Court]] and the Kent County Courthouse.

Dover was most famously the home of [[Caesar Rodney]], the popular wartime leader of Delaware during the [[American Revolution]]. He is known to have been buried outside Dover, but the precise location of his grave is unknown. A [[cenotaph]] in his honor is erected in the cemetery of the Christ Episcopal Church<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.christchurchdover.org/ |title=christchurchdover.org |publisher=christchurchdover.org |date=September 27, 1998 |access-date=November 14, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002115503/http://www.christchurchdover.org/ |archive-date=October 2, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> near The Green in Dover.

[[File:Christ Church (Dover, Delaware) west entrance and bell tower.JPG|thumb|left|Christ Church entrance and bell tower in Dover]] 
Dover and Kent County were deeply divided over the issue of [[slavery]], and the city was a "stop" on the [[Underground Railroad]] because of its proximity to slave-holding [[Maryland]] and free [[Pennsylvania]] and [[New Jersey]]. It was also home to a large [[Quaker]] community that encouraged a sustained emancipation effort in the early 19th century. There were very few slaves in the area, but the institution was supported, if not practiced, by a small majority, who saw to its continuation.

The [[Bradford-Loockerman House]], [[Dover Air Force Base#Air Mobility Command Museum|Building 1301, Dover Air Force Base]], [[John Bullen House]], [[Carey Farm Site]], [[Christ Church (Dover, Delaware)|Christ Church]], [[Delaware State Museum Buildings]], [[John Dickinson House]], [[Dover Green Historic District]], [[Eden Hill (Dover, Delaware)|Eden Hill]], [[Delaware Governor's Mansion]], [[Greenwold (Dover, Delaware)|Greenwold]], [[Hughes-Willis Site]], [[Loockerman Hall]], [[Macomb Farm]], [[Mifflin-Marim Agricultural Complex]], [[Old Statehouse (Dover, Delaware)|Old Statehouse]], [[Palmer Home]], [[Town Point (Dover, Delaware)|Town Point]], [[Tyn Head Court]], and [[Victorian Dover Historic District]] are listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>

{{stack|[[File:Detailed Satellite Image of Southern Delaware.jpg|thumb|Satellite photo of Dover taken from the [[International Space Station]]. The red arrow points at Dover.]]}}
On August 4, 2020, [[Hurricane Isaias]] produced an [[Hurricane Isaias tornado outbreak#Dover–Townsend–Middletown–Glasgow, Delaware|EF2 tornado]] that struck the city. Trees were significantly damaged, including some that fell on homes, roofing was blown off a middle school, a warehouse had metal walls torn off, some tractor trailers were blown over and a garage was severely damaged. Damage in Dover was rated EF1. The tornado would be on the ground for tracked {{convert|35.78|mi|km}}, becoming the longest-tracked tornado in the state, but there were no casualties.<ref name="Dover1">{{cite report |title=Delaware Event Report: EF2 Tornado |url=https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=904089 |website=National Centers for Environmental Information |publisher=National Weather Service |access-date=April 14, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Dover2">{{cite report |title=Delaware Event Report: EF2 Tornado |url=https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/eventdetails.jsp?id=926375 |website=National Centers for Environmental Information |publisher=National Weather Service |access-date=April 14, 2021}}</ref>

==Geography==

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|22.7|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|22.4|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|0.3|sqmi}}, or 1.32%, is water.

===Climate===
[[File:Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020) - DOVER, DE.svg|thumb|left|Climate chart for Dover]]
Dover has a warm [[temperate climate]] or [[humid subtropical climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''Cfa''). Summers are hot and humid, with 25 days per year reaching or surpassing {{convert|90|°F|0}}.<ref name=NCEI/> Brief, but heavy summer thunderstorms are common. Winters are moderated by the [[Delaware Bay]] and the partial shielding of the [[Appalachians]], though there are normally 8−9 days when the daily high remains below freezing and 15 nights with lows below {{convert|20|°F|0}}.<ref name=NOAA/> Snow is typically light and sporadic, averaging only {{convert|13.2|in|cm}} per year, and does not usually remain on the ground for long.<ref name=NCEI/> The [[hardiness zone]] is 7b.<!-- see https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/ -->  Spring and autumn provide transitions of reasonable length and are similar, though spring is wetter. The monthly mean temperature ranges from {{convert|36.0|°F|1}} in January to {{convert|77.9|°F|1}} in July. The annual total precipitation of around {{convert|47.61|in|1}} is spread rather evenly year-round.

