Tag: children - State of Delaware News

(DOVER, Del.—June 19, 2019)—During the month of July 2019, the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs will be sponsoring 11 special programs at sites across the state. A full schedule is included below. Except where noted, all programs are free and open to the public.

Old State House historical interpreters, dressed in period clothing, will recite the Declaration of Independence near the spot where the document was first read to the citizens of Dover in 1776.

Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs special events, July 2019

Tuesday, July 2, 2019
“Campfire at the John Dickinson Plantation.” Join staff around the campfire and play a game of Jeopardy based on the St. Jones Reserve and John Dickinson. Presented in partnership with the St. Jones Reserve. John Dickinson Plantation, 340 Kitts Hummock Road, Dover. 7 p.m. Admission free but reservations required by calling the St. Jones Reserve at 302-739-6377 or by e-mailing margaret.pletta@delaware.gov.

Thursday, July 4, 2019
Independence Day. All museums of the State of Delaware will be open: The Johnson Victrola Museum, open 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; The Old State House, open 9 a.m.–6 p.m.; the John Dickinson Plantation, New Castle Court House Museum and the Zwaanendael Museum, open 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-744-5054.

Thursday, July 4, 2019
“Stars and Stripes.” In celebration of Independence Day, guided tours explore recordings of patriotic music by John Philip Sousa and other Victor artists accompanied by 78-rpm records played on authentic Victor Talking Machines. Johnson Victrola Museum, 375 S. New St., Dover. 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-739-3262.

The music of John Philip Sousa will be among the patriotic recordings featured at the Johnson Victrola Museum on July 4 and 6, 2019.

Thursday, July 4, 2019
“Independence Day.” Tour Delaware’s historic 1791 capitol building. At 2 and 4 p.m., the building’s bell will ring in celebration of the nation’s birthday, followed immediately by site interpreters, dressed in period clothing, who will recite the Declaration of Independence near the spot where the document was first read to the citizens of Dover in 1776. The Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover. Museum open 9 a.m.–6 p.m. 302-744-5054.

Saturday, July 6, 2019
“Independence Day.” Tour Delaware’s historic 1791 capitol building. First Saturday in the First State program. The Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover. Museum open 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-744-5054.

Saturday, July 6, 2019
“Stars and Stripes.” Guided tours explore recordings of patriotic music by John Philip Sousa and other Victor artists accompanied by 78-rpm records played on authentic Victor Talking Machines. First Saturday in the First State program. Johnson Victrola Museum, 375 S. New St., Dover. 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-739-3262.

Thursdays, July 11, 18 and 25, 2019
“Lost Off Lewes: The British Warship DeBraak.” Special tour explores the history, artifacts and surviving hull section of this 18th-century shipwreck. Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway, Lewes. 9 a.m. Limited seating. Admission $10 (cash or check only). For reservations, e-mail hca_zmevents@state.de.us or call 302-645-1148.

Artistic rendition of the capsizing of the DeBraak by Peggy Kane, 1990. — Artistic rendition of the capsizing of the DeBraak by Peggy Kane, 1990

Saturday, July 20, 2019
“History of the Negro Baseball Leagues.” Living-history interpreter Ron Whittington portrays Hall of Famer William “Judy” Johnson in a program that explores the history of the Negro Baseball Leagues prior to Jackie Robinson’s breaking of the color barrier in the major leagues. New Castle Court House Museum, 211 Delaware St. New Castle. Program at 1 p.m. Museum open 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Free admission but reservations are requested by calling the museum at 302-323-4453.

Ron Whittington will portray baseball Hall-of-Famer William “Judy” Johnson in the “History of the Negro Baseball Leagues” program on July 20, 2019.

Wednesday, July 24, 2019
Delaware State Review Board for Historic Preservation meeting. Agenda TBA. The Delaware Room, Delaware Public Archives, 121 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Dover. 10 a.m.–Noon. 302-736-7417.

Saturday, July 27, 2019
“Lost Off Lewes: The British Warship DeBraak.” Special tour explores the history, artifacts and surviving hull section of this 18th-century shipwreck. Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway, Lewes. 5 p.m. Limited seating. Admission $10 (cash or check only). For reservations, e-mail hca_zmevents@state.de.us or call 302-645-1148.

