(DOVER, Del. — April 18, 2022) — The Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs will be sponsoring seven special events during the month of May 2022. A full schedule is included below. Except where noted, all programs are free and open to the public.

Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs special programs, May 2022

Saturday, May 7, 2022
Dover Days Festival. Celebration of Delaware history featuring historical re-enactments, parade, maypole dancing, walking tours, pet parade, arts and crafts, music and more. Events are primarily based in downtown Dover locations including the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ Johnson Victrola Museum and The Old State House. 9 a.m.–3 p.m. 302-734-4888.

Friday, May 13, 2022
RESCHEDULED — Concert by Captain Blue’s Grass Band. Acoustic/folk/rock/Americana music. Presented in partnership with the Delaware Friends of Folk. Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover. 7:30 p.m. 302-744-5054 or mailto:OSHmuseum@delaware.gov. NOTE: This concert, originally scheduled for Feb. 11, 2022, was rescheduled to May 13, 2022.

Saturday, May 14, 2022
Buena Vista spring event. Enjoy a spring day at of one of Delaware’s most historic estates completed by former U.S. Secretary of State John M. Clayton in 1847. Visitors can go for nature walks, learn about the gardens and agricultural history of the farm, enjoy educational programs by the Sunshine Plein Air Artists and Bluebird Society, and participate in outdoor children’s games. Photography and picnicking are welcome. Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ Buena Vista: A Delaware Country Estate, 661 S. Dupont Highway (Route 13), New Castle. 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Rain date: Sunday, May 15. 302-323-4430.

Saturday, May 14, 2022
Cooch’s Bridge Historic Site: Touring the homestead. Join historical interpreters for this introductory program on the history of the Cooch’s Bridge homestead. Learn about some of the individuals who lived on the property, how they shaped the land around them and how the location’s landscape contributed to national history. Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ Cooch’s Bridge Historic Site, 961 Old Baltimore Pike, Newark. Tours at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Limit 20 visitors per tour. Free admission but reservations required. NOTE: Both May 14 tours are fully booked. Reservations are now being accepted for June 11, 2022 tours by going to https://tinyurl.com/CoochHomesteadTour or mailto:coochsbridgehistoricsite@gmail.com.

Saturday, May 21, 2022
“The Wooden World Revealed.” A day of activities commemorating HMS DeBraak, a British warship that sank off the coast of Delaware on May 25, 1798. Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway, Lewes. 10 a.m.–4:15 p.m. 302-645-1148 or mailto:zmuseum@delaware.gov.

Saturday, May 21, 2022
A Day in Old New Castle. The oldest house and garden tour in the nation includes programs at the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ New Castle Court House Museum and the New Castle Green. Downtown New Castle. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Admission free at the New Castle Court House Museum. Admission charge at other venues. 302-322-5774.

Saturday, May 28, 2022
“Time Traveling Tea.” Program in which lead historical interpreter Juliette Wurm explores the time when the court house building served as a restaurant called the Old Court House Tea Room which was in operation from the 1920s until the 1950s. Complimentary tea and light refreshments provided. Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ New Castle Court House Museum, 211 Delaware St., New Castle. 11:30 a.m. Free admission but reservations required by calling 302-323-4453 or mailto:NCCHmuseum@delaware.gov.

Remaining division programs in April 2022

In addition, the division will be presenting three programs listed below during the remainder of April.

Thursday, April 21, 2022
“The Federalist Views of James A. Bayard.” Living-history theatrical performance in which lead historic-site interpreter Gavin Malone portrays Delaware’s James A. Bayard, a prominent member of the Federalist Party and one of the leading voices opposing the war, as he prepares to leave for treaty negotiations with Great Britain. Complimentary coffee and cookies provided. Part three of the four-part 2022 Coffee-Hour Lecture Series — “The War of 1812: Over Two Centuries Later.” Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover. 5 p.m. 302-744-5054 or mailto:OSHmuseum@delaware.gov.

Wednesday, April 27, 2022
King’s Day. Celebration of the birthday of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands in a program that will also explore royal titles and Delaware’s Dutch connection. Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway, Lewes. 10 a.m.–4:15 p.m. 302-645-1148 or mailto:zmuseum@delaware.gov.

Thursday, April 28, 2022
“Stories of the Dauntless Women of the War of 1812.” Lecture by historic-site interpreter Susan Emory exploring the brave women from America, England and Canada who played important roles in the war effort. Complimentary coffee and cookies provided. Final installment of the four-part 2022 Coffee-Hour Lecture Series — “The War of 1812: Over Two Centuries Later.” Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover. 5 p.m. 302-744-5054 or mailto:OSHmuseum@delaware.gov.

Administered by the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, the five museums of the State of Delaware — the John Dickinson Plantation, the Johnson Victrola Museum, the New Castle Court House Museum, The Old State House and the Zwaanendael Museum — tell the story of the First State’s contributions to the history and culture of the United States. Through tours, exhibits and special programs, the museums shine a spotlight on Delaware’s unique history and the diverse people who came to live there. The museums are accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. The New Castle Court House Museum and the John Dickinson Plantation are partner sites of the First State National Historical Park. The Old State House is located on the Dover Green, another partner site of the park. Go to the following for a long-term calendar of division-sponsored events.

The Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs is 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 public on Delaware history. The division’s diverse array of services includes operation of five 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.

Contact:
Jim Yurasek
Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs
Phone: 302-577-5170
E-mail: Jim.Yurasek@delaware.gov
Web: http://history.delaware.gov

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