Group Tours

Open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.- 3:30 p.m. and Sunday, 1:30 - 4:30 p.m. Closed Mondays and state holidays. Closed Sundays in January and February. Kitts Hummock Road is south of the Dover Air Force Base, via US 113 or Route 9 (Delaware Coastal Heritage Greenway).

The plantation is the restored boyhood home and farm of John Dickinson (1732-1808), who is known as the “Penman of the Revolution” for his articles debating whether the colonies should break from England and form their own government. John Dickinson was also a framer and signer of the Federal Constitution. The 18-acre site along the St. Jones River features the furnished 1740 colonial brick home, a “log’d dwelling,” various reconstructed outbuildings, and landscaping. Exhibits and a 20-minute historical video presentation are available at the Visitor Center on-site.

Guides in reproduction historical clothing interpret and demonstrate aspects of seasonal plantation life, such as hearth cooking, gardening, farming, and shingle splitting. The lives of slaves, free blacks, and tenant farmers are included in tours at the John Dickinson plantation. Special holiday events include an annual Dessert Table Display in December.

Group Tours
Amenities: Visitor center with small museum store, restrooms, wheelchair accessible. Costumed interpreters, variety of programs.
Group Tour Rates: Admission is free, but donations are welcome.
Tour Tips: Allow 1-2 hours for a guided tour or program. One motorcoach maximum per tour. Motorcoach parking available. Reservations required a minimum of two weeks in advance. The plantation is near the Air Mobility Command Museum at Dover Air Force Base and the St. Jones Estuarine Research Reserve.

Group tour topics include “A World Apart” (historical look at slaves and free blacks of the area), “Politics and Plantation” (Dickinson’s life at the plantation and beyond),  “Man, Marsh and Mosquito” (colonial interaction with the river ecosystem), and many more. Contact Delaware State Museums for a complete listing of Group Tour Programs.