{{Weather box|width=
| location = Dover, Delaware (1991−2020 normals, extremes 1893–present)
| single line = Y
| collapsed = Y
| Jan record high F = 77
| Feb record high F = 80
| Mar record high F = 88
| Apr record high F = 97
| May record high F = 98
| Jun record high F = 101
| Jul record high F = 104
| Aug record high F = 102
| Sep record high F = 99
| Oct record high F = 95
| Nov record high F = 85
| Dec record high F = 75
| year record high F = 104
| Jan avg record high F = 65.7
| Feb avg record high F = 65.4
| Mar avg record high F = 73.5
| Apr avg record high F = 83.0
| May avg record high F = 88.1
| Jun avg record high F = 93.1
| Jul avg record high F = 95.4
| Aug avg record high F = 93.1
| Sep avg record high F = 89.0
| Oct avg record high F = 82.8
| Nov avg record high F = 73.9
| Dec avg record high F = 66.1
| year avg record high F = 96.1
| Jan high F = 44.4
| Feb high F = 47.4
| Mar high F = 54.5
| Apr high F = 66.0
| May high F = 74.4
| Jun high F = 82.7
| Jul high F = 86.9
| Aug high F = 85.1
| Sep high F = 79.2
| Oct high F = 68.9
| Nov high F = 58.0
| Dec high F = 48.6
| year high F = 66.3
| Jan mean F = 36.0
| Feb mean F = 38.2
| Mar mean F = 45.0
| Apr mean F = 55.5
| May mean F = 64.4
| Jun mean F = 73.2
| Jul mean F = 77.9
| Aug mean F = 76.2
| Sep mean F = 70.1
| Oct mean F = 59.2
| Nov mean F = 48.7
| Dec mean F = 40.3
| year mean F = 57.1
| Jan low F = 27.6
| Feb low F = 29.0
| Mar low F = 35.4
| Apr low F = 44.9
| May low F = 54.4
| Jun low F = 63.8
| Jul low F = 69.0
| Aug low F = 67.3
| Sep low F = 61.0
| Oct low F = 49.5
| Nov low F = 39.3
| Dec low F = 32.1
| year low F = 47.8
| Jan avg record low F = 10.8
| Feb avg record low F = 13.3
| Mar avg record low F = 20.5
| Apr avg record low F = 31.1
| May avg record low F = 40.7
| Jun avg record low F = 51.0
| Jul avg record low F = 59.5
| Aug avg record low F = 58.4
| Sep avg record low F = 47.7
| Oct avg record low F = 34.4
| Nov avg record low F = 24.0
| Dec avg record low F = 17.8
| year avg record low F = 8.8
| Jan record low F = −7
| Feb record low F = −11
| Mar record low F = 7
| Apr record low F = 14
| May record low F = 28
| Jun record low F = 41
| Jul record low F = 45
| Aug record low F = 35
| Sep record low F = 30
| Oct record low F = 25
| Nov record low F = 11
| Dec record low F = −3
| year record low F = -11
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation inch = 3.43
| Feb precipitation inch = 3.08
| Mar precipitation inch = 4.21
| Apr precipitation inch = 3.72
| May precipitation inch = 3.89
| Jun precipitation inch = 4.56
| Jul precipitation inch = 4.14
| Aug precipitation inch = 4.92
| Sep precipitation inch = 4.25
| Oct precipitation inch = 4.06
| Nov precipitation inch = 3.36
| Dec precipitation inch = 3.99
| year precipitation inch = 47.61
| Jan snow inch = 4.1
| Feb snow inch = 5.9
| Mar snow inch = 0.6
| Apr snow inch = 0.0
| May snow inch = 0.0
| Jun snow inch = 0.0
| Jul snow inch = 0.0
| Aug snow inch = 0.0
| Sep snow inch = 0.0
| Oct snow inch = 0.0
| Nov snow inch = 0.0
| Dec snow inch = 2.6
| year snow inch = 13.2
| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
| Jan precipitation days = 9.7
| Feb precipitation days = 9.2
| Mar precipitation days = 9.8
| Apr precipitation days = 10.3
| May precipitation days = 10.5
| Jun precipitation days = 9.2
| Jul precipitation days = 9.0
| Aug precipitation days = 8.2
| Sep precipitation days = 8.2
| Oct precipitation days = 8.0
| Nov precipitation days = 7.4
| Dec precipitation days = 10.2
| year precipitation days = 109.7
| unit snow days = 0.1 in
| Jan snow days = 1.8
| Feb snow days = 1.9
| Mar snow days = 0.4
| Apr snow days = 0.0
| May snow days = 0.0
| Jun snow days = 0.0
| Jul snow days = 0.0
| Aug snow days = 0.0
| Sep snow days = 0.0
| Oct snow days = 0.0
| Nov snow days = 0.0
| Dec snow days = 0.8
| year snow days = 4.9
| Jan uv = 2
| Feb uv = 3
| Mar uv = 5
| Apr uv = 6
| May uv = 8
| Jun uv = 9
| Jul uv = 9
| Aug uv = 8
| Sep uv = 7
| Oct uv = 4
| Nov uv = 2
| Dec uv = 2
|source 1 = [[NOAA]]<ref name= NOAA>{{cite web
| url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=phi
| title = NowData - NOAA Online Weather Data
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = June 18, 2021
| archive-date = March 5, 2012
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120305104542/https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=phi
| url-status = dead
}}</ref><ref name=NCEI>
{{cite web
| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00072730&format=pdf
| title = Station: Dover, DE
| work = U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991–2020)
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = June 18, 2021
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230806064941/https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00072730&format=pdf
| archive-date = August 6, 2023}}</ref>
|source 2 = Weather Atlas (UV)<ref name="Weather Atlas">
{{cite web 
| url = https://www.weather-us.com/en/delaware-usa/dover-climate 
| title = Dover, Delaware, USA – Monthly weather forecast and Climate data 
| publisher = Weather Atlas 
| access-date = July 4, 2019 
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190629142419/https://www.weather-us.com/en/delaware-usa/dover-climate 
| archive-date = June 29, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>
}}

{{Graph:Weather monthly history
| table=ncei.noaa.gov/weather/Dover.tab
| title=Dover, Delaware temperature
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1870= 1906
|1880= 2811
|1890= 3061
|1900= 3329
|1910= 3720
|1920= 4042
|1930= 4800
|1940= 5517
|1950= 6223
|1960= 7250
|1970= 17488
|1980= 23507
|1990= 27630
|2000= 32135
|2010= 36047
|2020= 39403
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

In 2010,<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> Dover had a population of 36,047 people. During the [[census]] of 2000,<ref name="GR2" /> there were 32,135 people, 12,340 households, and 7,502 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,435.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 13,195 housing units at an average density of {{convert|589.2|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. According to the [[2020 United States census]], its population grew to 39,403 people.