Exhibits and displays, June 2019
In addition to special programming, the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs is sponsoring the following exhibits and displays. Admission is free and open to the public:

Ongoing
“Delaware Railroads: Elegant Travel and Timely Transport.” Exhibit explores the history of rail travel and transport in the First State emphasizing the New Castle and Frenchtown Railroad (1832), the Delaware Railroad (1852), the Junction and Breakwater Railroad (1857) and the Queen Anne’s Railroad (1896). Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway, Lewes. Nov. 1–March 31: Wed.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. April 1–Oct. 31: Tue.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; Sun., 1:30–4:30 p.m. 302-645-1148.

Ongoing
“Drawing America to Victory: The Persuasive Power of the Arts in World War I.” Online exhibit revolves around 27 World War I posters from the collections of the State of Delaware.

Ongoing
“Five Stories.” Display explores the varied lives of people who lived on the plantation including Dickinson family members, tenant farmers, tradesmen, free blacks, indentured servants and enslaved individuals. John Dickinson Plantation Welcome Center, 340 Kitts Hummock Road, Dover. Oct. 1–March 31: Tue.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. April 1–Sept. 30: Tue.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; Sun., 1:30–4:30 p.m. 302-739-3277.

Ongoing
“Letters From a Farmer in Pennsylvania.” Online exhibit explores the life of Founding Father John Dickinson on the 250th anniversary of the publication of his essays that described Colonial American grievances with the British government.

Ongoing
“New Castle: Three Forts, One Community.” Exhibit examines the 17th-century struggle for control of New Castle by the Dutch, Swedes and English, and the strongholds that they built to maintain their power. New Castle Court House Museum, 211 Delaware St., New Castle. Tue.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Sun., 1:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-323-4453.

Ongoing
“The Old State House: A True Restoration 1976-2016.” Display explores preservation work that has been conducted since Delaware’s first permanent capitol building in Dover was restored to its original appearance in 1976. From the collections of the State of Delaware. The Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover. Mon.–Sat., 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Sun., 1:30–4:30 p.m. 302-744-5054.

Ongoing
“The Path to Freedom: A History of the Underground Railroad in Delaware.” Exhibit explores Delaware’s role in the clandestine network that transported American slaves to freedom including the true journey of the Hawkins family from bondage in Maryland, through Delaware, to freedom in Pennsylvania. Part II of the display explores some of the challenges faced by Black Delawareans after the Civil War, and showcases Delaware trailblazers who helped break racial and gender barriers. New Castle Court House Museum, 211 Delaware St., New Castle. Tue.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Sun., 1:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m. Free admission. 302-323-4453.

Ongoing
Sculpture by Charles Parks. Display of works by the noted Wilmington artist featuring historical and political figures including a Minute Man, and presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and George W. Bush. New Castle Court House Museum, 211 Delaware St., New Castle. Tue.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Sun., 1:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-323-4453.

Ongoing
“A Seaborne Citizenry: The DeBraak and Its Atlantic World.” Exhibit utilizes artifacts recovered from His Majesty’s Sloop of War DeBraak, a British warship that sank off the Delaware coast on May 25, 1798, to tell the story of the vessel, its crew and the historical context within which it operated in the Atlantic World of the late 18th century. Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway, Lewes. April 1–Oct. 31: Tue.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; Sun., 1:30–4:30 p.m. Nov. 1–March 31: Wed.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-645-1148.

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 many more-complicated machines are composed. John Dickinson Plantation, 340 Kitts Hummock Road, Dover. Oct. 1–March 31: Tue.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. April 1–Sept. 30: Tue.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; Sun., 1:30–4:30 p.m. 302-739-3277.

Ongoing
“When Janie Comes Marching Home: Women’s Fight to Serve.” Display explores the participation of women in America’s armed conflicts from the Revolutionary War to the present, and their fight to be allowed to serve their country during wartime. Legislative Hall, 411 Legislative Ave., Dover. Limited visitation hours; call 302-739-9194 before planning a visit.

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, school programs and hands-on activities, 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 comprehensive, 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 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

-STARTING JUNE 13, 2019-

(DOVER, Del.—June 6, 2019)—Beginning on June 13, 2019 and continuing through Sept. 26, 2019, the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs will offer informational tours of the surviving hull of His Majesty’s Sloop DeBraak, a British warship that was escorting and protecting a convoy of British and American merchant ships en route to the United States when it capsized and was lost off the Delaware coast on May 25, 1798.

