About The Old State House
The Old State House is Delaware's first permanent capitol building in Dover, begun in 1787 and completed in 1791, and it served as the seat of state government until 1933. The Georgian building originally accommodated both Delaware and Kent County government, making it a compact but unusually long-lived witness to the development of state institutions after independence.
Inside, visitors can see an eighteenth-century-style courtroom on the first floor and the former House and Senate chambers upstairs, along with portraits associated with early national history, including George Washington and Delaware naval officers of the War of 1812. Guided tours focus on the building's civic functions, architecture, and the people who used it, making a visit especially rewarding when combined with time on historic Dover Green.