In 2010, the racial makeup of the city was 48.3% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 42.2% [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 2.7% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.5% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.1% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 2.1% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 4.1% from two or more races; 6.6% of the population were [[Hispanics in the United States|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race. In 2000, the racial makeup of the city was 54.9% White, 37.2% African American, 0.5% Native American, 3.2% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.6% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races; 4.1% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. By 2021, the [[American Community Survey]] estimated its racial makeup was 41.5% [[Non-Hispanic whites|non-Hispanic white]], 40.5% African American, 0.6% Native American, 2.4% Asian, 9.7% two or more races, and 8.1% Hispanic or Latino of any race.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Quickfacts: Dover city, DE |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/dovercitydelaware |website=U.S. Census Bureau}}</ref>

As of 2000, there were 12,340 households, out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.4% were married couples living together, 16.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.2% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65&nbsp;years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.98. In the city of Dover the age distribution of the population shows 23.5% under the age of 18, 15.7% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65&nbsp;years of age or older. The median age was 33&nbsp;years. For every 100 females, there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.1 males.

In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $38,669, and the median income for a family was $48,338. Males had a median income of $34,824 versus $26,061 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $19,445. About 11.5% of families and 13.8% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 19.6% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over. In 2021, the median household income for a household in the city was $51,073 (~${{Format price|{{Inflation|index=US|value=51073|start_year=2021}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US}}) and 20.5% of the population lived at or below the poverty line.

==Economy==
[[File:Delaware State Capitol.jpg|thumb|left|[[Delaware Legislative Hall|Legislative Hall]]]]
Delaware's largest employer is also Dover's: the state government. A large portion, but not all, of the state's bureaucracy is in and around Dover. [[Wilmington, Delaware|Wilmington]], in northern Delaware and the state's largest city, has many state offices and employees one might expect to find in the state capital, including the headquarters of the Office of the [[Delaware Attorney General|Attorney General]], especially as many large American [[corporation]]s maintain nominal offices in that city to register their [[Delaware General Corporation Law|Delaware corporation]].

Dover is one of the fastest-growing areas in Delaware, due in large part to the relatively low cost of living. As a consequence, the Kent County government is a major employer in the area. Apart from the state and county governments, Dover's significant employers include [[Dover Air Force Base]], in the southeast corporate limits of the city. The base houses two airlift wings as well as the U.S. military's only [[mortuary]] in the continental U.S., which accepts and processes the remains of soldiers killed in battle. In addition, [[Kraft Foods]] and [[Procter & Gamble]] have manufacturing facilities in Dover. Kraft Foods' Dover plant has been the plant that manufactures [[Jell-O]] since 1964, when it relocated from [[LeRoy, New York]]. The P&G plant makes [[Pampers]] Baby Fresh wipes. [[ILC Dover]], in nearby [[Frederica, Delaware|Frederica]], produces fabrics for military and aerospace uses and is the primary contractor for production of the [[Project Apollo|Apollo]] and [[Skylab]] spacesuits, as well as the spacesuit assembly for the [[Space Shuttle]]'s [[Extravehicular Mobility Unit]] (EMU). Several local and national retailers and restaurants line US 13 through Dover, with the [[Dover Mall]] situated along this corridor and serving as the area's only shopping mall.

One weekend a year in the spring, [[NASCAR]] races are held at [[Dover Motor Speedway]], attracting about 65,000 spectators. Attendance at the races is much lower than in the 1990s and 2000s, when 140,000 spectators sometimes came. The races bring in increased patronage for local businesses, and hotels and motels sell out weeks in advance. Many race fans camp in RVs and tents adjacent to the track.<ref>{{cite news|last=Finney|first=Mike|title=Not as monstrous: DelDOT, city prepared for NASCAR weekend|work=Delaware State News|location=Dover, DE|date=September 26, 2017|url=https://delawarestatenews.net/news/not-monstrous-deldot-city-prepared-nascar-weekend/|access-date=December 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171228171621/https://delawarestatenews.net/news/not-monstrous-deldot-city-prepared-nascar-weekend/|archive-date=December 28, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> These races, and in recent years adjacent [[slot machine]] gambling at [[Bally's Dover]], contribute millions of dollars to Dover's economy.

[[Firefly Music Festival]] has been held in the Woodlands of Dover Motor Speedway every summer since 2012.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/hughmcintyre/2017/06/08/firefly-music-festival-let-the-fans-decide-every-aspect-of-the-party-this-year/?sh=162d89ac1718 | title=Firefly Music Festival Let The Fans Decide Every Aspect Of The Party This Year | work=Forbes | date=June 8, 2017 | accessdate=September 26, 2021 | author=McIntyre, Hugh}}</ref>

==Education==
===Colleges and universities===
[[File:Wesley de.jpg|thumb|right|[[Wesley College (Delaware)|Wesley College]], now the [[Delaware State University]] Downtown campus]]
Dover is home to [[Delaware State University]], a [[land-grant university]] and Delaware's only [[historically black university]]. The city was also home to [[Wesley College (Delaware)|Wesley College]], which is now the Delaware State University Downtown campus. [[Campus Community School]], a public charter school, is located on the Wesley College grounds. It is also home to the Terry Campus of the [[Delaware Technical Community College]] and that college's administrative offices. Dover also has satellite locations of the [[University of Delaware]] and [[Wilmington University]].

