Laid out by William Peen in 1717 according to a plan he created in 1683, “The Green” in Dover DE is considered the oldest state park in the US. It was intended to be a gathering place for the residents of the growing town. It has played this role well. Additionally, it has served as a spot in numerous historical events from the American Revolution to Women’s Suffrage to the Civil Rights Movement.
Originally called Public, or Courthouse Square, it was placed in the center of old town Dover. The Green is surrounded by historic civic buildings such as the Old State House (1787). Further, once upon a time, a tavern stood at the Green and the 1787 Constitution was ratified making Delaware the first state. With all this history it is little wonder that the Green is haunted.
Hauntings
Many residents have reported seeing the apparition of a colonial judge walking through the green. One account reported seeing a man standing at the western edge of the green in a blue wool coat. At first the witness thought perhaps it had been a reenactor although it was quite early in the morning. Upon turning around and driving through again, the ghostly figure was gone and the streets were empty.
While some may claim it to be a modern urban legend, the haunting goes back much further in history. According to the website Great Places in America: Public Spaces, this haunting dates back to the 1700s. The site relates that “to rid themselves of a ghost, townspeople dug a grave on The Green in 1745 and held an elaborate funeral for a former chief justice.”
Chief Justice Samuel Chew
The Book Blue Highways share the story of a funeral for a ghost. "On the village green in Dover, citizens successfully buried the ghost of Chief Justice Sam Chew in broad daylight. Around 1745, the judge's shade developed a nocturnal penchant for meditating on the common and beckoning to passersby. His honor's Whangdoodle, or noisiness, began to keep the streets empty after dark and tavernkeepers complained. So residents dug a symbolic grave on the green, and, in full sunshine, tolled bells as clergymen spoke the restless soul to its peace."
Chief Justice Chew was a physician appointed by John Penn as Chief Justice in 1741 and served two years in this posting. While quite influential his address to a grand Jury in New Castle prompted criticism. Chew remarked on the lawfulness of resistance to an armed enemy soon after he became Chief Justice. He died in June 1743. It was only two years later that his specter began to haunt the Green. He would pull on the coat tails of men and give women an uncomfortable icy feeling.
Lasting Memory
The Green in Dover is more than just a park—it’s a living monument to the layers of American history, from revolutionary fervor to civil rights milestones. Yet, as much as it celebrates the city’s past, it also holds onto its mysteries, whispers, and spectral stories. The legend of Chief Justice Samuel Chew, buried not in body but in spirit, reminds us that history can linger in unexpected ways. For some, The Green is just a quiet spot amid historic buildings, but for those who dare to look a bit closer, it’s a place where the echoes of past lives still walk the grounds, perhaps hoping we’ll listen.
As I researched this legend, I discovered something very interesting. Samuel Chew is a distant cousin of my husband. He is a first cousin 12x's removed. We have a GHOST in the family!And a rather famous ghost to boot, I couldn't be more proud!
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