This beautiful (and bountiful) slice of land was accidentally discovered by Henry Hudson in 1609. He was looking for the Far East, when his ship ( the Half Moon ) sailed into Delaware Bay. In 1638, the Swedes established a permanent colony near present-day Wilmington, and a few forts along the bay. All were eventually subjugated by the Dutch, beginning in 1655. Small in physical size, it has a courageous and distinguished history as the first of the original thirteen colonies.
ts nickname, "The First State" rings true as Delaware was first to sign the Declaration of Independence and became the first state in 1787. The Revolutionary War ended, and in 1802, the famed Du Pont Corporation was formed here. Delaware would soon become a powerful economic and industrial center.
More than 50% of Fortune 500 companies are now incorporated within its borders, and it's a leader in the production of chemicals and plastics. In fact, Wilmington is known as the "Chemical Capital of the World."
It's also a quiet place with many farms and small rural communities, and it offers an idyllic recreational area for all to enjoy.