“An Illegal Activity: The Underground Railroad in Delaware” exhibit to close on Dec. 7, 2014

(Dover, Del.—Nov. 13, 2014)—Sunday, Dec. 7, 2014 marks the last chance for visitors to enjoy the exhibit “An Illegal Activity: The Underground Railroad in Delaware.” The exhibit, on display at the First State Heritage Park Welcome Center and Galleries, located at 121 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Dover, Del., has been open since Oct. 16, 2013. Operating hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Sunday, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free. For additional information, call 302-744-5055.

Underground Railroad conductor Samuel D. Burris.
Underground Railroad conductor Samuel D. Burris.

Planned and created by the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs in partnership with the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway Management Organization and the Underground Railroad Coalition of Delaware, the exhibit explores the First State’s role in the pre-Civil War network of secret routes and safe houses used by black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. Focusing on two Delawareans who played important roles in this illegal and clandestine enterprise—Samuel D. Burris and Thomas Garrett—the exhibit explores the actions of a number of brave people who made principled decisions to follow their consciences rather than what they viewed as the unjust laws of the state and nation.

About Samuel D. Burris …
Born on Oct. 16, 1813 in the Willow Grove area near Dover, Del., Samuel D. Burris was the educated son of George Burris, a free-black man. As a conductor on the Underground Railroad, Samuel D. Burris is known to have successfully led several enslaved people from Maryland and Delaware to freedom. After an 1847 attempt to bring a young woman, Maria Matthews, out of Kent County, Del. to Pennsylvania, Burris was found guilty of aiding in the escape of a slave and was fined, sentenced to prison and thereafter sentenced to be sold into slavery. After being “purchased” for $500 by Wilmington abolitionist, Isaac S. Flint, he was taken to Philadelphia where he was reunited with his wife, children and friends. He continued to work for the abolitionist cause until his death in San Francisco in 1863.

About Thomas Garrett …
Thomas Garrett was born on Aug. 21, 1789 to a prominent Quaker family in Upper Darby, Pa. After moving to Wilmington, Del. where he was an iron merchant, Garrett operated as the stationmaster on the last stop of the Underground Railroad in Delaware, collaborating with a number of noted conductors including Harriet Tubman and Samuel D. Burris. He is credited with helping over 2,500 fugitive slaves escape to freedom. In 1848, Garrett was tried in Federal District Court meeting at the New Castle Court House under the jurisdiction of United States Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger B. Taney. After being convicted of trespass and debt for aiding and abetting in the escape of runaway-slaves, Garrett was fined several thousand dollars resulting in his financial ruin. Nonetheless, he continued to work for the abolitionist cause. He died in Wilmington in 1871.

Thomas Garrett
Thomas Garrett

 

 


“Two Civil War Soldiers”: Historical play to be presented at New Castle, Del.’s Arsenal on Nov. 19 and 30, 2014

(DOVER, Del.—Nov. 10, 2014)—American history will be brought to life during “Two Civil War Soldiers,” a play that will be staged during the month of November 2014 at the Arsenal, located at 30 Market St., in New Castle, Del. Sponsored by the New Castle Court House Museum, performances will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 19, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 30 at 2 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public but reservations are required by calling 302-323-4453.

Written by Delaware history buffs George McDowell and David Price of Newark, and Jack Witzman of Wilmington, “Two Civil War Soldiers,” is based on factual information about two Confederate soldiers and their experiences after being captured at the Battle of Gettysburg and their subsequent imprisonment at Fort Delaware, a coastal-defense fortress on Pea Patch Island in the Delaware River that housed thousands of Confederate prisoners of war during the American Civil War.

Part of the New Castle National Historic Landmark District, the Arsenal was originally constructed in 1809 as a one-story windowless building used by the United States government as a storage place for weapons and ammunition. Transferred to the Trustees of the New Castle Common in the mid-1800s, the building was enlarged to two stories in 1855 for use as a school. It served as the New Castle High School until 1930 and was later used for offices and a restaurant. The Arsenal is owned by the state of Delaware and administered by the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs which leases it to the New Castle Historical Society for use as that organization’s headquarters.

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Contact:
Jim Yurasek
Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs
Phone: 302-736-7413
E-mail: Jim.Yurasek@delaware.gov
Web: http://history.delaware.gov


John Dickinson’s birthday, candle-making and holiday crafts to be featured at Dover, Del.’s John Dickinson Plantation in November 2014

(DOVER, Del.—Nov. 7, 2014)—During the upcoming weeks in November, Dover, Del.’s John Dickinson Plantation will present five special programs that explore different aspects of everyday life as it would have been lived during the 18th century when John Dickinson was in residence at the property. Admission is free. For additional information, call 302-739-3277.

Highlights include John Dickinson’s Birthday Month celebrations on Thursdays, Nov. 13 and 20 during which visitors will have an opportunity to assist in the making of a great cake decorated with royal icing and shaped marzipan.

On Saturday, Nov. 15, the site will present two candle-making activities. The first, held in partnership with the St. Jones Reserve, will present a bayberry-candle workshop from 10 a.m.–Noon. Reservations for this workshop are required by calling the St. Jones Reserve at 302-739-3436. Between 1 and 3 p.m., the plantation will present “Light Me Up!,” a workshop on candle dipping and discussion of lighting devices of the 18th century. Reservations for this program are required by calling 302-739-3277 no later than Nov. 14.