===K-12 education===
Three public school districts serve Dover residents. The majority of the city is served by the [[Capital School District]], which includes [[Dover High School (Delaware)|Dover High School]].<ref>{{cite map|title=Capital School District|publisher=Delaware Department of Elections|date=March 2013|url=https://elections.delaware.gov/maps/school/2012/kent/Capital_School_District.pdf|access-date=June 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190528153712/https://elections.delaware.gov/maps/school/2012/kent/Capital_School_District.pdf|archive-date=May 28, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> The southern portion of Dover is served by the [[Caesar Rodney School District]], which includes [[Caesar Rodney High School]] located just outside the city in [[Camden, Delaware|Camden]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st10_de/schooldistrict_maps/c10001_kent/DC20SD_C10001.pdf|title=2020 census - school district reference map: Kent County, DE|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=June 16, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite map|title=Caesar Rodney School District|publisher=Delaware Department of Elections|date=March 2013|url=https://elections.delaware.gov/maps/school/2012/kent/Caesar_Rodney_School_District.pdf|access-date=June 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190528153659/https://elections.delaware.gov/maps/school/2012/kent/Caesar_Rodney_School_District.pdf|archive-date=May 28, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[Polytech School District]], which includes [[Polytech High School]] located in [[Woodside, Delaware|Woodside]], serves as an overlay district for vocational-technical students.

The Dover Air Force Base [[Middle School]] is located on the premises of the Dover Air Force Base. This school is unusual{{citation needed|date=September 2022}} in that it is run not by the [[Department of Defense Education Activity]] (DoDEA), but by the Caesar Rodney School District.

Dover Academy, which incorporated in 1810, was a private school. On April 14, 1919, the [[Delaware General Assembly]] created the Dover Special School District. The Delaware State Board of Education counted Dover's [[History of African-American education|segregated school for black children]] as its own school district in minutes recorded during the 1919-1920 school year. The Dover special school district merged into the Capital School District on July 1, 1969.<ref>{{cite web|last=Mowery|first=Roger|url=https://archivesfiles.delaware.gov/ebooks/Delaware_School_Districts_1974.pdf|title=Delaware School District Organization and Boundaries|publisher=[[Delaware State Department of Instruction]]|place=[[Dover, Delaware]]|year=1974|page=9 (PDF p. 17/97)|access-date=March 30, 2025}}</ref>

==Culture==
[[File:HISTORIC CAPITOL THEATER, DOVER, KENT COUNTY, DELAWARE.jpg|thumb|left|The Capitol Theater]]
The former Dover Opera House, built in 1904, was renovated and converted to the Schwartz Center for the Arts,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.schwartzcenter.com/ |title=schwartzcenter.com |publisher=schwartzcenter.com |access-date=November 14, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111109061703/http://www.schwartzcenter.com/ |archive-date=November 9, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> which hosted performances by the Dover Symphony Orchestra,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.doversymphony.org/ |title=doversymphony.org |publisher=doversymphony.org |access-date=November 14, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111121045311/http://www.doversymphony.org/ |archive-date=November 21, 2011 |url-status=usurped }}</ref> ballet, and classic films. The Schwartz Center for the Arts closed on June 30, 2017, due to financial issues.<ref>{{cite news|last=Dawson|first=Ashley and Craig Horleman|title=Curtain falls on Schwartz Center|work=Delaware State News|location=Dover, DE|date=June 8, 2017|url=http://delawarestatenews.net/news/schwartz-close-june-30/|access-date=August 14, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170815023500/http://delawarestatenews.net/news/schwartz-close-june-30/|archive-date=August 15, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Kent County Theatre Guild<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kent County Theatre Guild |url=https://www.kctg.org/ |access-date=March 21, 2022 |website=Kent County Theatre Guild |language=en-US}}</ref> was founded in 1953 and presents a five-show season at the organization's theater, the Patchwork Playhouse. It is run solely by volunteers, who handle everything from governance and building maintenance to set construction, acting and directing. It is open to anyone interested in participating in or learning about live theater.

Dover is also home to The Children's Theatre, Inc. of Dover and Kent County,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://thechildrenstheatre.org/ |title=thechildrenstheatre.org |publisher=thechildrenstheatre.org |access-date=November 14, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111206191602/http://www.thechildrenstheatre.org/ |archive-date=December 6, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> a non-profit organization.

The Delaware State Library, the [[Delaware State Museum Buildings|Delaware State Museum]], and the Delaware State Archives are in downtown Dover and are open to the public for research and browsing.

In Dover's historical district is the Sewell C. Biggs Museum of American Art,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.biggsmuseum.org/ |title=biggsmuseum.org |publisher=biggsmuseum.org |access-date=November 14, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111108001315/http://www.biggsmuseum.org/ |archive-date=November 8, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> featuring collections from the Colonial days to the present.

