The Delaware Governor's Mansion, also known as Woodburn or Governor's House, is the

official residence An official is someone who holds an office (function or mandate, regardless of whether it carries an actual working space with it) in an organization or government and participates in the exercise of authority (either their own or that of th ...

of the

governor of Delaware A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the type of political region or polity, a ''governor'' ma ...

and the governor's family. It is located in

Dover Dover ( ) is a town and major ferry port in Kent, southeast England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies southeast of Canterbury and east of Maidstone. ...

, and was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

as "Governor's House" in 1972.

History

The land Woodburn stands upon was granted to David Morgan and his heirs in 1684 by the

Swedish crown The krona (; plural: ''kronor''; sign: kr; code: SEK) is the currency of Sweden. Both the ISO code "SEK" and currency sign "kr" are in common use for the krona; the former precedes or follows the value, the latter usually follows it but, especi ...

. In the 1780s, Charles Hillyard III purchased the land at a sheriff's sale for $110. In 1790, he constructed the home that would be called Woodburn. and ' The house was inherited by Mary, Hillyard's daughter, and her husband, Martin W. Bates. Bates was a doctor, merchant, lawyer, and a

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and House have the authority under Article One of the ...

. In 1820 Bates leased Woodburn to the

Governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

, Jacob Stout, the first time Woodburn was used as the executive's residence. Bates sold the house in 1825 to Daniel and Mary Cowgill. Cowgill, devoted abolitionist and a Quaker, freed his family's slaves and allowed them to meet in the great hall at Woodburn. The house remained in the family for years until it was sold in 1912 to Daniel O. Hastings. In his ownership the brick front porch, pillars on the south facade, a reflecting pool and numerous interior modifications were completed. He sold the house in 1918 to retired Philadelphia dentist Frank Hall, who also completed more renovations of the interior. In Hall's residency, a young guest named Jessica Irby visited the house; she would later live in the house as the wife of a governor of Delaware. Upon the Hall's death in 1953, there was a proposal to secure the house as the governor's mansion but it was disapproved by the legislature. The property was divided in two, with a school purchasing the majority of the land and Thomas Murray purchasing the house and a surrounding acre and a half. The proposal of a residence for the governor was revived in 1965 when Governor Charles L. Terry, Jr. and his wife, Jessica Irby-Terry, secured Woodburn for the state. The house was refurbished by Mrs. Terry with period pieces dating from the house's construction. The decoration was completed a year later, and an open house was held in February 1966. Woodburn has served as the official residence ever since.

Appearance

Exterior

The two-story brick home is in the

Flemish bond Flemish bond is a pattern of brickwork that is a common feature in Georgian architecture. The pattern features bricks laid lengthwise (''stretchers'') alternating with bricks laid with their shorter ends exposed (''headers'') within the same cou ...

pattern and has endured more than 200 years. The main section of the house has three bays with the main entrance on the far right. The large Dutch door and original wrought-iron strap hinges and iron lock box allow the door to swing open with little effort. The door is surmounted by a large fanlight inside a projecting pediment. The double sash, 9 panel windows are framed by sandstone blocks above and below and wooden dog-head shutters. A brick chimney projects through the sloped roof. The wing has slightly smaller windows with a basement entryway.

Significance

The Governor's House holds great architectural significance as an exemplary surviving specimen of high-quality

18th century The 18th century lasted from 1 January 1701 (represented by the Roman numerals MDCCI) to 31 December 1800 (MDCCC). During the 18th century, elements of Enlightenment thinking culminated in the Atlantic Revolutions. Revolutions began to ch ...

residences in

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic states, South Atlantic regions of the United States. It borders Maryland to its south and west, Pennsylvania to its north, New Jersey ...

. It has been diligently preserved as an essential component of the State museum system, which aims to showcase representative Delaware houses from different eras and socioeconomic strata. Charles Hillyard (1759-1814), the builder of this historic structure, belonged to the fourth generation of a prosperous landowning family that actively participated in the government, social, and economic affairs of

Kent County, Delaware Kent County is a County (United States), county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Delaware. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 181,851, making it the least populous county in Delaware. The county ...

. The lineage's progenitor, Charles Hillyard, obtained a warrant in 1683 for a substantial landholding spanning 3,000 acres. The sole surviving proof of the Proprietor's visit to the town is a document signed in

. Supported by local tradition, geographical circumstances, and the owner's known

abolitionist Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the political movement to end slavery and liberate enslaved individuals around the world. The first country to fully outlaw slavery was Kingdom of France, France in 1315, but it was later used ...

views, this house is believed to have served as a stop on the renowned "underground railroad." In

George Alfred Townsend George Alfred Townsend (January 30, 1841 – April 15, 1914) was an American journalist and novelist who worked under the pen name Gath. He was one of the youngest war correspondents during the American Civil War. Over the course of his caree ...

's novel,
The Entailed Hat
' (published in 1884), it is depicted as the site of an attempted abduction by Patty Cannon's gang. This widely-known novel has fostered a tradition asserting that Mrs. Cannon discharged a gunshot through the north door. Furthermore, since 1965, the Governor's House has acquired additional significance as the official residence of Delaware's governors. Over the years, this house has been home to notable Delaware families. Charles Hillyard, the original builder, was the son-in-law of William Killen, Delaware's first Chancellor. Additionally, this historic dwelling once served as the residence of Mrs. Vera Davis, Delaware's pioneering female

legislator A legislator, or lawmaker, is a person who writes and passes laws, especially someone who is a member of a legislature. Legislators are often elected by the people, but they can be appointed, or hereditary. Legislatures may be supra-nat ...

References

External links