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Collection Highlight, April/May 2004

Former Lieutenant Governor Eugene D. Bookhammer's motor vehicle tag #2. 2004.5.11 © The Lewes Historical Society
Eugene Bookhammer served as Delaware's Lieutenant Governor in the middle 20th century and enjoyed popularity both in his Republican Party and the Democratic. Much of life as Lieutenant Governor is filled with ceremonial duties, appointments on various committes and striving to improve the quality of life in Delaware. Bookhammer exceled at life as a politician and made a lasting impact on the state. One of the many tributes paid to him over the years, for example, was the naming of the bridge on Route 24 at Love Creek the "Eugene D. Bookhammer Memorial Bridge."

Life as Lieutenant Governor also, naturally, brought with it several perks. One of which was the honor of using Delaware #2 as a motor vehicle tag. In Delaware, lower tag numbers are highly sought after as Delaware issues its tags sequentially. The governor is assigned #1, the lieutenant governor #2, the secretary of state #3 and the rest are issued to the public at large, low numbered plates have been known to bring tens of thousands of dollars. In 1989, Delaware #9 was auctioned for $35,000.00. The status symbol that Delaware tags have attained is one of the wonderful quirks of the First State.

Mr. Bookhammer's gift to the Society also included numerous photographs from his days as lietenant governor and other ephemera including presentation gavels, a wonderful collection of mid- to late-20th century political campaign pins, his Lewes High School Class pin and a dedication sword inscribed on the blade, "Presented by James Lindsey Citizen of Alex-[andria?] [Va?] to Lieut. Sgt. S[ylvester Seymour]. Bookhammer Co. k 88 Rgt P[ennsylvania]V[olunteers].”

The Society thanks Mr. Bookhammer for his tremendous generosity to the Society and his dedicated service to Delaware.

For more information, please contact the Society at research@historiclewes.org.

Past Collection Highlights

  • February/March 2004
  • December 2003/January 2004
  • October/November 2003
  • August/September 2003
  • June/July 2003
  • April/May 2003
  • February/March 2003
  • December 2002/January 2003
  • October/November 2002

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