An [[Amish]] community resides to the west of Dover, consisting of 11 church districts and about 1,650 people. The Amish first settled in Kent County in 1915, with the settlement almost dying out in the '20s and '30s, but rebounding from the 60's to present. The area is home to several Amish businesses selling items such as Amish food, furniture, quilts, and handmade crafts. Every September, the [http://amishcountrybiketour.com/ Amish Country Bike Tour], the largest bike ride in Delaware, takes place in the area. In recent years, increasing development has led to the decline in the number of Amish living in the community, with some moving to areas with cheaper farmland and less traffic, such as Michigan, Upstate New York, Illinois, Kentucky, and southern Virginia.<ref name="Elizabethtown College, the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies">{{cite web
|url=https://groups.etown.edu/amishstudies/statistics/amish-population-profile-2018/
|title=Amish Population, 2018
|work=Elizabethtown College, the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies
|access-date=January 29, 2019
|date=August 7, 2018
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190205121144/http://groups.etown.edu/amishstudies/statistics/amish-population-profile-2018/
|archive-date=February 5, 2019
|url-status=dead
}}</ref><ref name="visitdoveramish">{{cite web|url=http://visitdover.com/index.php/mobile/visit_entry/amish-countryside|title=Amish Countryside|publisher=Kent County & Greater Dover, Delaware Convention and Visitors Bureau|access-date=November 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161123053054/http://visitdover.com/index.php/mobile/visit_entry/amish-countryside|archive-date=November 23, 2016}}</ref><ref name="amishamerica">{{cite web|title=Delaware Amish|publisher=Amish America|url=http://amishamerica.com/delaware-amish/|access-date=October 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171007120123/http://amishamerica.com/delaware-amish/|archive-date=October 7, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Parks and recreation==
[[File:Silver Lake DE-kmf.JPG|thumb|right|Silver Lake]]
The City of Dover Parks & Recreation Department maintains several parks in the city, consisting of three larger parks and 27 smaller parks. [[Silver Lake Park (Dover, Delaware)|Silver Lake Park]] is a 182-acre park located along [[Silver Lake (Dover, Delaware)|Silver Lake]] and offers fishing, boating, a walking/jogging path that provides views of the lake, a playground, benches, and pavilions. Schutte Park offers a variety of athletic facilities including 10 multipurpose fields, four lighted softball fields, a pavilion, a playground, a cross country course, waking paths, the Dover Little League baseball fields, and the John W. Pitts Recreation Center. The recreation center at Schutte Park has meeting rooms, a gym with two basketball courts and three volleyball courts, and an indoor walking track; it is home to a variety of fitness classes, sports, and sport leagues. Dover Park offers three tennis courts, a softball field, multipurpose field, two basketball courts, a disc golf course, and two pavilions. Dover is home to several smaller neighborhood parks including City Hall Plaza, Continental Park, Crossgates Park, Division & Kirkwood Streets Park, Kirkwood & Mary Streets Park, Hamlet, Heatherfield East, Mallard Pond, Mayfair Park, Millcreek Park, New & Dover Streets Park, Orville Myers, Paul's Property, Richardson Park, Saulsbury Park, The Green, Turner Drive, Westfield, Westwind Meadows, Williams Park, and Woodbrook.<ref>{{cite web|title=Parks|publisher=City of Dover, Delaware|url=https://www.cityofdover.com/parks-listing|access-date=September 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180902151641/https://www.cityofdover.com/parks-listing|archive-date=September 2, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Media==
{{see also|List of newspapers in Delaware|List of radio stations in Delaware|List of television stations in Delaware}}
Two [[newspapers]] are headquartered in Dover, the ''[[Dover Post]]'', printed weekly and online, and the daily ''[[Delaware State News]]''.

Kent County is within the [[Template:Philly TV|Philadelphia television market]], with the local [[Xfinity]] cable system carrying most channels from that city, alongside [[Salisbury, Maryland|Salisbury]] stations [[WBOC-TV]] 16 ([[CBS]]), [[WMDT]] 47 ([[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]]), [[Maryland Public Television|WCPB]] 28 ([[PBS]]), and low-powered [[NBC]] affiliate [[WRDE-LD]] 31.<ref>Per [http://www.zap2it.com/ Zap2it] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151129055945/http://zap2it.com/ |date=November 29, 2015 }}, zip code 19901.</ref> WBOC-TV maintains a bureau in Dover, and [[WHYY-TV]] 12, the PBS member station in Philadelphia, maintains a studio and broadcasting facility in Dover. WHYY programming is seen locally on WDPB-TV channel 64 from [[Seaford, Delaware|Seaford]] (part of the Salisbury television market).

[[WDDE]],<ref>[http://www.wdde.org WDDE 91.1 FM | Delaware's NPR News station | A Delaware First Media enterprise] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150330152953/http://www.wdde.org/ |date=March 30, 2015 }}. Wdde.org. Retrieved on August 17, 2013.</ref> Delaware's first [[NPR]] station, launched in August 2012.  It broadcasts on 91.1 FM.  Delaware was the last state in the nation to have an NPR station located within its borders.
{{Dover Radio}}
{{Philly TV}}

==Sports==
[[File:2017 Apache Warrior 400 from turn 1.jpg|thumb|right|NASCAR racing at Dover Motor Speedway]]
[[Dover Motor Speedway]] is home to a [[NASCAR]] race weekend in July. The race weekend features the [[ARCA Menards Series]] on Friday, the [[NASCAR Xfinity Series]] on Saturday, and the [[NASCAR Cup Series]] on Sunday. Located with Dover Motor Speedway is [[Bally's Dover]], a harness [[horse racing]] track, hotel and casino. The harness track is located within the NASCAR track.

The two colleges in town are both active in sports. The [[Wesley College (Delaware)|Wesley College Wolverines]] are a perennial powerhouse in [[NCAA Division III]] football, where they began play in the [[New Jersey Athletic Conference]] in 2015, while other sports compete in the [[Capital Athletic Conference]]. The [[Delaware State Hornets]] compete in [[NCAA Division I]], with football competing at the [[Football Championship Subdivision|FCS]] level of Division I, as a member of the [[Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference]] made up of other [[historically black colleges and universities]].

For one week during the middle of July every year, Dover also hosts the Big League ([[Little League]] 16–18) Eastern Regionals, attracting teams from all of New England and the Mid-Atlantic.

There are several [[golf course]]s located near Dover. They include the Maple Dale Country Club<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mapledaleclub.com/ |title=mapledaleclub.com |publisher=mapledaleclub.com |access-date=November 14, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111102062831/http://www.mapledaleclub.com/ |archive-date=November 2, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> in Dover, Wild Quail Country Club<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wildquail.net/ |title=wildquail.net |publisher=wildquail.net |access-date=November 14, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111013233316/http://www.wildquail.net/ |archive-date=October 13, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> near Camden, Jonathan's Landing Golf Course<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jonathanslandinggolf.com/ |title=jonathanslandinggolf.com |publisher=jonathanslandinggolf.com |access-date=November 14, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111203060130/http://www.jonathanslandinggolf.com/ |archive-date=December 3, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> near Magnolia, Dover Center Par 3 and Driving Range in Dover, and the Eagle Creek Golf Course (Must have military I.D.) on the Dover Air Force Base.