Tours begin at the Zwaanendael Museum, located at 102 Kings Highway in Lewes, Del., where visitors will take part in a lecture on the ship’s history, its role in the Royal Navy and what life was like on board. Visitors will also be able to connect the information with the museum’s exhibit “A Seaborne Citizenry: The DeBraak and Its Atlantic World,” which includes a variety of recovered artifacts, firsthand information, photographs and more. Participants will learn about global trade and war, marines and sailors, prize ships and why a British warship was in Lewes long after the Revolutionary War, how it sank and what was kept buried with it for almost 200 years. The remains of the DeBraak brought together salvagers, archaeologists and historians who finally solved her longtime mystery. Attendees will then be transported, via van, to the DeBraak conservation facility at Cape Henlopen State Park for an interpretive viewing of the hull, a section from stem to stern which includes a view of the keel and the copper sheathing that lined the ship. Each tour lasts approximately two hours.

Lecture/tours will take place on the following Thursday mornings at 9 a.m.: June 13, 20 and 27; July 11, 18 and 25; Aug. 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29; and Sept. 5, 12, 19 and 26. (Note: Tours will not be held on Thursday, July 4.) Lecture/tours will also be offered on the following selected Saturday evenings at 5 p.m.: June 29, July 27 and Aug. 31. Tickets are available at the Zwaanendael Museum. Admission is $10 per person (cash or check only). For reservations, e-mail hca_zmevents@delaware.gov or call 302-645-1148. Tours are restricted to individuals age 10 and up with space limited to 12 participants per tour. Walk-ups are welcome but space is not guaranteed. Special tours, for groups of 10 to 15, may be arranged in advance by contacting the museum.

Significance of DeBraak …
During the late-18th and early-19th centuries, sloops of war such as DeBraak played an increasingly important role in Royal Navy campaigns. These relatively small vessels combined speed, agility, shallow draft and increased firepower, all of which made them formidable naval warships. As the only Royal Navy sloop of war from this time period that has been recovered anywhere in the world, DeBraak serves as an invaluable historical resource for a time when Great Britain was the world’s preeminent naval power. The artifacts and hull have given archeologists a view of the innovative technologies being used in not only shipbuilding but ship functions, as well as fashion trends, war techniques, crew diversity and hierarchy and much more.

The surviving section of the DeBraak’s hull and its associated artifact collection have been curated by the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs since they were acquired by the State of Delaware in 1992. Approximately one-third of the hull survives and is being preserved including the keel, keelson and lower framing elements, as well as a large section of the starboard (right) side. The Lost Off Lewes summer lecture/tours are an excellent way to see and experience some of Delaware’s most important maritime history, a history that continues to grow and excite visitors from across the country.

About the Zwaanendael Museum …
Built in 1931, the Zwaanendael Museum commemorated 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. It continues to celebrate the town and state’s Dutch heritage as well as other local history. 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, 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.

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.

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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

Districts, charter schools and community partners across the state are providing free meals to children in their communities so they don’t go hungry while school is out.

The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), a federally funded program operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and managed locally by the Delaware Department of Education, targets children in low-income areas so they have healthy meals during the summer. Meals are provided in communities in areas where children gather. No registration or proof of eligibility is required at open meal sites. Any child 18 and under who comes is fed.

In Summer 2018, 760,029 meals and snacks were served at 329 sites throughout the state.

“We know many children rely on the meals they receive in school and still have those food needs during summer break,” Secretary of Education Susan Bunting said. “With the partnership of our districts, charter schools and community organizations, this program gives children access to nutritious food during the summer in their own communities.”

To find a Summer Food Service Program location in your community and its dates of operation, call 211 or visit https://www.fns.usda.gov/summerfoodrocks.

If you are interested in being a summer meal site, contact the Delaware Department of Education Nutrition Programs Office at (302) 857-3356.

