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© 2004 Peter B. Kaplan Introduction Essay for Delaware 24/7 A Jewel Among the States By Al Mascitti Delaware used to bill itself as the Diamond State because Thomas Jefferson once called it "a jewel among the states," which, let's face it, sounds like his speechwriter was under the gun to find something nice to say. It must not have been easy, because Delaware was the least distinctive of the original 13 colonies. If it hadn't been conveniently located astride the road from Virginia to New York, Jefferson might have forgotten Delaware completely. The truth is the state is so much like the rest of America that it sometimes blends right into the national background. As the photos in Delaware 24/7 line it up, Delaware is partly urban, partly rural, and increasingly suburban. Its population contains families who have been here since the 1600s and immigrants attracted by new opportunities. In fact, Delaware's demographics so closely mirror the country as a whole that companies like to use it as a test-market for new products. We are just like all of America, only less so, sizewise. Want proof? Just compare Delaware to America, as depicted in the beloved hymn "America the Beautiful." Spacious skies? Check--spacious enough to take anything our industries can dish out. Amber waves of grain? Absolutely. Maybe in some years we plant less corn and more soybeans, which don't exactly ripple in the breeze, but the principle is the same. We butt right up against one of those shining seas, which would make us the essence of America--or would if, instead of "fruited plain," the lyricist had opted for "swampland drained." Purple mountains majesty? Okay, on that one we have to punt--the truth is, Delaware is so flat God could roll it up like an area rug. All that natural diversity is just one reason Delaware's people so fiercely treasure this diminutive state. Our compact size, combined with a small population, makes the whole state feel like an extended small town--when strangers meet, a few minutes of conversation usually reveal that they share a common acquaintance or two. And we're quick to defend Delaware against the jibes of outsiders who mistakenly think that bigger means better. And anybody who wants to argue the point can meet us out in the parking lot. We've got plenty of those, too. As a rule, Delawareans don't rile easily, unless you get an argument started over which part of the state is better: "upstate," the urbanized districts north of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, or "downstate," the more rural south. Still, despite the state's charms, not much has really changed since Jefferson's day. To millions of Americans, Delaware is still just a couple of tollbooths on the road from Virginia to New York, or the place where their shady landlord is incorporated, or the place they mail off their credit card bills. That's okay. We're used to being taken for granted, and frankly, if people realized what a great gig we've got going, they'd want to move here, and we're running out of room. But we hope that, whenever you see this book and think of Delaware, you'll remember to mail off that credit card bill before someone drags you out to one of those parking lots. Browse    View All    A Jewl Among the States    Hearth & Home    Hard at Work    Delaware at Play    Reason to Believe    Our Town Photos: 139 Photographers: 24 Towns: 34

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