Historic Old State House in Dover Re-Opens After Three-Year Restoration
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Dover, Delaware - December 10, 2007 Delaware's Old State House, one of the oldest state-house buildings in the United States, has re-opened for public visitation after a three-year, $3.5 million restoration process. The historic structure, located at 25 The Green, in Dover, Delaware, is now open from Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., and Sunday, 1:30-4:30 p.m.
Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, The Old State House was originally commissioned by Kent County as the Kent County Court House, and was designed by English architect Alexander Givan. Sometime during the period when the building was under construction (1787-1791), arrangements were made for it to be shared by both Kent County and state governments. By the time the building was first used by the state legislature in 1791, its name had changed to The State House. Kent County continued to share the building with the state until 1873 and the venerable structure carried on as the home of the state's legislature until the General Assembly moved to Legislative Hall in 1933.
Appearing now as it would have during the early years of the United States as a nation, the first floor of The Old State House features an 18th century-style courtroom while the second floor features the former chambers of the state's legislature. The House chamber contains notable portraits by Thomas Sully of Commodores Jacob Jones and Thomas Macdonough, Delaware heroes who served in the War of 1812. The Senate chamber houses an imposing portrait of George Washington painted by Denis A. Volozan. Notable architectural details of The Old State House include its gilt sunflower ceiling sham, and its grand, dual stairways, known as a geometrical staircase.
Since its initial construction, The Old State House has undergone a number of structural and stylistic changes that had radically altered its original appearance. These changes included the addition, over time, of a number of wings to accommodate increasing governmental needs, and the Victorian-style remodeling of the building's exterior in 1873. After the relocation of the General Assembly in 1933, the building was used for a variety of state government offices until 1976 when it was fully restored to its original 18th century appearance as part of Delaware's bicentennial celebration commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence. By the turn of the 21st century, however, aging of the building and its systems made additional restoration work necessary.
The most recent restoration of The Old State House took place between September, 2004 and October, 2007. Funding for the $3.5 million restoration was provided by appropriations from the Delaware General Assembly. Restoration activities included re-pointing of exterior walls, replacement of exterior windows and doors, replacement of the roof, plaster wall repairs, floor restoration, re-painting of the building's interior based on research of historic color schemes, upgrades to the electrical and plumbing systems, installation of a new HVAC system, installation of equipment that makes the building fully accessible to people with disabilities, and installation of a fire suppression system.
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The Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs (HCA) is an agency of the State of Delaware. HCA enhances Delaware's quality of life by preserving the state's unique historical heritage, fostering community stability and economic vitality, and providing educational programs and assistance to the general public on Delaware history and heritage. In addition to serving as the state's historic preservation office, HCA operates eight museums and two conference centers, and manages over thirty historic properties across Delaware. Funding for HCA's museums, programs, and services is provided by annual appropriations from the Delaware General Assembly, revenue from HCA's History Stores, and grants from the National Park Service, a federal agency.
