The Sussex County Return Day Committee confirmed that the Wells Fargo Stagecoach will be part of the parade during the 2018 Return Day celebration on Thursday, November 8th.
“The Wells Fargo stagecoach appears in industrial parade Wilmington DE October 14, 1914. “Old Home Week” celebration.”
Held every two years, Return Day is a one-of-a-kind event that symbolizes unity among community residents after Election Day and signals the end of the political campaign for that year.
The event, which is held only in Sussex County celebrates its 206thanniversary this year.
“We are excited to feature the Wells Fargo Stagecoach in this year’s Sussex County Return Day parade,” said committee President Debby Jones “Given its rich history, it will be the perfect addition to the antique carriages featured in the parade.”
Wells Fargo first operated in Delaware in 1914. At that time, Delawareans came to their Wells Fargo agent to get travelers checks, send money by telegraph, and order express package delivery service.
The deliveries were many times carried out by stagecoach. Additionally, stagecoaches connected people in distant places and in many towns the Wells Fargo stagecoach played a key role of carefully carrying voters’ ballots to be counted at the state capital.
The stagecoach is now part of the Wells Fargo banking brand. The company is now one of three largest banks in the nation and has branches in all three Delaware counties
Visitors can view the stagecoach and all of the antique carriages featured in the Sussex County Return Day parade at Georgetown on Thursday November 8that 1:30 p.m.
Beginning in 1791, the Delaware Legislature required all votes to be cast on Election Day at the new County Seat in Georgetown, Delaware. Thus, all Sussex County residents had to travel to Georgetown in order to vote on Election Day, and then return two days later to hear the results – hence the name Return Day.
The winners of the year’s political races would parade around the town circle in horse-drawn carriages. Then the chairs of the county’s political parties would perform the ceremonial “bury the hatchet” into a box of sand from Lewes Beach to signify the end of the political campaign for that year.
In 1811, voting districts were created across the state, but the Board of Canvassers would still meet two days later in Georgetown to announce the final election results.
The Board of Canvassers still meet every Return Day to certify the votes and the results are then announced by the Town Crier from the Courthouse balcony to the public.
