When/Where: Thursday, June 14th @ 10:00 am. Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 26669 Patriots Way, Millsboro, DE  19966.

Please take the time to join us this year for our annual ceremony honoring ‘Old Glory.’ Our veteran organization host will be the Korean War Veterans Association, led by Commissioner Edward Johnson.

‘Old Glory”

This famous name was coined by Captain William Driver, a shipmaster of Salem, Massachusetts, in 1831. As he was leaving on one of his many voyages aboard the brig CHARLES DOGGETT – and this one would climax with the rescue of the mutineers of the BOUNTY – some friends presented him with a beautiful flag of twenty four stars. As the banner opened to the ocean breeze for the first time, he exclaimed “Old Glory!”

He retired to Nashville in 1837, taking his treasured flag from his sea days with him. By the time the Civil War erupted, most everyone in and around Nashville recognized Captain Driver’s “Old Glory.” When Tennesee seceded from the Union, Rebels were determined to destroy his flag, but repeated searches revealed no trace of the hated banner.

Then on February 25th, 1862, Union forces captured Nashville and raised the American flag over the capital. It was a rather small ensign and immediately folks began asking Captain Driver if “Old Glory” still existed. Happy to have soldiers with him this time, Captain Driver went home and began ripping at the seams of his bedcover. As the stitches holding the quilt-top to the batting unraveled, the onlookers peered inside and saw the 24-starred original “Old Glory”!

Captain Driver gently gathered up the flag and returned with the soldiers to the capitol. Though he was sixty years old, the Captain climbed up to the tower to replace the smaller banner with his beloved flag. The Sixth Ohio Regiment cheered and saluted – and later adopted the nickname “Old Glory” as their own, telling and re-telling the story of Captain Driver’s devotion to the flag we honor yet today.

Captain Driver’s grave is located in the old Nashville City Cemetery, and is one of three (3) places authorized by act of Congress where the Flag of the United States may be flown 24 hours a day.

A caption above a faded black and white picture in the book, The Stars and the Stripes, states that ” ‘Old Glory’ may no longer be opened to be photographed, and no color photograph is available.” Visible in the photo in the lower right corner of the canton is an appliqued anchor, Captain Driver’s very personal note. “Old Glory” is the most illustrious of a number of flags – both Northern and Confederate – reputed to have been similarly hidden, then later revealed as times changed. The flag was given to his granddaughter or niece and she later donated it to the Smithsonian.

http://www.usflag.org/old.glory.story.html

Deadline for consideration for the 2018 induction cycle is May 15, 2018

WILMINGTON, Del. – Governor John Carney, Delaware’s Office of Women’s Advancement & Advocacy, a division of the Delaware Department of Human Resources, and the Delaware Women’s Hall of Fame Committee are now accepting nominations for induction into the 38th Hall of Fame of Delaware Women. An awards reception to honor the 2018 inductees will take place on Thursday, September 27, 2018 at Dover Downs.

“Delaware women contribute significantly to our communities, our workforce, and our culture across the state,” said Governor Carney. “We look forward to receiving a diverse group of nominees who have made lasting impacts, and recognizing their achievements through this annual honor.”

“Delaware women do not neatly fit into one box; we represent all ethnicities, religions, and backgrounds, and I am excited to seek a pool of nominees that reflects the unique and vast diversity of women in the First State,” said Melanie Ross Levin, Director of the Office of Women’s Advancement & Advocacy.

The Hall of Fame of Delaware Women was first established in 1981 to celebrate the contributions and achievements of Delaware women. More than 100 women have been inducted into the Hall of Fame of Delaware Women.

“While the current members of the Hall of Fame of Delaware Women are all hardworking and inspiring women, I can’t help but wonder how many other impressive Delaware women there are who also deserve recognition for their contributions to our state,” said Kay Keenan, Chair of the 2018 Hall of Fame Committee. “I’m grateful for this opportunity to cast a wide net in our search for additional remarkable Delaware women, and shine a light on the many ways women have added to the legacy of the First State.”

Eligible nominees must have made an important and lasting impact on the lives of Delawareans and been born in Delaware or resided in the State for 10 years. Posthumous nominations are also accepted.

“We are fortunate that so many exemplary women call Delaware home,” said Saundra Ross Johnson, Secretary of the Delaware Department of Human Resources. “Everyone is encouraged to nominate a woman who inspires and contributes to the welfare of our community.”

