John Dickinson Plantation

Boyhood Home And Plantation Of Revolutionary Era Statesman John Dickinson South East Of Dover, A Free State Museum Run By The Division Of Historical And Cultural Affairs And A Component Of First State National Historical Park · Dover, Delaware

The John Dickinson Plantation is the family farm near the St. Jones River south-east of Dover where John Dickinson (1732-1808) grew up after his father moved the family here from Maryland. The brick mansion dates from 1740; it burned in 1804 and Dickinson rebuilt it. He became known as the Penman of the Revolution for his Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania against British taxes, yet in July 1776 he refused to sign the Declaration of Independence, thinking it premature, then served in the militia during the war and later helped frame the Constitution. Beyond the mansion are a reconstructed log dwelling of the kind lived in by enslaved and tenant families and a group of farm buildings. The site gives real weight to the enslaved and free Black people who lived and worked here, and to how Dickinson freed the people he enslaved, in stages. It is a free state museum and a component of First State National Historical Park, rural and quiet, with costumed interpreters on some days and a split Tuesday-to-Saturday schedule.

340 Kitts Hummock Road, Dover, Delaware, 19901, United States

The plantation runs on a SPLIT schedule. WEDNESDAY TO SATURDAY the visitor center and grounds are open, roughly from mid-morning (about 10) to mid-afternoon (about 4), and this is when the mansion can be seen with staff. On TUESDAY the site is open for OUTDOOR VISITATION ONLY: you can walk the grounds and see the outside of the buildings, but do not expect the house or the visitor center to be open. It is CLOSED SUNDAY AND MONDAY, and on major holidays and Delaware state holidays such as Good Friday and the day after Thanksgiving - confirm. Admission is FREE. The state notes that hours are subject to change, and staffing, weather, special events or maintenance can close buildings or shift times; costumed interpreters work only on some days. Arrive well before closing, since the last house visit leaves ahead of it. Confirm the day's hours with the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs before making the drive.

John Dickinson Plantation on Spottos · Explore more places on Spottos