state by state speak your mind about...delaware

[SwampG8r]

one of our first states if not the first state
home of our VP
i wish their corporate laws would give less freedom to credit card companies
never been to delaware but i would love to go
i am a vacation history buff and places like this have lots of history to uncover

[NYC_SKP]

1. I went to Wilmington long ago.

A company there wanted to hire me but I didn't really want to work for them.

I saw golf courses and clubs, they didn't impress me, but I think it's got to be a pretty state, and it's coastal.

[Beaverhausen]

2. I'm a graduate of university of Delaware, as is Biden

Liked my time living there. Great beach towns. Newark, where the university is, is a nice little town as well.

[phylny]

25. I am as well.

Class of 1980. My husband is class of 1977.

Go Fightin' Blue Hens!

I loved the town of Newark, and was sad that the Stone Balloon was sold. The Deer Park, fortunately. is still there, but it doesn't stink of beer anymore

[ananda]

31. Peck em Hens!

[Beaverhausen]

33. I was class of 81- and I used to perform at the Ballon and the DP

Yes, those were the days!

[Vattel]

40. when I go to the Deer park

I do my best to make it stink of beer.

[SteveG]

29. Class of '72

I have been a lifelong resident of DE. I have lived in all three counties, grew up in North Wilmington, went to college in Newark, moved to Dover (2 years) to take a teaching job in Milford, moved to Milford, lived there for 12 years, moved to Bethany Beach in 87 and have lived there since. Both my parents were also born in DE, and my mothers family goes back to the late 1700's early 1800's in Kent and Sussex County. NO SALES TAX!

[ForgoTheConsequence]

3. Sorry.

But all I think of is Waynes World.

[kwassa]

4. Great beaches, lousy toll booths on I-95.

Completely inadequate for the traffic volume. Legendary back-ups.

Though the new high-speed EZ Pass lanes are a substantial improvement.

[LiberalEsto]

39. There's a way around that toll

just get off at the exit for U. of Delaware in Newark, pass the university, and head back for I-95.

[Vattel]

45. If you pass the University you've gone too far.

Going north get off at elkton road, turn right on the 4, then right again at south college. Going south it's a left on 4 and a left on Elkton.

[The Genealogist]

5. Delaware: I wish I knew Ye Better

I have been through Delaware twice, both times on the road between Philadelphia and Maryland. I felt like I was in a suburb rather than a state, which I also felt like when I was in Rhode Island. I know there is a lot more to Delaware (and Rhode Island) than this, and I hope to visit more of the state someday!

[waddirum]

6. Delaware is basically a speed-trap and toll extractor

for travelers going to someplace better.

[limpyhobbler]

7. It's where I send my credit card payments.

Other that that, I've only driven through.

[Angry Dragon]

8. Never been there

[hootinholler]

9. No sales tax

Not much high ground there either.

IIRC DOW is big there.

[jberryhill]

20. DuPont

[hootinholler]

23. I did not recall correctly, lol

Thanks! I had a big duh moment.

[Marie Marie]

10. Live in PA but I love Delaware.

Have fond memories of visiting family there and they do have great beaches. (Just obey the speed limits in and around the beach towns - cops are merciless!).

[pamela]

14. Great tip about the cops...

There are a couple little towns near the beaches that are major speed traps. Georgetown for one. The speed limit drops from 50 down to 20 really quickly and there is ALWAYS a cop sitting there waiting to catch you.

[Blue_In_AK]

11. I've never been there,

don't know anything about it other than ", a Delaware corporation," from my legal days.

[pamela]

12. I like Delaware.

I live about 30 minutes away from Delaware. They have no sales tax so I go there when purchasing big ticket items. We had to renovate our condo after the earthquake caused about 30,000 dollars worth of damage so I've been there more times in the past 6 months than usual.

I've always preferred the Delaware beaches to Maryland beaches. Fenwick Island, Bethany Beach, Dewey and Rehobeth are all great beach towns. Cape Henlopen is very nice, too and I like to go there and to Lewes De and watch the big Ferry. I've always wanted to take that ferry over to Cape May and have never done it.

When I was in college, I worked in Fenwick Island one summer and lived near the Fenwick Island lighthouse. Our front yard was in Maryland and our backyard was in Delaware. We had a huge party one night with a band and about 15 kegs that got busted by the Md State Police, Delaware State Police and Ocean City police. The alcohol laws were weird back then: 18 for beer and wine in Md, 21 for hard liquor, 20 for beer, wine and liquor in Delaware. When all the cops showed up, people were running all over the place trying to get into the part of the yard where they were legal to be drinking whatever they were drinking. It was pretty funny.

