-Part one of the “Across the Ages to the Edge of the Sea” lecture series-

(LEWES, Del.—Oct. 10, 2018)—On Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018 at 2 p.m., the Zwaanendael Museum, located at 102 Kings Highway in Lewes, Del., will present “The Lenapé Indian Tribe of Delaware,” a lecture by Theo Braunskill, Lenapé citizen and Elders Council member, and Nena Todd, manager of the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ downtown Dover museums. The program will explore Native American lifeways, culture, challenges and successes—both past and present. Braunskill will also discuss her experiences growing up Lenapé in Delaware.

The program is the first installment of “Across the Ages to the Edge of the Sea,” a seven-part series exploring the history of the Lewes, Del. area from the 17th to the 20th centuries. The program will be held on the museum’s 2nd floor (entry via staircase; no elevator). Admission is free but, due to space restrictions, reservations are required by calling the museum at 302-645-1148 no later than Oct. 19, 2018.

The Lenapé Indian Tribe of Delaware is a state-recognized Native American tribe with an unbroken history of hundreds of years of settlement and continued residency in the vicinity of the town of Cheswold, Del. Formerly known as the Moors (or Indians) of Kent County, Del., the tribe traces its ancestry to the Lenape, also known as the Leni Lenape, Lenni Lenape and Delaware people, whose historical homeland included present-day New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware along the Delaware River and Bay watershed, New York City, western Long Island and the Lower Hudson Valley.

The Zwaanendael Museum was built in 1931 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the state’s first European colony, Swanendael, established by the Dutch along Hoorn Kill (present-day Lewes-Rehoboth Canal) in 1631. Designed by E. William Martin (architect of Legislative Hall and the Hall of Records in Dover), the museum is modeled after the town hall in Hoorn, the Netherlands, and features a stepped facade gable with carved stonework and decorated shutters. The museum’s exhibits and presentations provide a showcase for Lewes-area maritime, military and social history.

Following is the complete schedule for the “Across the Ages to the Edge of the Sea” series. All programs in the series begin at 2 p.m. on the museum’s 2nd floor (entry via staircase; no elevator) and are free and open to the public. However, due to space restrictions, reservations are required by calling the museum at 302-645-1148.

“Across the Ages to the Edge of the Sea”
Schedule as of Oct. 10, 2018

Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018
Lecture on the Lenapé Indian Tribe of Delaware. Program by Theo Braunskill, Lenapé citizen and Elders Council member, and Nena Todd, manager of the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ downtown Dover museums. Reservations must be made no later than Oct. 19, 2018.

Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018
Lecture by U.S. Navy Capt. Bill Manthorpe. In honor of Veterans Day and the signing of the armistice ending World War I, the program will explore the effects of the Great War on Lewes, Del. Reservations must be made no later than Nov. 9, 2018.

Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018
Lecture by Wayne Kirklin. Program on the history of lightships and of Lewes’ own Lightship Overfalls presented by author, instructor and Lightship Overfalls guide Wayne Kirklin. Reservations must be made no later than Dec. 7, 2018.

Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019
Lecture by archaeologist Dan Griffith. Program on Avery’s Rest, a 17th-century archaeological site near Rehoboth Beach presented by Dan Griffith of Griffith Archaeology and retired director of the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs. Reservations must be made no later than Jan. 11, 2019.

Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019
“Revolutionary Drinks on the Delaware.” Lecture by Marcos Salaverria, director of education for the Lewes Historical Society, who will explore the consumption of chocolate, tea and coffee in Delaware during the 18th century. Reservations must be made no later than Feb. 8, 2019.

Saturday, March 9, 2019
Program TBD. Reservations must be made no later than March 8, 2019.

Saturday, April 6, 2019
Lecture on the bombardment of Lewes. Program by Chuck Fithian, retired curator of archaeology for the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs and current instructor and lecturer at Washington College, on the War of 1812 and the bombardment of Lewes in 1813. Reservations must be made no later than April 5, 2019.

The Zwaanendael Museum is administered by the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, an agency of the State of Delaware. The division enhances Delaware’s quality of life by preserving the state’s unique historical heritage, fostering community stability and economic vitality and providing educational programs and assistance to the general public on Delaware history and heritage. The division’s diverse array of services includes operation of five museums which are accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, administration of the State Historic Preservation Office, conservation of the state’s archaeological and historic-objects collections, operation of a conference center and management of historic properties across the state. Primary funding for division programs and services is provided by annual appropriations from the Delaware General Assembly and grants from the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, a federal agency. However, the contents and opinions expressed in the division’s programs and services do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Department of the Interior.

-End-

Contact:
Jim Yurasek
Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs
Phone: 302-739-7787
E-mail: Jim.Yurasek@delaware.gov
Web: http://history.delaware.gov

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