There are certain things that only people from Delaware understand, and it can be hard to find others who relate if you find yourself removed from the First State. Look for these signs to spot someone from Delaware, and then you can spend hours talking about Tastykakes and the wine-drinking ghosts.
- They’re not intimidated by horseshoe crabs
Flickr / usfwsnortheast The Delaware Bay is the largest breeding area for the horseshoe crab, so they occupy all of the beaches in tremendous numbers. If you’re from Delaware, you probably don’t even notice that areas of your beach are sometimes carpeted with crabs.
- Everybody is Italian for one day a year
Flickr / pmillera4 The annual St. Anthony’s Italian Festival in Wilmington is one of the biggest events in Delaware. Even if you’re not Italian at all, you’ll still celebrate with cannolis and Italian cookies and wave the Italian flag from the top of the ferris wheel.
- They Balk at Sales Tax
Flickr / diaper One of the benefits of living in the first state is the lack of sales tax. That’s why Delaware is such a great place to shop!
- They can pronounce Newark.
Flickr / barthjg Listen up, New Jersey. It’s New-ARK, not New-erk.
- They’re still traumatized by bees.
Flickr / earl258 A few years ago, a tractor trailer carrying over 16 MILLION bees overturned near Newark. While beekepers eventually cleared the mess, they did so by spraying the bees down with water - so anyone in the area fears stumbling upon massive amounts of bees at any time.
- They know license plates are a big deal.
Flickr / 51035796522@N01 In Delaware, low-number license plates are family heirlooms and are sometimes sold for outrageous amounts. And if you’ve got a low number, black and white plate? You’re part of an elite club.
- They’re afraid of the Governor’s Mansion
Flickr / jb912 Woodburn, aka the Governor’s Mansion, is located in Dover, DE. The Governor lives there, which isn’t a big surprise given the name. What is surprising to those from out of state is how haunted Woodburn is! There are plenty of stories of friendly ghosts who drink the Governor’s wine and play by the pool, but there are stories of an unfriendly spirit as well.
- They’re ice cream snobs.
Flickr / daquellamanera No state does Ice Cream like Delaware does! Between the University of Delaware Creamery and the Ice Cream Store in Rehoboth Beach, if you are looking for the best of the best, you will find it in the first state.
- They know the magic that is Tastykakes.
Flickr / sjuadmissions These delicious processed pastries are appreciated by people in Delaware just as much as they’re appreciated in Pennsylvania - where they hail from. What kakes are your favorite?
- To them, the State Fair is Life.
Flickr / leecannon The State Fair is the highlight of most Delaware residents’ summer. Between the funnel cake, deep fried Oreos, tilt-a-whirls, and ring-toss games, it’s the most exciting week of the year.
- They know how to get to Firefly.
Flickr / mattarena88 Sure, everyone can follow their GPS to the annual music festival at Dover Downs, but they’ll end up circling the track and grounds for hours. If you end up going, make sure to catch a ride with someone from Delaware.
In a perfect world, everyone from Delaware would be wearing a UD or “Slower Lower” t-shirt all the time, so you could strike up a conversation easily. In the real world, you’ll just have to look out for the person who hates sales tax and wishes that their neighborhood store had better ice cream. What’s your tell-tale sign that someone is from Delaware?
Flickr / usfwsnortheast
The Delaware Bay is the largest breeding area for the horseshoe crab, so they occupy all of the beaches in tremendous numbers. If you’re from Delaware, you probably don’t even notice that areas of your beach are sometimes carpeted with crabs.
Flickr / pmillera4
The annual St. Anthony’s Italian Festival in Wilmington is one of the biggest events in Delaware. Even if you’re not Italian at all, you’ll still celebrate with cannolis and Italian cookies and wave the Italian flag from the top of the ferris wheel.
Flickr / diaper
One of the benefits of living in the first state is the lack of sales tax. That’s why Delaware is such a great place to shop!
Flickr / barthjg
Listen up, New Jersey. It’s New-ARK, not New-erk.
Flickr / earl258
A few years ago, a tractor trailer carrying over 16 MILLION bees overturned near Newark. While beekepers eventually cleared the mess, they did so by spraying the bees down with water - so anyone in the area fears stumbling upon massive amounts of bees at any time.
Flickr / 51035796522@N01
In Delaware, low-number license plates are family heirlooms and are sometimes sold for outrageous amounts. And if you’ve got a low number, black and white plate? You’re part of an elite club.
Flickr / jb912
Woodburn, aka the Governor’s Mansion, is located in Dover, DE. The Governor lives there, which isn’t a big surprise given the name. What is surprising to those from out of state is how haunted Woodburn is! There are plenty of stories of friendly ghosts who drink the Governor’s wine and play by the pool, but there are stories of an unfriendly spirit as well.
Flickr / daquellamanera
No state does Ice Cream like Delaware does! Between the University of Delaware Creamery and the Ice Cream Store in Rehoboth Beach, if you are looking for the best of the best, you will find it in the first state.
Flickr / sjuadmissions
These delicious processed pastries are appreciated by people in Delaware just as much as they’re appreciated in Pennsylvania - where they hail from. What kakes are your favorite?
Flickr / leecannon
The State Fair is the highlight of most Delaware residents’ summer. Between the funnel cake, deep fried Oreos, tilt-a-whirls, and ring-toss games, it’s the most exciting week of the year.
Flickr / mattarena88
Sure, everyone can follow their GPS to the annual music festival at Dover Downs, but they’ll end up circling the track and grounds for hours. If you end up going, make sure to catch a ride with someone from Delaware.
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