Historically, Dover hosted a farm team of the [[Philadelphia Phillies]] in the [[Eastern Shore Baseball League]]. It also served as an affiliate of the minor-league [[Baltimore Orioles (minor league)|Baltimore Orioles]]. The teams were variously known as the Senators, Dobbins, Orioles, and [[Dover Phillies|Phillies]].

In 2008, there was high attendance for the NASCAR races and Delaware State's football team making its first FCS tournament appearance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=468401 |title=sportingnews.com |publisher=sportingnews.com |access-date=November 14, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207014550/http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=468401 |archive-date=December 7, 2008 }}</ref>

[[Combat Zone Wrestling]] held its yearly [[CZW Tournament of Death|Tournament of Death]] in Dover twice.

==Government==
[[File:NEW KENT COUNTY COURTHOUSE, DOVER, DELAWARE.jpg|thumb|right|The new Kent County Courthouse]]
Dover is governed via the [[council-manager]] system with an elected mayor, currently [[Robin R. Christiansen]] since 2014. The council consists of nine members, eight of whom are elected from four districts with each district having two members. One member of the council is elected at large. Municipal elections, which are [[Non-partisan democracy|nonpartisan]], are held on the third Tuesday in April in odd-numbered years. The mayor is elected directly by the city voters for a four-year term. City council members are elected to staggered four-year terms.<ref name=elections>{{cite web|title=Regular Municipal Elections|publisher=City of Dover, Delaware|url=https://www.cityofdover.com/regular-municipal-elections|access-date=August 29, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180830005308/https://www.cityofdover.com/regular-municipal-elections|archive-date=August 30, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

There have been four full-time Mayors of Dover to date: [[James Hutchison (American politician)|James "Hutch" Hutchison]] from 1994 to 2004; [[Stephen Speed]] from 2004 to 2007; [[Carleton Carey]] from 2007 to 2014; [[Robin R. Christiansen]] since 2014.

The Dover Police Department provides police services to the city of Dover. The police department is led by a Chief of Police, currently Thomas Johnson, and consists of 101 officers, responding to 43,000 calls a year.<ref>{{cite web|title=From The Chief|publisher=City of Dover Police Department|url=https://doverpolice.org/from-the-chief/|access-date=September 1, 2018|date=October 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180902084319/https://doverpolice.org/from-the-chief/|archive-date=September 2, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>  The Dover Police Department is composed of several sworn police units along with civilian units.<ref>{{cite web|title=Explore DPD|publisher=City of Dover Police Department|url=https://doverpolice.org/about-dpd/|access-date=September 1, 2018|date=October 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180902084339/https://doverpolice.org/about-dpd/|archive-date=September 2, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Fire protection in Dover is provided by the Dover Fire Department, a [[volunteer fire department]] which has served the city since 1882 and operates two stations in Dover. Station 1 is the department's headquarters and houses Engines 4, 6, and 7; Ladder 2; Rescue 1; Brush 9; and Marine 1. The Dover Fire Department Museum is also located at the headquarters. Station 2 houses Engines 2 and 3; Ladder 1; Utility 1; and the foam trailer.<ref>{{cite web|title=Stations|publisher=Dover Fire Department|url=http://www.doverfire.org/stations.cfm|access-date=September 1, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180902084433/http://www.doverfire.org/stations.cfm|archive-date=September 2, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> 
Dover is the only state capital in the United States with a volunteer fire department.

Federally, Dover is part of [[Delaware's at-large congressional district]], represented by Democrat [[Sarah McBride]], elected in 2024. The state's senior member of the United States Senate is Democrat [[Chris Coons]], first elected in 2010. The state's junior member of the United States Senate is Democrat [[Lisa Blunt Rochester]], elected in 2024. The governor of Delaware is Democrat [[Matt Meyer]], elected in 2024.

==Infrastructure==
[[File:2022-07-15 17 34 47 View north along Delaware State Route 1 (Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway) from the overpass for the Puncheon Run Connector in Dover, Kent County, Delaware.jpg|thumb|right|DE 1 northbound in Dover]]

===Transportation===
The most prominent highway serving Dover is the [[Delaware Route 1]] toll road, which is the main route to [[Wilmington, Delaware|Wilmington]] and the [[Delaware Beaches]]. It passes east of downtown, with the toll portion ending near the [[Dover Air Force Base]] and DE 1 continuing south on Bay Road. [[U.S. Route 113]] formerly ran along Bay Road from [[Milford, Delaware|Milford]] to US 13 near the State Capitol Complex, but was decommissioned north of Milford in 2004 to avoid the concurrency with DE 1 between the Dover Air Force Base and Milford.

[[File:US 13 NB past US 13 ALT-Leipsic Road.jpg|thumb|right|US&nbsp;13 northbound on Dupont Highway in Dover]]
The main north–south highway through central Dover is [[U.S. Route 13 in Delaware|U.S. Route 13]], which runs through the main commercial strip of Dover on the multi-lane, divided Dupont Highway. An alternate route of U.S. Route 13, [[U.S. Route 13 Alternate (Dover, Delaware)|U.S. Route 13 Alternate]], passes through downtown Dover on Governors Avenue. [[Delaware Route 8]] is the main east–west route through Dover, passing through downtown on Division Street and West Dover on Forrest Avenue. It continues west toward [[Maryland]] to provide access to the [[Chesapeake Bay Bridge]]. [[Delaware Route 15]] passes north–south through the western part of Dover along Hazlettville Road, West North Street, Saulsbury Road, and McKee Road.<ref name="DE 2012 map">{{Delaware road map|year=2012}}</ref> Dover is one of only four state capitals not served by an [[Interstate highway]]. [[Pierre, South Dakota]]; [[Jefferson City, Missouri]]; and [[Juneau, Alaska]] are the other three state capitals with this distinction.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/highwayhistory/data/page07.cfm|title=The Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways – Part VII – Miscellaneous Interstate Facts|publisher=Federal Highway Administration|access-date=June 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180716025219/https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/highwayhistory/data/page07.cfm|archive-date=July 16, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

