Woodburn: The Governor's House

Built for Charles Hillyard III about 1798, this house was considered one of the grandest in Kent County at the time. After Hillyard died in 1814, his son-in-law, Dr. Martin W. Bates, purchased it and lived here with his wife Mary and her three younger sisters. Daniel and Mary Cowgill bought the house in 1825, and the first known reference to the name "Woodburn" appeared in an 1845 letter written by a Cowgill family member. Before Delaware had an official gubernatorial residence, governors who did not live in Dover often stayed in rented quarters or with friends while the General Assembly was in session. In 1965, during the term of Governor Charles L. Terry, Jr., the State of Delaware purchased Woodburn to serve as the official residence of the Governor of Delaware. First Lady Jessica Irby Terry oversaw the interior design during subsequent renovations, choosing furnishings, textile treatments, and accessories inspired by the house's interior architecture and the elegance and classicism of the late eighteenth-century Georgian style. In 1966, she began the tradition of opening Woodburn to the public. Woodburn came to symbolize grace and elegance while retaining warmth and intimacy, and although not all governors in the last forty years have used it as their primary residence, it has consistently hosted state functions including dinners, receptions, festivals, picnics, and public events.

Dover, Delaware · United States