Note to the media: You are invited to cover any of the following kickoff events:

• 11 a.m., Friday, June 14, Seaford Library, 600 N. Market St. Extension, Seaford
• 11:30 a.m., Wednesday, June 19, Eisenberg Elementary School, 27 Landers Lane, New Castle
• 10:30 a.m., Thursday, June 20, Greater Dover Boys & Girls Club, 1683 New Burton Road, Dover

Media Contact: Alison May, alison.may@doe.k12.de.us, 302-735-4006

(DOVER, Del.—May 30, 2019)—On Sunday, June 9, 2019, the New Castle Court House Museum, located at 211 Delaware St. in New Castle, Del., will present “Separation—Freedom for Delaware,” a series of programs held in conjunction with New Castle’s Separation Day celebrations. Now marking its 243rd anniversary, Separation Day commemorates June 15, 1776, the date when the Delaware Assembly, meeting in this same New Castle Court House, passed a resolution of separation from both Pennsylvania and Great Britain, creating the Delaware State.

“Separation—Freedom for Delaware” activities will include demonstrations by the First Delaware Regiment from 1:30-4:30 p.m., and, “Caesar Rodney in his Own Words,” a historical play by museum historic-site interpreter David Price at 2 p.m. The play explores the views of the famed Delaware patriot whose ride to Philadelphia broke the tie in favor of the Declaration of Independence. Both activities will take place on the Green adjacent to the museum. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets, lawn chairs and bug spray. Admission is free for both of these museum-sponsored events, as well as tours of the New Castle Court House Museum. Admission is charged for other Separation Day activities. For additional information, call 302-323-4453.

Constructed in 1732, the New Castle Court House is one of the oldest active court buildings in the United States and was Delaware’s first state capitol. During its nearly 300 years of history, this National Historic Landmark has played pivotal roles in the political, social and commercial life of both New Castle and Delaware. The museum is a partner site in the First State National Historical Park.

The New Castle Court House Museum is administered by the Delaware 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. 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, Del.—May 20, 2019)—During the month of June 2019, the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs will be sponsoring nine special programs at sites across the state. 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 events, June 2019

Saturday, June 1, 2019
“Black Music Month Celebration.” In recognition of African-American Music Appreciation Month, guided tours will highlight the contributions African-American artists made to music around the world, accompanied by 78-rpm recordings played on authentic Victor Talking Machines. First Saturday in the First State program. Johnson Victrola Museum, 375 S. New St., Dover. 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-739-3262.

Saturday, June 1, 2019
“Play That Old-Time Country Music.” Program explores Victor Records’ early recordings of country music, accompanied by 78-rpm records played on authentic Victor Talking Machines. First Saturday in the First State program. The Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover. Program at 1 p.m. Museum open 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Free admission but, due to space restrictions, reservations are required by calling 302-744-5054.

Sunday, June 9, 2019
“Separation—Freedom for Delaware.” As part of the Separation Day celebration marking the 242nd anniversary of Delaware’s split from Great Britain and Pennsylvania to form the Delaware State, the New Castle Court House Museum, 211 Delaware St., will offer activities and demonstrations by the First Delaware Regiment from 1:30-4:30 p.m., and “Caesar Rodney in his Own Words,” a historical play by museum historic-site interpreter David Price at 2 p.m. Both activities will take place on the Green adjacent to the museum. Admission free for museum events. 302-323-4453.

Thursdays, June 13, 20 and 27, 2019
“Lost Off Lewes: The British Warship DeBraak.” Special tour explores the history, artifacts and surviving hull section of this 18th-century shipwreck. Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway, Lewes. 9 a.m. Limited seating. Admission $10 (cash or check only). For reservations, e-mail hca_zmevents@state.de.us or call 302-645-1148.

Wednesday, June 26, 2019
Historic preservation symposium. Daylong series of programs exploring National Register nominations, disaster preparedness, and issues regarding the elevation of historic properties. The Delaware Room, Delaware Public Archives, 121 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Dover. 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Free admission but, due to space restrictions, reservations are required by calling 302-736-7400 no later than June 19, 2019.

Saturday, June 29, 2019
“Lost Off Lewes: The British Warship DeBraak.” Special tour explores the history, artifacts and surviving hull section of this 18th-century shipwreck. Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway, Lewes. 5 p.m. Limited seating. Admission $10 (cash or check only). For reservations, e-mail hca_zmevents@state.de.us or call 302-645-1148.

Saturday, June 29, 2019
Wilmington Pirate Festival. Event includes pirate-themed ship tours, demonstrations, games, crafts, live music, face painting, food and beverages. Kalmar Nyckel Shipyard and Fort Christina National Historic Landmark, 1110 E. Seventh St., Wilmington. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. 302-429-7447.