Parking in the downtown area of Dover consists of free on-street two-hour parking and five off-street parking lots offering a total of 440 spaces. Parking lots in downtown Dover contain a mix of permit parking, [[parking meter]]s, and free two-hour, 15-minute, and handicapped parking spaces along with spaces reserved for tenants and apartments. Parking is free on evenings and weekends.<ref>{{cite web|title=Parking Downtown|publisher=Downtown Dover Partnership|url=https://www.downtowndoverpartnership.com/parking-downtown.asp|access-date=August 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180823105526/https://www.downtowndoverpartnership.com/parking-downtown.asp|archive-date=August 23, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite map|title=Public Parking Plan|publisher=Downtown Dover Partnership|date=February 7, 2014|url=https://www.downtowndoverpartnership.com/DDP-Aerial_PARKING-LOTS_2014.pdf|access-date=August 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161020163320/http://www.downtowndoverpartnership.com/DDP-Aerial_PARKING-LOTS_2014.pdf|archive-date=October 20, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Dover Air Force Base]] is located within the southeast corporate limits of Dover. Airports near Dover with commercial air service include the [[Wilmington Airport (Delaware)|Wilmington Airport]] in Wilmington, the [[Wicomico Regional Airport]] in [[Salisbury, Maryland]], the [[Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport]] in [[Baltimore]], and the [[Philadelphia International Airport]] in [[Philadelphia]]. Other general aviation airports near Dover include [[Chandelle Estates Airport]] to the northeast of the city, [[Delaware Airpark]] near [[Cheswold, Delaware|Cheswold]], and [[Jenkins Airport]] near [[Wyoming, Delaware|Wyoming]].

[[File:Dover Transit Center May 2018.jpg|thumb|left|The Dover Transit Center, which serves as the main hub for DART First State buses in Dover]]
Dover is located on a former [[Pennsylvania Railroad]] line, later operated by [[Penn Central]], [[Conrail]], and [[Norfolk Southern]] and now operated by the [[Delmarva Central Railroad]] as its Delmarva Subdivision.<ref name=dcr>{{cite web|title=Delmarva Central Railroad|publisher=Carload Express|url=http://carloadexpress.com/railroads/delmarva-central-railroad/|access-date=March 27, 2017|date=November 8, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170524215403/http://carloadexpress.com/railroads/delmarva-central-railroad/|archive-date=May 24, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> Into the 1950s multiple PRR passenger trains daily, on a [[Philadelphia]]-[[Cape Charles, Virginia]] circuit, made stops in Dover, including the ''[[Del-Mar-Va Express]]'' and the night train, the ''Cavalier.''<ref>{{cite journal |title=Pennsylvania Railroad, Table 65|journal=Official Guide of the Railways |publisher=National Railway Publication Company |volume=87 |issue=7 |date=December 1954}}</ref>  Passenger service ended when the ''Blue Diamond'' was discontinued on December 31, 1965. In later years, Dover was served by special [[Amtrak]] trains to [[NASCAR]] races at [[Dover International Speedway]] and the [[Delaware State Fair]] in [[Harrington, Delaware|Harrington]]. Today, the rail line is just used for local freight. The closest passenger rail station is the [[Wilmington station (Delaware)|Wilmington station]] in Wilmington, served by Amtrak's [[Northeast Corridor]] and [[SEPTA Regional Rail]]'s [[Wilmington/Newark Line]].

