East Dover Hundred in Kent County, Delaware — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
The Golden Fleece Tavern
Birthplace of the First State
Photographed by Bill Pfingsten, December 15, 2010
1. The Golden Fleece Tavern Marker
Inscription.
The Golden Fleece Tavern. Birthplace of the First State. This was the site of the Golden Fleece Tavern, scene of some of the most important and dramatic events in Delaware history. Built in the 1730s, the Golden Fleece was a center for community and government activities. It was a place of great importance during the American Revolution and the early years of our Nation’s Independence. Also known as Battell’s Tavern, it hosted the meetings of the Committee of Inspection and Observation, and was a vital point for the exchange of wartime communications. With the transfer of state government from New Castle to Dover in 1777, the Golden Fleece became the meeting place of the Assembly’s Upper House, the Legislative Council. It was the home of that body until a State House was completed in 1791. In September 1787, a new framework for our Nation’s government was sent to the states for consideration. Thirty delegates were elected to meet and review the document. The meeting was convened here on December 3. Approval was unanimous, and on December 7, 1787, Delaware became the first state to ratify the Federal Constitution. A fitting climax to its role as Delaware’s “Capitol Tavern” occurred in January 1790, when the Council met to approve the Bill of Rights. The Golden Fleece was demolished circa 1830, and replaced by the Capitol Hotel. The hotel was closed in the 1920s, and renovated to its present appearance by Henry and Mabel Lloyd Ridgely.
This was the site of the Golden Fleece Tavern, scene of some of the most important and dramatic events in Delaware history. Built in the 1730s, the Golden Fleece was a center for community and government activities. It was a place of great importance during the American Revolution and the early years of our Nation’s Independence. Also known as Battell’s Tavern, it hosted the meetings of the Committee of Inspection and Observation, and was a vital point for the exchange of wartime communications. With the transfer of state government from New Castle to Dover in 1777, the Golden Fleece became the meeting place of the Assembly’s Upper House, the Legislative Council. It was the home of that body until a State House was completed in 1791. In September 1787, a new framework for our Nation’s government was sent to the states for consideration. Thirty delegates were elected to meet and review the document. The meeting was convened here on December 3. Approval was unanimous, and on December 7, 1787, Delaware became the first state to ratify the Federal Constitution. A fitting climax to its role as Delaware’s “Capitol Tavern” occurred in January 1790, when the Council met to approve the Bill of Rights. The Golden Fleece was demolished circa 1830, and replaced by the Capitol Hotel. The hotel was closed in the 1920s, and renovated to its present
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appearance by Henry and Mabel Lloyd Ridgely.
Erected 2002 by Delaware Public Archives. (Marker Number KC-76.)
Location. 39° 9.396′ N, 75° 31.425′ W. Marker is in Dover, Delaware, in Kent County. It is in East Dover Hundred. It is at the intersection of State Street and The Green, on the left when traveling south on State Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: 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.
Credits. This page was last revised on May 15, 2026. It was originally submitted on December 17, 2010, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. This page has been viewed 2,394 times since then and 59 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on December 17, 2010, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. 3. submitted on October 25, 2012, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.