Folks who like the beach should definitely consider a vacation trip to Rehobeth. It has a really nice mix of family activities and party activities. It's very GLBT friendly. I love the boardwalk in Rehobeth and all the cool little stores right off the boardwalk. This post is making me want to take a trip down there. Mmmm... Dolly's saltwater taffy is calling my name.

[watrwefitinfor]

26. Rehobeth - best breakfast ever at

a bar near the beach, on a Sunday morning in September, 1989. Home made crab cakes and bloody marys. A special section of the bar with about 300 bottles of hot sauce, every brand and flavor you ever heard of, many you didn't. Wonder if it's still there.

Wonderful place. Lewes was nice, too. So much history. Had some relatives who went through the area in late 1600s.

Wat

[Historic NY]

13. You have that novel Bury the Hatchet Day....

Return Day.

[KamaAina]

38. Not to mention the book and movie Fight Club

as well as a cameo in 'Wayne's World": "You're in... Delaware."

[Luminous Animal]

15. I lived my teenage years there.

In the suburbs of Newark. I did not like it but I loved my friends.

[jberryhill]

21. Lol

And what, pray tell, qualifies as a "suburb of Newark"? Windy Hills? Brookside?

[Luminous Animal]

24. Todd Estates II

I'm not sure what is so funny about that.

[jberryhill]

27. It just struck my funnybone

I guess I just tend to think that one can be in Wilmington, a suburb of Wilmington, or Newark. I'd never much thought of Newark having suburbs.

(unless of course one is either in Greenville or in those parts of Hockessin which call themselves Greenville if they are selling their house)

I dated a girl who lived in Todd Estates.

[Brother Buzz]

16. Delaware Punch did not originate in Delaware

So stop saying that!

[Terra Alta]

17. our very first state

and second smallest.. also Joe Biden's home state.

[mrmpa]

18. It was the first state, but only because ......

Pennsylvania (which Deleware had been part of) gave the nod to Deleware, Pennsylvania then became the 2nd to enter the Union.

[Zanzoobar]

22. Loved it.

Lived in PA and everything I bought over 100 bucks, I bought in DE.

[Javaman]

28. I will never forgive biden for rewriting the bankruptcy laws

which favor the cc corps.

he can rot in hell.

[closeupready]

32. I agree that this is a HUGE black mark on his otherwise good record.

nt

[woodsprite]

30. Love it! Have grown up and lived here all my life.

I grew up on Cleveland Avenue and hubby in Woodmere, so we're Newark 'townies'.

There are a lot of places I'd like to visit, but I don't think we'd ever permanently move out of Delaware. When we retire, we might play 'snowbird' a bit and travel in our camper, but we'll come back to Delaware. Our house is 5 min from campus, so our daughter (and probably son) is planning on staying at home through college - at least until graduate school.

I'm a Newark High School and Goldey Beacom Alum.
Hubby is a Newark High School and UD Alum.

It's a really small state and kinda cool!

[LiberalEsto]

41. Is Newark a good place for retirees?

We're from central NJ, have lived in Maryland (DC suburbs) for 21 years, and can't wait to leave here in a few years. NJ is out because of horrible property taxes. What little I've seen of Newark seems okay.

[woodsprite]

55. I would think it's fine for retirees.

There is certainly a lot to do here and we're close to a ton more. There is a train station right in town (where the Chrysler plant was - now University property) so you can easily take the train to DC or Philly. If you want to drive, Philly, Baltimore, Woodstown NJ are all within an hours drive. Wilmington is less than 30 min. Head south and in 90 min you can be down at the beach, a little over 2 hrs and you can be in Ocean City MD.

The Univ brings a lot of entertainment/sports/enrichment opportunities, but it also brings in approx 23K kids during Fall and Spring semesters. Townies know to steer clear of main campus and the field house on 896 during move-in, move-out, homecoming, graduation and parents weekends. Traffic on Main St. is a bear during peak class changing hours at the beginning of Fall and Spring semesters, but not too bad if you park off campus and walk. Parking is free in the city lots on Sundays. There is also a period of free parking in town right before Christmas. Newark tries to be small business oriented and does quite a bit to encourage the community to support the small businesses in town. We also have a community Arts Alliance.