[[DART First State]] provides local bus service throughout Dover and Kent County, radiating as a [[hub-and-spoke]] system from the [[Dover Transit Center]] in downtown. They also provide inter-county service to Wilmington on the Route 301, [[Middletown, Delaware|Middletown]] on the Route 302, [[Georgetown, Delaware|Georgetown]] on the Route 303, and [[Lewes, Delaware|Lewes]] on the Route 307 and seasonal service to Lewes on the Route 305 "Beach Connection".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dartfirststate.com/information/routes/index.shtml|title=Routes and Schedules|publisher=DART First State|access-date=August 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130815034410/http://www.dartfirststate.com/information/routes/index.shtml|archive-date=August 15, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Greyhound Lines]] are provided as intercity bus transportation along a route running between the [[Port Authority Bus Terminal]] in [[New York City]] and [[Richmond, Virginia]], with a bus stop at the [[7-Eleven]] store along U.S. Route 13 in the northern part of Dover.<ref>{{cite web|title=Dover Delaware Bus Station|publisher=Greyhound Lines|url=http://locations.greyhound.com/bus-stations/us/delaware/dover/bus-station-180015|access-date=March 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170316115135/http://locations.greyhound.com/bus-stations/us/delaware/dover/bus-station-180015|archive-date=March 16, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Utilities===
The city of Dover provides various utility services to businesses and residents. The Department of Public Works provides trash collection, recycling,<ref>{{cite web|title=Sanitation / Recycling|publisher=City of Dover Delaware|url=https://www.cityofdover.com/sanitation|access-date=June 19, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170621202930/https://www.cityofdover.com/sanitation|archive-date=June 21, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> water, and sewer service to the city. [[Republic Services]] provides recycling collection under contract to the city.<ref>{{cite web|title=Public Works|publisher=City of Dover Delaware|url=https://www.cityofdover.com/public-works|access-date=June 19, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126160937/https://www.cityofdover.com/public-works|archive-date=January 26, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> The City of Dover Electric Department provides electricity to the city and some surrounding areas to the south and east, including the town of [[Little Creek, Delaware|Little Creek]]. The city's electric department is a member of the [[Delaware Municipal Electric Corporation]], a wholesale electric utility that represents municipal electric departments in the state of Delaware.<ref>{{cite web|title=Electric Department|publisher=City of Dover Delaware|url=https://www.cityofdover.com/public-utilities/|access-date=June 19, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170626125612/https://www.cityofdover.com/public-utilities|archive-date=June 26, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> The City of Dover Electric Department generates some of its electricity from the Van Sant Generating Station, which consists of one [[natural gas power plant|natural gas-powered unit]] that is used on a limited basis.<ref name=tnj4317/> The city also generates electricity from [[solar power]] at the Dover SUN Park, a 10 MW solar power farm on 103 acres at the Garrison Oak technology park owned by [[SunPower]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Dover SUN Park, Delaware, United States of America|publisher=power-technology.com|url=http://www.power-technology.com/projects/doversunparkdelaware/|access-date=August 14, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814102821/http://www.power-technology.com/projects/doversunparkdelaware/|archive-date=August 14, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> The remainder of the city's electricity is purchased.<ref name=tnj4317>{{cite news|last=Smith|first=Jerry|title=Should Dover sell its electric utility?|work=The News Journal|location=Wilmington, DE|date=April 3, 2017|url=http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2017/04/03/should-dover-sell-electric-utility/99986392/|access-date=August 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170814104716/http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2017/04/03/should-dover-sell-electric-utility/99986392/|archive-date=August 14, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> Natural gas service in Dover is provided by [[Chesapeake Utilities]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Delmarva Service Territory|publisher=Chesapeake Utilities|url=http://www.chpk.com/delmarva-service-territory/|access-date=August 14, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170815063806/http://www.chpk.com/delmarva-service-territory/|archive-date=August 15, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Health care===
[[Bayhealth Medical Center]] operates the [[Bayhealth Hospital, Kent Campus]] in Dover.<ref>{{cite web|title=Locations & Contact|publisher=Bayhealth|url=https://www.bayhealth.org/locations-and-contact|access-date=February 5, 2019}}{{Dead link|date=February 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The hospital offers various inpatient services including a birthing room and cardiovascular and cancer services. The Kent Campus also offers numerous outpatient services, patient and family support services, community outreach, and imaging services. The hospital has a 24-hour [[emergency room]] with a [[Trauma center#Level III|Level III trauma center]].<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Bayhealth Medical Center Stats & Services|magazine=U.S. News & World Report|url=http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/area/de/bayhealth-medical-center-6310007/details|access-date=June 21, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140330085210/http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/area/de/bayhealth-medical-center-6310007/details|archive-date=March 30, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Emergency Care|publisher=Bayhealth|url=https://www.bayhealth.org/emergency|access-date=February 5, 2019}}</ref>

==Notable people==
[[File:Brengle WMQ14 (2) (14603794671).jpg|thumb|upright|[[Madison Brengle]]]]
*[[Jacob M. Appel|Jacob Appel]] (born 1973), short story writer and bioethicist, lived in Dover 1982–1991
*[[David H. Berger]] (born 1959), 38th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps
*[[Madison Brengle]] (born 1990), professional tennis player
*[[Randy Bush]] (born 1958), [[Major League Baseball]] player<ref>{{cite web|title=Randy Bush Stats|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bushra01.shtml|website=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports-Reference.com|access-date=May 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180523011112/https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bushra01.shtml|archive-date=May 23, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[Annie Jump Cannon]] (1863–1941), astronomer and co-creator of [[Harvard Classification Scheme]]
*[[Robert Crumb]] (born 1943), underground artist, lived in Dover from 1959 to 1961
*[[William D. Denney]] (1873–1953), 56th [[Governor of Delaware]], born in Dover
*[[Murphy Guyer]] (born 1952), actor, director, playwright, born in Dover
*[[Doug Hutchison]] (born 1960), actor, born in Dover
*[[Gilder D. Jackson Jr.]] (1893–1966), Brigadier General USMC during World War II
*[[Mike Meade]] (born 1960), [[National Football League|NFL]] player, born in Dover
*[[Teri Polo]] (born 1969), actress, born in Dover
*[[Mabel Lloyd Ridgely]] (1872–1962), suffragist and historical preservationist, based in Dover
*[[Ian Snell]] (born 1981), Major League Baseball pitcher<ref>{{cite web|title=Ian Snell Stats|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/snellia01.shtml|website=Baseball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports-Reference.com|access-date=May 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180523011248/https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/snellia01.shtml|archive-date=May 23, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>
*[[Dave Taylor (wrestler)|Dave Taylor]] (born 1957), retired professional wrestler
*[[Rob Tornoe]] (born 1978), nationally syndicated, award-winning cartoonist, attended Dover High School
*[[Alexei Trader]] (born 1965), [[Eastern Orthodox]] bishop

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{portal|Delaware}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{wikivoyage|Dover (Delaware)|Dover}}
{{EB1911 poster|Dover (Delaware)|Dover, Delaware}}
*[http://www.cityofdover.com/ City of Dover]
*[http://www.visitdover.com/ Kent County & Greater Dover Convention and Visitors Bureau]

{{Dover, Delaware}}
{{Kent County, Delaware}}
{{Delaware}}
{{Delaware Valley}}
{{United States state capitals}}
{{Southern United States}}
{{Delaware county seats}}
{{Northeast Megalopolis}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Dover, Delaware| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Delaware]]
[[Category:Cities in Kent County, Delaware]]
[[Category:County seats in Delaware]]
[[Category:1683 establishments in Delaware]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1683]]
[[Category:State capitals in the United States]]