Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Delaware Dover Golden Fleece Tavern Site

Golden Fleece Tavern Site

In 1787, a group of delegates met at this very spot to drink, be merry, and ratify the Constitution of the United States.

Dover, Delaware

Added By
Gregory Justis
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Golden Fleece Tavern in Dover, Delaware.   AFJAGExplores / Atlas Obscura User
Section of the original wall of the Golden Fleece Tavern.   AFJAGExplores / Atlas Obscura User
Golden Fleece Tavern in Dover, Delaware.   AFJAGExplores / Atlas Obscura User
Historic Golden Fleece site December 2021   taylorcollinswriter / Atlas Obscura User
Golden Fleece Historical Plaque   blimpcaptain / Atlas Obscura User
  whaa fun / Atlas Obscura User
  whaa fun / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Built in the 1730s, Elizabeth Battell's Golden Fleece Tavern hosted all manner of revolutionary activities in the early days of the American union. When Dover became the seat of Delaware’s state government in 1777, the tavern emerged as a frequent meeting place for the Legislative Council. It was also at the Golden Fleece that, in September 1787, a document arrived from Philadelphia containing the basic framework for the government of a new nation, the United States of America.  

On December 3, 1787, a group of 30 elected delegates of a ratifying convention met at the Golden Fleece to review the document. Five days later, on December 7, the Constitution of the United States was unanimously approved, making Delaware the first state in the young nation, and the first to ratify the U.S. Constitution.

It would be some years later until a document of comparable national significance found its way into the tavern, but such a document surely did. In January 1790, the Legislative Council met once again, this time to ratify the Bill of Rights. 

Most of the original structure of the Golden Fleece Tavern no longer stands, having been torn down in the 1830s and replaced by the Capitol Hotel. The hotel has since closed and the building has been renovated, and it now hosts a local retail store. A marker on the side of the building commemorates the original tavern site, and a Golden Fleece sign hangs from a corner near the door. Visitors to the site can see a small garden space behind the current building where there is a freestanding wall that's believed to be the only section of the historic tavern still standing.

Related Tags

American Revolution Colonial America Government History Plaques Military

Know Before You Go

The Golden Fleece site is only a few steps from the Green, an open space from which officers and soldiers in the American Revolution were mustered and reviewed prior to departing for the southern campaign. Also surrounding the Green are the First State’s current and historic legislative buildings, several of which offer excellent tours. As of 2019, a new “Golden Fleece Tavern” operates in Dover, several blocks from the original site. That establishment does not appear to have any relation to the historical site, apart from the name.

Community Contributors

Added By

AFJAGExplores

Edited By

blimpcaptain, taylorcollinswriter, whaa fun

  • blimpcaptain
  • taylorcollinswriter
  • whaa fun

Published

February 15, 2019

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.americanheritage.com/content/golden-fleece-tavern
Golden Fleece Tavern Site
325 S State St
Dover, Delaware
United States
39.156778, -75.523808
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Johnson Victrola Museum

Dover, Delaware

miles away

Miles the Monster

Dover, Delaware

miles away

Tiki Murph

Milford, Delaware

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Dover

Dover

Delaware

Places 3

Nearby Places

Johnson Victrola Museum

Dover, Delaware

miles away

Miles the Monster

Dover, Delaware

miles away

Tiki Murph

Milford, Delaware

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Dover

Dover

Delaware

Places 3

Related Stories and Lists

History Tour: Revisiting the Revolutionary War

List

By Jonathan Carey

Related Places

  • Stained-glass window depicting Washington at prayer.

    King of Prussia, Pennsylvania

    Washington Memorial Chapel

    An eccentric priest's tribute to George Washington, this chapel tells the story of the American Revolution.

  • Street sign and plaque.

    Nottingham, England

    Standard Hill

    The English Civil War began right here in 1642.

  • Paul Revere Lantern, on view at the Concord Museum.

    Concord, Massachusetts

    Paul Revere Lantern

    One of two lighted lanterns hung in the church belfry on the eve of the Revolutionary War to warn that the British were on their way.

  • Treaty of Paris Plaque

    Paris, France

    Treaty of Paris Plaque

    A simple plaque on the facade is the only reminder that the treaty ending the American Revolution was signed inside.

  • Exterior of the tavern.

    Alexandria, Virginia

    Gadsby's Tavern

    This colonial tavern played host to George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and other famous early Americans.

  • Plaque close-up.

    New York, New York

    Nathan Hale Hanging Site

    A plaque immortalizes the spot where the early American spy said his famous last words: "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country."

  • The bell donated by Louis XV, later called the “Liberty Bell of the West”

    Chester, Illinois

    Liberty Bell of the West

    Now nearly abandoned, Kaskaskia was once the capital of Illinois and one of the most important towns on the upper Mississippi.

  • Framingham, Massachusetts

    The Old Field of 1800

    Two stone markers honor the Nipmuc people who first settled here millennia ago.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.