If you like music, there are tons of opportunities to just listen or to participate in (Newark Symphony, Community Band, New Ark Chorale, etc.). Hubby and I sing with the Chorale and our daughter is in the Symphony. There are lots of church-based and community-based organizations along with numerous volunteer opportunities - and none are very far away. During the summer, there are a couple of farmer's markets right in town. It's only about a 10-20 min. drive to the local orchard or a little farther to some 'pick your own' farms. I can be in Chester Co., PA in 20 min. or Fairhill/Elkton MD in 15 min. Lancaster PA is about an hour away.

In early June we have a 'take back the town' night (officially called Newark Night) held a weekend or so after graduation. They close down Main St for a huge street party. We have Community Days in the fall where crafters, clubs, performers, etc. take over the University 'green'. Most developments have community pools if you want one but can't or don't want to put one in your yard. You can join one of them or join the UD pool.

We make our home in Arbour Park - it's not the center of town, but only about 5 min. from campus or the on-ramp to I95. I love it because it's like coming home to a campground each night. Nice pool, active family community, lots of trees (hence my login woodsprite). Crime wise, there is crime, just like with anyplace else. Our police seem to be on-top of things. In my experience with them, response time seems to be pretty good, but I've only had to call them a few times (motion detectors going off and rabid fox).

Sorry I wrote a novel, but I like where we live

[LiberalEsto]

58. That all sounds good

Thanks for all the great information.

I spent 20 years in and around New Brunswick, NJ, home of Rutgers U., first as an undergrad, then as a townie. So I'm used to college towns. Are there lots of bookstores?

And what about local politics?

[woodsprite]

60. There are about 3 bookstores on Main Street

also UD has some plans on the drawing board to add some stores to the train station area as they redevelop the Chrysler site. Of course there is always the Christiana Mall.

Local politics is pretty strong on the Dem side. John Kowalko and Terry Schooley represent my area. All in all, politics around New Castle County seem to be pretty sane compared to what's going on everyplace else. Downstate, not so much. That's where o'donnell gathered quite a few of her votes.

[Tikki]

34. We would love to visit Delaware...

Hope we make it there someday.


The Tikkis

[Taverner]

35. Dogfish Head Brew. Nuff said.

[one_voice]

36. YAY Delaware...

Born and raised here. Lived in Wilmington and moved to Bear when I was in high school.

I like Delaware, it's small enough so it's not overwhelming and big enough you don't feel cramped. Great beaches, and a great college town.

My daughter is a graduate of University of Delaware, and went on the Wilmington University where she got her masters degree. My son is a junior at University of Delaware, I'm pretty sure he'll stop with his BS. LOL!

I agree about the corporate laws.

For other Delawareans: I graduated from Glasgow High School in 1985. God, I'm getting old.

[KamaAina]

37. High tolls, but awesome beer

Dogfish may well be the best east of the Rockies.

Oh yes, at least one awesome DUer, too.

[BumRushDaShow]

42. Going southbound on I-95

when you get to and cross the DE-MD border, there's a dip in the road right along the Mason-Dixon line!

to my Delaware neighbors from a "Fluffian."

[cyberpj]

43. Old New Castle History, Rehoboth Beach Family Fun, Dewey Beach Partiers & LET US NOT FORGET.......

PUNKIN' CHUNKIN'!

snip-
World Championship Punkin Chunkin, held in Delaware, is the oldest and largest annual competition. The event began in 1986 and featured over 100 teams in 2010

Wikipedia info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumpkin_chunking

Science Channel Shows and Videos:
http://science.discovery.com/tv/punkin-chunkin/

Of course, like so many other Delaware events - The Brandywine Arts Festival, The Arden Fair, The Point to Point Steeplechase, The Wilmington Flower Market at Rockford Park, The Italian Festival in Wilmington, and The State Fair - it's become less fun as both the state and the events became more populated and overcrowded.

Do I sould like an old grump?
Maybe so.

Born and raised in a home shared by 3 generations in Old New Castle I spent many a weekend at Battery Park after buying my comic books with my allowance at the 5 & 10 store on Delaware Street. If it rained, we all piled into the (now gone) Earle Theater for Saturday matinees. What a joy it was to grow up in a small town where we all ran around freely and without fear 'until the street lights came on' or until the DDT truck made it's rounds in the summertime! (cough cough cough)

Later, my immediate family moved to the 'burbs in North Wilmington and I went to Mount Pleasant Junior and Senior High Schools but we always took trips to the beach and later, my friends and I would spend weekends in Dewey at the low-down but highly cool Bottle and Cork. If you didn't spend too much time wondering why the soles of your shoes were sticking to the floor - the bands were great!

