Woodburn Governor's House in Dover, Delaware, traces its origins back to the late eighteenth century when the land itself had already carried a long colonial history. The property was originally part of a land grant issued in the seventeenth century under Swedish control, long before Delaware became an American state. By th1780s,0s the land had passed through several hands before being purchased by Charles Hillyard III, a prominent local figure with deep ties to the region.

Construction of the mansion began around 1790, when Hillyard built a refined Georgian-style residence that reflected both wealth and influence. The home featured elegant symmetry, large windows, and finely crafted interiors that were considered impressive for the time. It quickly became one of the most distinguished private homes in Dover and stood as a symbol of early American prosperity and craftsmanship.

After Hillyard's death, the property passed to his daughter Mary and her husband, Dr. Martin W. Bates, a man known for his varied career as a physician, merchant, lawyer, and later a United States senator. Under their ownership, the home continued to serve as a center of social and political life in Dover. In 1820, a Delaware governor first used the residence as housing, marking the beginning of its long association with state leadership.

Throughout the nineteenth century, Woodburn changed ownership multiple times, including a period under Daniel Cowgill, a Quaker and abolitionist who reportedly allowed the home to be used as a safe location for those seeking freedom. The house remained a prominent estate through the early twentieth century, undergoing renovations and expansions that preserved its historic character while adapting it to modern needs.

In 1965, the State of Delaware officially acquired Woodburn and restored it as the permanent residence of the governor. Carefully furnished with period-appropriate decor, the mansion was reopened to the public in 1966. Today it stands not only as the official home of Delaware governors but also as one of the finest preserved examples of eighteenth-century architecture in the state.

The ghost stories of Woodburn Governor's House date back nearly as far as the home itself. One of the earliest reported encounters occurred in the early nineteenth century when a visiting preacher claimed to have passed a well-dressed gentleman on the staircase. The hosts insisted no such guest was present, and the description matched the long-deceased builder Charles Hillyard III, marking what is often considered the first documented haunting at the residence.

Over the years, Hillyard's spirit has remained the most commonly reported presence in the house. He is often described as appearing in colonial-era clothing, quietly moving along the staircase or through the halls. A long-standing tradition suggests that he enjoys wine, with stories claiming that glasses or decanters left out overnight are found empty by morning, as if the former owner still indulges in his favorite habit.
Other apparitions have appeared throughout the mansion, including a man dressed in Revolutionary War clothing who drifts silently through rooms.. Residents and guests have described hearing footsteps on the stairs late at night when no one else is awake, adding to the sense that the house is still occupied by unseen residents.

One of the more frequently mentioned spirits is that of a young girl in a red or gingham dress, often seen near the gardens or interior rooms. Witnesses have described her as calm and quiet, sometimes appearing briefly before vanishing. Reports of her presence date back to at least the twentieth century and continue to circulate among visitors and staff.

Perhaps the darkest legend tied to the property involves a supposed slave raider connected to the Underground Railroad era. According to local lore, the man died in a tree on the property and now lingers as a restless and more aggressive spirit. Stories describe chilling sensations, unseen touches, and even the sound of chains or distant cries, suggesting that not all presences at Woodburn are as welcoming as others.