Application forms are available online at de.gov/women until midnight EST on May 15, 2018.

For additional information or inquiries about the Hall of Fame, please contact the Office of Women’s Advancement & Advocacy at DelawareWomenHOF@delaware.gov or 302-577-8970.

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When/Where: Saturday, May 26th @ 10:30am – Parade Field Grounds of the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 2465 Chesapeake City Road, Bear, DE  19701.

When/Where: Wednesday, May 30th @ 10:am – War Memorial Plaza, 163 Cherry Lane, New Castle, DE  19720.

The Delaware Commission of Veterans Affairs will like to invite you to their annual Memorial Day Ceremonies honoring all our fallen military members. On May 26th, the event will be hosted by the DAV – Disabled American Veterans, led by Commissioner Paul Lardizzone at the Delaware Veterans Cemetery. On May 30th, the event will be hosted by the DNG – Delaware National Guard, led by Vice Chair Angela Showell at the War Memorial Plaza (Delaware Bridge).

(DOVER, Del.—April 23, 2018)—Beginning this spring and continuing into the summer of 2018, the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs will be conducting rehabilitation work on the exterior of the keeper’s house of the Fenwick Island Lighthouse located at the intersection of 146th St. and West Oliver Circle in Fenwick Island, Del. The lighthouse complex is managed by the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs which leases it to the New Friends of the Fenwick Island Lighthouse.

The rehabilitation project will involve the removal of modern additions, construction of a new porch and new wooden steps and landings, replacement of existing windows, repair of miscellaneous wood trim and wood-shingle siding, exterior painting, and the re-laying of the existing brick sidewalk. Future improvement plans call for the provision of access to the first floor of the building for people with disabilities, improved pedestrian circulation on the exterior, and connectivity to the lighthouse property. Once these improvements have been completed, the building will be used by the New Friends of the Fenwick Island Lighthouse to provide information about the history of the lighthouse and the role played by the light keepers in addition to providing public access to the lighthouse.

During rehabilitation of the keeper’s house, the division will work with the construction contractor and the New Friends of the Fenwick Island Lighthouse to limit inconvenience to the public, and the lighthouse itself will remain open during its posted operating hours. Residents and visitors will see the usual presence of equipment, materials and workers on site as well as the usual noises that go with construction work during daytime hours. No weekend work is anticipated.

The Fenwick Island Lighthouse was built in 1858 to protect shipping from the Fenwick sand shoals that extend several miles out from the Delaware coast. It began service in 1859 and continued in operation without interruption for nearly 120 years until Dec. 13, 1978 when it was decommissioned by the U. S. Coast Guard. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Due to a grassroots effort, ownership of the property was transferred to the State of Delaware in 1981, and the lighthouse was re-lit in 1982 as an unofficial, private aid to navigation.

The keeper’s house, the second to be built on the property, was constructed in 1882 to relieve overcrowding in the original house. It was designed in Victorian Gothic style with gable- and rafter-end decoration typical of much coastal-area government construction in the last quarter of the 19th century.

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 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.

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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

DOVER – The Delaware Forest Service has awarded $58,244 to fund 16 tree planting projects throughout the First State. Since 2007, the agency has given more than $1.7 million to cities, towns and homeowner groups to support community tree efforts that take place on public lands. Recipients provide a 50-50 cost-share match in either non-federal funds or in-kind services such as volunteer time, equipment, or donated supplies.

“These urban forestry grants are a central part of our agency’s efforts to meet our statewide program goals. Tree planting projects help to bring people together, build awareness about the importance of proper tree care in community settings, and highlight the many benefits of increasing tree canopy,” said Kesha Braunskill, Delaware Forest Service’s urban and community forestry director.

Delaware’s Urban and Community Forestry Grant Program is a competitive process open to all municipalities, community associations, and certified 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations in the State of Delaware. Funds can only be utilized on public property owned by the municipality, HOA, or nonprofit organization. Grants ranged from $500 to a maximum of $5,000 in two project categories: tree planting or tree management. Applications were limited to one project in one category and were judged on a competitive basis by the grant committee of the Delaware Community Forestry Council. Eligible projects must be performed on public lands within the community. Priority was given to first time applicants, Tree Friendly Communities, and applicants that have passed an Urban Tree Canopy Goal Resolution (only applies to Municipalities).

2018 Delaware Urban and Community Forestry Grants

For more information, contact Kesha Braunskill, kesha.braunskill@delaware.gov or 302-698-4578.

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