If it wasn't summertime there was always the Stone Balloon on Main Street in our college town of Newark and really good breakfasts at the Deer Park, right next to the railroad tracks. Or Halloween bar loops to the Logan House, Gallucio's and others all around Trolley Square and Wilmington.

Ah... Good times... Good times...

But now it feels like we're nothing but an out-of-town shoppers delight with overcrowded roads lined with construction signs and cones, East-side city crime sprees, and a legal haven for corporations and boat registrations.

Here's a great YouTube song with pics that a local made that helps:

Like I said:
Do I sould like an old grump?
Maybe so.

Tomorrow I'm turning 60 and like all 'elders' (WHAT?!)
I feel like the best of times were to be had 'in the old days'!

[woodsprite]

57. I love Battery Park & old New Castle!

Hubby and I moved to New Castle right after we got married. We wanted to put a bit of distance between our parents and us. We stayed there for 18 years until the drive to work in Newark just wore us down too much. I-95 is the name of the road, not the speed limit!

Now that we're in Newark, we go 2x a week driving back out to New Castle for church stuff (the old New Castle Presbyterian Church on 2nd St.) We actually had our a Newark High School graduation party at the church there and ended it early enough that everyone could walk down to Battery Park to see the Separation Day fireworks.

[Vattel]

44. Delaware is not too exciting, but

to be positive, it does produce Dogfish 60 Minute IPA, Rehobeth is a nice beach town and even has some good restaurants (try the fish and chip place--I think it's called Go Fish), and the University of Delaware has great students.

[Little Star]

46. What did Delaware? I don’t know Alaska...

That is always the first thing out of my 85 year old FIL’s mouth when we are passing through Delaware on our way south. Which brings me to the point, Delaware has great rest areas on I95. They are in the middle of the north and south bound lanes. Good planning there! Way too many cops though. That is the extent of my personal experience with Delaware.

Here is their official website: http://www.visitdelaware.com/

Their website is pretty interesting. I’m going to have to fool around on there a bit. If I’m reading it right, they seem to have a couple of things for people to join in on. If I lived there I might just try these.

Geocaching: http://www.visitdelaware.com/geo/
Delaware History Trail: http://www.visitdelaware.com/history/

“Brandywine Valley Scenic Byway” looks like something I would enjoy too:

http://byways.org/explore/byways/57779

[cyberpj]

47. LOL. What did Della wear? is the first line in what appears to be a military marching song that

includes many other states as well.

Here's Perry Como's version that doesn't seem to include your FIL's witty reply but, in my humble opinion, should!

Anyway, now you can sing it back to him next time you're traveling through...

http://kokomo.ca/pop_standards/delaware_lyrics.htm

[Little Star]

48. Oh that is too cute! Thanks....

I am going to learn it. He will love it, he has a great sense of humor and he will be shocked that I have a retort for his spunky saying.

[woodsprite]

56. She wore her New Jersey! n/t

[Little Star]

59. LOL n/t

[jpljr77]

49. Oh, that's the state you drive through from the Bay Bridge to the ocean, right?

And that one town where Amtrak insists on stopping on the way to New York (from DC)?

But seriously, that's the extent of my experience with Delaware: the drive through rural farmland (GREAT corn in late summer, btw) to get to the beaches and the Wilmington train station. Well, and actually staying in the beach towns (my family's favorite is Bethany).

Most of the people I've encountered from Delaware are lovely, of course.

[MineralMan]

50. Drove through it once.

That's all.

[jsmirman]

51. Corporate Whore

(and could say, "enough said.&quot

Really, though, gee, we've got no natural industry, and nothing going on... I know, let's make ourselves a place where corporations can party with a lampshade on and never be found guilty of anything!

And for lube, we'll use this thing called the business judgment rule!

Delaware: Legs open, ready for business

[Little Star]

52. I take it your from Delaware? lol.

[jsmirman]

54. Totally guilty of being offensive

to those who call Delaware home. Sorry folks, but me no likey corporate misbehavior. To think that a state's main industry is having no rules that corporations have to play by - wow. Low!

[WI_DEM]

53. home state of our beloved Joe Biden

[Renew Deal]

61. Delaware? What's in Delaware?

I've driven through a bunch of times. There's a great rest stop on the I95 near NJ. I guess I should go to the Dover NASCAR race some day, though I want to go to Pocono more. I always thought it was cool that Biden commuted from Delaware.