Finally, on Saturday, Nov. 29, the plantation will present Handmade for the Holidays,a seasonal program in which visitors can learn to create and decorate cards through the art of paper quilling and stenciling, and write a personal note with a quill pen.

The John Dickinson Plantation was the boyhood home and country estate of John Dickinson, one of thefounding fathers of the United States, signer of the U.S. Constitution and “Penman of the Revolution.” The plantation features Dickinson’s original 1740 brick home, reconstructed farm buildings and a log’d dwelling, surrounded by rich agricultural lands stretching down to the banks of the St. Jones River.

Following is a schedule of plantation events through December 2014. All programs take place at the John Dickinson Plantation, 340 Kitts Hummock Road, Dover, Del. The property is open Wednesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Times for special programs are indicated. Admission is free for all events listed. For additional information, call 302-739-3277.

John Dickinson Plantation special events through December 2014

Ongoing
Simple Machines.”Exhibit demonstrating the six “simple machines”—incline ramp, screw, wedge, pulley, lever and wheel —that constitute the elementary building blocks of which all complicated machines are composed.

Thursdays, Nov. 13 and 20, 2014
John Dickinson’s Birthday Month. Visitors celebrate the birth of John Dickinson by helping to make a great cake and decorate it using royal icing and shaped marzipan. 11 a.m.–2:30 p.m.

Saturdays, Nov. 8 and Dec. 13, 2014
Demonstrations by the Thistledown Fiber Arts Guild. Program explores spinning, weaving, knitting and other fabric arts. 1–3 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 15, 2014
Candle-making workshops. Bayberry-candle workshop from 10 a.m.–noon examines bayberries and their use in creating bayberry candles. Presented in partnership with the St. Jones Reserve. Reservations required by calling the St. Jones Reserve at 302-739-3436. “Light Me Up!” workshop on candle dipping and discussion of lighting devices of the 18th century from 1–3 p.m. Reservations required by calling 302-739-3277 no later than Nov. 14.

Saturday, Nov. 29, 2014
“Handmade for the Holidays.” Seasonal program in which visitors can learn to create and decorate cards through the art of paper quilling and stenciling, and write a personal note with a quill pen. 11–2:30 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 6, 2014
“Handmade for the Holidays.” Seasonal program in which visitors can create a sachet with herbs and spices. 11–2:30 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 20, 2014
“Handmade for the Holidays.” Seasonal program in which visitors can create a plaster ornament. 11–2:30 p.m.

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Contact:
Jim Yurasek
Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs
Phone: 302-736-7413
E-mail: Jim.Yurasek@delaware.gov
Web: http://history.delaware.gov


Statement by Governor Markell on Retirement of Supreme Court Justice Henry duPont Ridgely

Wilmington, DE – Governor Markell today announced he has received formal written notice from the Honorable Henry duPont Ridgely, Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court, of Justice Ridgely’s intention to retire from the Supreme Court effective January 31, 2015. In connection with that notice, Governor Markell issued the following statement:
“For three decades, Justice Ridgely has served the State of Delaware with distinction as a member of the finest judiciary in the nation. In addition to his firm commitment to justice, Justice Ridgely was intently focused on the continual improvement of the judicial system, as well as ensuring equality and fairness within the criminal justice system. Justice Ridgely’s impact is far-reaching and his presence as a member of Delaware’s highest court will be missed. I thank him for his service to the State of Delaware and wish him all the best as he moves toward retirement.”
Justice Ridgley served as general jurisdiction trial judge on the Superior Court from 1984 until his appointment as a Justice of the Supreme Court in 2004. From 1990 until 2004, he served as President Judge of the Superior Court. Before being appointed to the bench, he was a partner in the firm of Ridgely and Ridgely in Dover. A graduate of Syracuse University (B.A.), The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law (J.D.), and the George Washington University Law School, Justice Ridgely currently serves as an Adjunct Professor at the George Washington University Law School. Among numerous other accolades, Justice Ridgely is a two-time recipient of the Chief Justice of Delaware’s Award for Outstanding Judicial Service.
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Governor’s Weekly Message Transcript – Strengthening Economic Opportunities for our Veterans

Across Delaware and across the country, the coming Veterans Day provides a special opportunity for parades, recognition ceremonies, and other celebrations. As Commander in Chief of the state’s National Guard, I feel an incredible sense of pride at this time – thinking about the thousands of military men and women who have represented Delaware, both abroad and in domestic emergencies. But we can be particularly proud as a state because our appreciation for veterans reaches far beyond national holidays.

Past and present service members were hit especially hard by the recent recession. Thanks to a concerted effort by our business community with support from government agencies, our veterans’ economic opportunities have improved. The unemployment rate for our most recent returning veterans plummeted from 13 to six and a half percent over a couple of years. And working together we have identified unnecessary obstacles that service members and veterans, and their families face in transitioning to the civilian world.

Earlier this year we removed another one of those obstacles by allowing military education, training and experience to count when issuing professional licenses. Previously, when medical personnel like Deshawn Jenkins returned from treating members of our armed forces overseas and wanted to pursue the same line of work in Delaware, they were required to complete an entire new educational program because their military training didn’t help them qualify for a nursing license. Now we’ve corrected Delaware’s licensing system so veterans can compete for jobs on a fair playing field.

Even as we recognize our state’s progress, we can’t declare victory. As long as one veteran isn’t getting a fair shot, we have more to do. This Veterans Day, let’s recommit to giving them the opportunities they’ve earned. That will keep Delaware moving forward.