-Free one-day-only affair showcases one of Delaware’s most historic estates-

(DOVER, Del. — May 4, 2022) — The natural world will be bursting with life and color during the Buena Vista spring event that will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 14, 2022 at Buena Vista: A Delaware Country Estate, located at 661 S. Dupont Highway (Route 13), southwest of New Castle, Delaware.

Activities will include outdoor children’s games, nature walks, guided tours of the grounds and mansion, and educational programs by the Sunshine Plein Air Artists and Bluebird Society. Guests are encouraged to bring picnic lunches and cameras for this one-day-only opportunity to explore one of Delaware’s most historic estates.

Admission to the event is free and open to the public but, as noted in the schedule below, reservations are required for some of the activities due to space limitations. For reservations, call 302-323-4430. For additional information, go to https://history.delaware.gov/2022/04/08/bv-spring-event-2022. In case of inclement weather, the event may be postponed to the following day, Sunday, May 15, during the same hours.

Buena Vista spring event schedule of activities

10 a.m.– 3 p.m.
Self-guided walks in the gardens and through the estate property on a paved trail; children’s games on the lawn; and craft activities including the building and painting of bluebird boxes. Guests are also invited to take photos at their leisure and to bring a picnic lunch. Free, no reservations required

10:15–11 a.m.
Guided tour of the gardens. Limited to 20 participants. Free but reservations required

10:30–11 a.m.
Guided tour of the Buena Vista mansion. Limited to 20 participants. Free but reservations required

11 a.m.–Noon
Guided tour via the paved trail that crosses Buena Vista’s agricultural fields and natural areas. Limited to 20 participants. Free but reservations required

11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Outdoor painting session led by the Sunshine Plein Air Artists. Limited to 20 participants. Free but reservations required. Art supplies provided but participants must bring their own chairs

12–1 p.m.
Lecture on bluebirds by the Bluebird Society. Free, no reservations required

1:15–2 p.m.
Guided tour of the gardens. Limited to 20 participants. Free but reservations required

1:30–2 p.m.
Guided tour of the Buena Vista mansion. Limited to 20 participants. Free but reservations required

2–3 p.m.
Guided tour via the paved trail that crosses Buena Vista’s agricultural fields and natural areas. Limited to 20 participants. Free but reservations required

2:15–3 p.m.
Outdoor painting session led by the Sunshine Plein Air Artists. Limited to 20 participants. Free but reservations required. Art supplies provided but participants must bring their own chairs

The main section of the Buena Vista mansion was built between 1845 and 1847 by John M. Clayton, United States secretary of state from 1849 to 1850 under presidents Taylor and Fillmore, and United States senator from 1829 to 1836, 1845 to 1849, and 1853 until his death in 1856. The home later became the residence of C. Douglass Buck, governor of Delaware from 1929 to 1937 and United States senator from 1942 to 1948. Buena Vista and its grounds were donated to the State by the Buck family in 1965 and now serve as a conference/event center administered by the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs.

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.

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