12 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About The State Of Delaware

I'll admit that when I began writing for Delaware, I kind of thought I knew everything I needed to know about the Diamond State. I learned about Fort Delaware on a school field trip, I heard the DuPont story more times than I could count, and I thought I had pretty much seen everything there is to see. Boy, was I wrong! If you're in the same boat, you might enjoy some of these little known Delaware facts that I've dug up over the past few months.

1. We're at the forefront of Space Technology.

ILC Dover, LP in Frederica, Delaware, specializes in the use of high-performance flexible materials, which often serve the aerospace industry. This Delaware company outfitted every United States astronaut in the Apollo program, including the twelve that walked on the moon. More recently, ILC products protected astronauts when they're outside of the Space Shuttles and are regularly used on the International Space Station. Without ILC Dover, the Mars Pathfinder and Exploration Rovers would not have landed so smoothly - Delaware created their airbag landing devices.

2. Delaware is east of the Mason Dixon Line.

With the Crownstone of the famous surveyor's mark laying in Marydel, a border town, and the rest of the stones demarcating the border of Pennsylvania, Maryland and the "Three Lower Counties" (aka, Delaware), our entire state is actually east of the North-South divisor.

3. We're one of the largest Scrapple producers.

RAPA Scrapple is manufactured right in Delaware!

4. Delaware Park has launched the careers of many famous racehorses.

Do you remember the 2006 Kentucky Derby winner, Barbaro? His story captured the hearts of millions. What about Afleet Alex, the Preakness and Belmont winner who raised money and awareness for Alex's Lemonade Stand? Both horses began their careers at the storied Delaware Park.

5. We're the only state in the nation without a cave.

When it comes to wanting to explore a Delaware cave, you're out of spe-luck. There are no caves in Delaware, and that makes us unique.

6. Eleutherian Mills was the first DuPont home in America.

This important industrial family first settled at what is now dedicated as the Hagley Museum and Library in Wilmington. Their first mill produced gunpowder, and it wasn't long before the DuPonts began to influence the country's history.

7. We invented Nylon.

DuPont scientists patented this silk-like fabric in 1938, and it has been a bestseller ever since. Look around you - how many things nearby are made of Nylon? I'd guess you can see a few.

8. Delaware is a Corporation haven.

Over half of publicly traded companies are incorporated in Delaware. Delaware has a series of laws that protect corporations and their interests.

9. Revolutionary War hero Caesar Rodney was from Delaware.

It's not a surprising Delaware fact that our state contributed significantly to the American Revolution, but many people don't realize that Caesar Rodney himself was from a Kent County farm outside of Dover.

10. Delaware is the flattest state.

This Delaware Fact isn't a huge surprise, but with an average elevation of just 60 feet, Delaware likes to stay close to sea level.

11. The First State was once the Peach Capital of the World!

Move over, Georgia, this Delaware fact seeks to set something straight. Long before Georgia was the land of the peach, Delaware farms produced more than any other location in the world.

12. Delaware has the fewest counties of any state!

New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties. The names mean a lot to all of us, and we can drive a loop through all three, hitting every major city, in just a few hours. Our small state makes for a great sense of community, and a fairly easy geography test.

How cool is the First State? I love learning everything I can about Delaware - and if you do, too, you might want to revisit all of those Delaware school field trips you took way back when.