DELAWARE FROM FREEWAYS TO E-WAYS

Tabler’s collection of facts, anecdotes, and photos explores Delaware’s rich history from the early 20th century to the year 2000.

This third installment in Tabler’s Delaware History Overview series is rife with engaging trivia, such as the fact that Delaware has more incorporated businesses than people, and it covers topics ranging from the state’s storied history of thriving agricultural fairs to its impressive digital advances in the health care field. The table of contents is handily sorted by subject matter and by year, and each topic is presented in bite-size portions in the text, rarely extending beyond one page. Various visual elements, consisting largely of archival photos and occasional artwork,are found on almost every page, alongside accompanying information. The narrative tone is a bit dry, though, with Tabler presenting copious amounts of information in relatively brief snippets. The only time readers get a more vivid version of events is in the extensive “Notes on Photographs” section at the book’s conclusion. For example, that’s where Tabler sets the scene for the social status implied by Delaware’s popular low-number license plates: “Animated auctioneers, the unique cadence of their theatrics echoing a rhythmic patois, fetch six-figure sums from the highest bidders. Gifted hawkers, their tongues spinning like helicopter blades, expertly push prices to impressive heights. Buyers, recognizing the deep-rooted status these plates confer, willingly engage in fierce bidding wars.” The balanced blend of straightforward facts and historical images—as well as the more florid details found in the Notes on Photographs—all result in what could be considered a classic coffee-table book.

Tabler has a knack for picking out odds and ends from history that together create a broadly engaging look at a topic that most readers might not ordinarily consider. But despite the abundance of details, the book never gets weighed down by them; instead, just as a topic risks becoming tiresome, the book zips right along to the next one. One drawback, though, is the odd organization of the information itself. The “Notes on Photographs” section is quite long, and it forces readers to flip back and forth between the photos and their in-depth explanations. These are not simply captions, either—they’re often multi-paragraph side stories, which can make for an occasionally frustrating reading experience. Still, Tabler’s investigation into Delaware’s history is impressive in its scope, and he has clearly done some rigorous research. Although the bulk of the book does indeed focus on the 20th century, Tabler includes plenty of references to pre-1900 events to provide context for certain achievements. While some readers may never have wondered (for example) how many bushels of oysters were harvested in Delaware between September 1866 and April 1867 (answer: 10 million), such trivia tidbits show the author’s unquestionable attention to detail. The resulting work will likely attract anyone with a penchant for Delaware history, or for trivia in general.

A unique deep dive into an often overlooked state.