East Dover Hundred in Kent County, Delaware — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Annie Jump Cannon

Photographed by Bill Pfingsten, April 29, 2016

1. Annie Jump Cannon Marker

Inscription. Annie Jump Cannon (1863-1941), a prominent astronomer who pioneered stellar classification, observed her first stars from the roof of this house. Cannon, who was legally deaf, graduated valedictorian from Wilmington Conference Academy, now Wesley College, in 1880. She continued her studies at Wellesley College and Radcliffe Women's College at Harvard. While working at the Harvard Observatory, Cannon developed the Star Spectra system, classifying over 300,000 stars based on color and temperature. She was the first woman to receive an honorary doctorate from Oxford University and her long career paved the way for women in science.

Erected 2016 by Delaware Public Archives. (Marker Number KC-119.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Science & Medicine • Women. In addition, it is included in the Delaware Public Archives series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1863.

Location. 39° 9.634′ N, 75° 31.524′ W. Marker is in Dover, Delaware, in Kent County. It is in East Dover Hundred. It is on South State Street 0.1 miles south of East Division Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 31 South State Street, Dover DE 19901, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American Mid-Atlantic

and on the Delmarva Peninsula.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Netherland,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking

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distance of this marker: Richardson and Robbins Complex (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Woodburn: The Governor's House (about 700 feet away); Woodburn (about 700 feet away); Hall House (approx. 0.2 miles away); World War II Memorial (approx. 0.2 miles away); Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, Inc. (approx. 0.2 miles away); Sequoia - A California Redwood (approx. 0.2 miles away); Crawford Carroll, the Man… (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Dover.

Other markers no longer nearby. Woodburn: The Governor's House (was about 700 feet away but has been replaced with another marker now near it); a different marker also named Woodburn: The Governor's House (was about 800 feet away but has been replaced with another marker now near it); a different marker also named Hall House (was approx. 0.2 miles away but has been replaced with another marker now near it).

Also see . . .
1. Annie Jump Cannon. Wikipedia entry (Submitted on July 3, 2025, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)

2. Annie Jump Cannon. Find A Grave website entry (Submitted on July 3, 2025, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)

Annie Jump Cannon House image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Bill Pfingsten, April 29, 2016

2. Annie Jump Cannon House

Annie Jump Cannon House Sign image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Adam Margolis, January 19, 2022

3. Annie Jump Cannon House Sign

Sign indicating the house was built in 1960. The home (now owned and used by Wesley College) is a contributing property in the Victorian Dover Historic District which is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Annie Jump Cannon at her desk at the Harvard College Observatory image. Click for full size.

courtesy Wikimedia Commons, unknown

4. Annie Jump Cannon at her desk at the Harvard College Observatory

Credits. This page was last revised on May 15, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 2, 2016, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. This page has been viewed 1,380 times since then and 71 times this year. Last updated on March 27, 2024, by Carl Gordon Moore Jr. of North East, Maryland. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 2, 2016, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. 3. submitted on January 23, 2022, by Adam Margolis of Mission Viejo, California. 4. submitted on July 3, 2025, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.