USA - Delaware - The First State

Various Delaware-themed illustrtions and landmarks, such as the "Blue Hens" mascot, Rehoboth Beach, and the "First State" motto.

Sent by Debra Virginia, USA.

Delaware earned itself the nickname “The First State” when, on Dec. 7, 1787, it became the first of the American colonies to ratify the U.S. Constitution.

Delaware’s place at the vanguard of this democratic experiment might not have happened at all were it not for a famous midnight horse ride made on July 1, 1776, by Caesar Rodney. One of three Delaware delegates serving in the Continental Congress, Rodney was in Dover when he got word the other delegates were deadlocked in their vote for independence. To break the tie, Rodney climbed onto a horse and raced more than 70 miles through a thunderstorm to reach Philadelphia, where he cast the deciding vote for independence, reputedly still wearing his boots and spurs — a feat commemorated in 1999 on the Delaware State Quarter.

As a state, Delaware is distinguished in no small measure by its size: It’s the second smallest state in the Union (undersized only by Rhode Island), and it has the fewest counties (three). But don’t let its diminutive stature fool you: It’s also the sixth most densely populated state, boasting more than 442 people per square mile, and all without hosting a single city of more than 100,000 residents, according to the 2010 U.S. Census (read more).

USA - Delaware - Fenwick Island Beach Patrol

Members of the Fenwick Island Beach Patrol.

Sent by Melissa from Rexburg, Idaho, USA.

U.S.A. - Delaware - Mapcard

DELAWARE

Sent by Sophie from Dover, USA.

Delaware (/ˈdɛləwɛər/) is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, to the northeast by New Jersey, and to the north by Pennsylvania. The state takes its name from Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr, an English nobleman and Virginia's first colonial governor, after whom what is now called Cape Henlopen was originally named.

Delaware is located in the northeastern portion of the Delmarva Peninsula and is the second smallest, the sixth least populous, but the sixth most densely populated of the 50 United States. Delaware is divided into three counties. From north to south, these three counties are New Castle, Kent, and Sussex. While the southern two counties have historically been predominantly agricultural, New Castle County has been more industrialized. (read further)

USA - Delaware - Rehoboth Beach

REHOBOTH BEACH
A biblical term meaning 'room enough', Rehoboth was first developed in 1872 by Methodist church leaders looking for a quiet place to hold religious summer campmeetings. By the 1920's, Rehoboth had become a popular resort for those escaping the summer heat of Washington D.C. and Baltimore. Rehoboth's boardwalk is the center of excitement.

Sent by Rose, a WiP partner from New Jersey, USA.

Rehoboth Beach is a city in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population is 1,327, a decrease of 11.2% from 2000. It is part of the rapidly growing Delaware Beaches area and lies within the Seaford, Delaware Micropolitan Statistical Area.

A popular regional vacation destination, Rehoboth Beach's seasonal population expands to over 25,000 within the city limits and thousands more in the surrounding area in the summer.

In 2011, the NRDC awarded Rehoboth Beach with a 5-Star rating in water quality. This award was given only to 12 other locations, one being neighboring Dewey Beach. Out of the 30 states with coastline, the Delaware Beaches ranked number 1 in water quality in 2011. (read further)

USA - Delaware - Kalmar Nyckel

Launched in Sptember of 1997, the Kalmar Nyckel is a a 97 foot, 317-ton replica of the tall ship that brought the first Swedish settlers to the Delaware River Valley in 1638. The ship can be toured in its working shipyard, and it ocassionally leaves its port in Wilmington to sail to nearby Lewes.

Sent by Rose, a WiP partner from USA.

This is from Wikipedia : The Kalmar Nyckel (Key of Kalmar) was a Dutch-built armed merchant ship famed for carrying Finnish and Swedish settlers to North America in 1638 to establish the colony of New Sweden. A replica of the ship was launched at Wilmington, Delaware, in 1997.

The Kalmar Nyckel was constructed in about 1625 and was of a design called a pinnace. The ship was named after the city of Kalmar, which purchased the ship in 1628 as its contribution to the Royal Swedish Navy. When Sweden decided to establish a trading colony in the New World under the direction of Peter Minuit, the Kalmar Nyckel was chosen for the voyage. A smaller vessel, the Fogel Grip (Griffin Bird), accompanied her.

The ships sailed from Gothenburg in December 1637, commanded by Jan Hindriksen van der Water, but encountered a severe storm in the North Sea and had to divert to the Netherlands for repairs. They departed on New Year's Day 1638, arriving in North America in March 1638.

A second voyage, which departed on February 7, 1640, and arrived at Fort Christina on April 17, brought additional settlers for New Sweden. One of them was Reorus Torkillus, the first Lutheran clergyman in New Sweden. The Kalmar Nyckel made four successive round trips from Sweden, a record unchallenged by any other colonial vessel. She later served the Royal Swedish Navy in the Swedish-Danish War, then was used as a merchant ship. She was lost at sea in the late 17th century. There are conflicting reports on where she was lost. One says she sank off the coast of the city of Kalmar, while another says she was lost in the North Sea off the coast of England.

In 1986, a group of citizens of Wilmington, Delaware, established the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation, whose primary source of funding is from the taxpayers of the State of Delaware, plus donations from corporations and individuals. The foundation designed, built, and launched a replica of the Kalmar Nyckel. The modern ship, designed by naval architects Thomas C. Gillmer, Melbourne Smith, Joel Webster, and Ken Court, was built at a shipyard in Wilmington on the Christina River near the original 1638 Swedish settlers' landing site at Fort Christina. She was launched on September 28, 1997, and commissioned on May 9, 1998. The re-creation measures 94 feet (29 m) on deck and 131 feet (40 m) overall, with a 25-foot (7.6 m) beam, a 12-foot (3.7 m) draft, and a displacement of 300 tons.

The ship is operated and maintained by a volunteer staff, under the leadership of a paid captain, boatswain, and a chief mate. In November 2006, the captain of the Kalmar Nyckel, David W. Hiott, who had commanded her for nine seasons, died from the effects of recurring melanoma. Captain Lauren Morgens took over on April 1, 2007, with Sharon Litcofsky as Chief Mate and Relief Captain. Volunteers maintain the ship, run the education program, and sail her from port to port.

USA - Delaware - Dover Legislative Hall

This one is another postcard sent by ducktapegurl (in a Postcrossing Support Kit/Swap-Bot) of USA. It shows Dover Legislative Hall which was built in 1933. Legislative Hall is one of the country's newest state capitols. It's 18th-century-style brick exterior, however, blends in well with the historic buildings of Dover.