Are you looking to take a vacation to a new place? Well learn some facts about Delaware. You will be able to enjoy yourself in Delaware even more by knowing some of the historic sites around this state.

These travel tips will help you plan a vacation and understand why Delaware is called the "Small Wonder".

1. Inventor of Phonograph

Eldridge Reeves Johnson was the inventor of the phonograph. He started the Victor Talking Machine Company. You may know that today as RCA.

At the Johnson Victrola Museum in Dover, Delaware you can see an oil painting of his dog Nipper. This is the dog that is the trademark of RCA and the painting is called "His Master's Voice".

2. Fewest Counties

One of the facts about Delaware is that it has the fewest counties in the United States. There are only three counties that breaks Delaware into three major sections. New Castle County makes up the northern section. Kent County makes up the middle section and Sussex County makes up the southern section.

You will find that New Castle County is the most populated and you can easily access Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey from there.

Kent County makes up the middle section of Delaware and is a mixture of farm land and suburbs. The state capital, Dover, Delaware is located there along with Dover Air Force Base and the NASCAR Monster Mile Race track.

Sussex County is home to the famous Delaware Beaches. You can access Maryland and Virginia from this part of Delaware.

All of Delaware counties are bordered on the west by Maryland and the Atlantic Coast on the east.

3. First Beauty Contest

At Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, the first beauty contest in the United States was held back in 1880.

The beauty contest was actually called the "Miss United States" contest and one of the three judges was Tomas Edison. This contest has evolved into what we know today as the Miss America Pageant.

4. First Coastal Zone Act

In 1971 Delaware passed the first Coastal Zone Act in the United States. This barred pollution by industries. This was to protect Delaware beautiful beaches and wetlands from pollution.

5. First State to fly Stars and Stripes Flag

One of the historic facts about Delaware is that the only Revolutionary battle fought in the state of Delaware was at the Battle of Cooch's Bridge, which took place on September 3, 1777. This was where the 13 star flag was first flown.

Delaware has a very rich history and it is close to Washington D.C. for you site seeing lovers. You will find that this state offers a convenient access to some of the major tourist attractions on the east coast.

One of the little known facts about Delaware is that most of the population is made up of people from other states. This is due to people either retiring to or moving here to raise a family. Part 2 of 3 will give you some more reasons why people are vacationing and moving to Delaware.