-Listing of museum events through May 2015 also included-

(DOVER, Del.—Jan. 5, 2015)—On Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015 at 2 p.m., the Zwaanendael Museum, located at 102 Kings Highway in Lewes, Del., will present a lecture on the salvage of His Majesty’s Sloop DeBraak presented by Claudia Leister, executive director of the Milford Museum. The program is the 1980s chapter of “Delaware Decades,” an eight-part series of lectures exploring successive decades in Delaware’s history from the 1930s to the 2000s. Admission to the event is free and open to the public but, due to space restrictions, reservations are required by calling the museum at 302-645-1148 no later than Jan. 16, 2015.

DeBraak was a British sloop of war that was escorting and protecting a convoy of British and American merchant ships en route to the United States when it was capsized and lost off the Delaware coast on May 25, 1798. The ship was raised, and badly damaged, during a commercial salvage operation in 1986. The remaining section of the ship’s hull and associated artifact collection have been curated by the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs since they were acquired by state of Delaware in 1992.

Claudia Leister has served as executive director of the Milford Museum since retiring as the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ curator of collections management in June 2011. She began her 34-year career with the division in March 1977 as a volunteer at the Island Field Museum. The following month, she was hired as a casual/seasonal supervisor for a summer archaeological team followed by work as an archaeological assistant. In 1980, she began full-time employment as the division’s registrar (later renamed curator of registration, then curator of collections management). Beginning in 1986, she was deeply involved in the processing, cataloging and curating of artifacts from the DeBraak shipwreck. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in archaeology/anthropology from Michigan State University, and a master’s degree in history from the University of Delaware.

The Zwaanendael Museum was built in 1931 to commemorate 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. 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, the Netherlands, and features a stepped-facade gable with carved stonework and decorated shutters.

Following is a schedule of Zwaanendael-Museum-sponsored events through May 2015. Unless otherwise noted, all programs take place at the Zwaanendael Museum located at 102 Kings Highway in Lewes, Del. Museum hours from Nov. 1 to March 31 are Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. From April 1 to Oct. 31, museum hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; and Sunday, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free for all events listed. For additional information, call 302-645-1148.

Zwaanendael Museum exhibits and displays
Note: Recent program changes are highlighted in brown.

Ongoing
“Delaware and the War of 1812.” Exhibit examines the service and sacrifice of Delawareans of 1812 to 1815, and the important role that the state played in a conflict that helped shaped the development of the United States.

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.

Thru April 12, 2015 Ongoing
“Simple Pleasures: Play and Dance.” Display of original Edwardian and roaring-20s fashions that reflect the spirit of the liberated “modern” woman as depicted in the “Downton Abbey” television series. From the collections of the state of Delaware. Note change in closing date.

Zwaanendael Museum upcoming special events
Note: Recent program changes are highlighted in brown.

Saturday, Jan. 17, 2015
“Delaware’s Decades—the 1980s: ‘Salvage of His Majesty’s Sloop DeBraak.’ ” Lecture by Claudia Leister, executive director of the Milford Museum. Part six of an eight-part series exploring decades in Delaware’s history.2 p.m. Free admission but, due to space restrictions, reservations are required by calling 302-645-1148 no later than Jan. 5 16, 2015. Note change in reservations deadline.

Saturday, Feb. 14, 2015
“Delaware’s Decades—the 1990s.” Program description TBA. Don Voltz, executive director of the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame, will discuss the planning and creation of the museum and its inductees. Part seven of an eight-part series exploring decades in Delaware’s history. 2 p.m. Free admission but, due to space restrictions, reservations are required by calling 302-645-1148 no later than Feb.2, 2015. Note updated program information.

Saturday, March 14, 2015
Delaware’s Decades—the 2000s. Lecture by Bill Ayrey, lab manager and company historian from ILC Dover, who will discuss the future of space travel and space suits from the early 2000s to the present. Eighth and final installment of a series exploring decades in Delaware’s history. 2 p.m. Free admission but, due to space restrictions, reservations are required by calling 302-645-1148 no later than March 2, 2015.

Thursday–Saturday, April 9–11, 2015
Lewes Tulip Celebration. City-wide series of activities celebrating Lewes’ Dutch heritage including Dutch games, crafts and a display of Delftware ceramics at the Zwaanendael Museum. Sponsored by the Lewes Chamber of Commerce. Downtown Lewes. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. 302-645-8073.

Saturday, April 18, 2015
Dutch-American Friendship Day. Discover Delaware’s Dutch roots and learn how that connection is alive today.10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 25, 2015
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. 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 23, 2015
Fourth Annual Zwaanendael Maritime Festival: “A Sailor’s Life for Me.” Maritime-themed activities, games, displays by local organizations and more.10 a.m.–3 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

-Activities originate at Lewes, Del.’s Zwaanendael Museum. Open dates run through Sept. 29, 2014-

A limited number of tickets are still available for the Lewes, Del. based lecture/tours of the 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 was capsized and lost off the Delaware coast on May 25, 1798. The program is a 2014 recipient of a Leadership in History Award, the American Association for State and Local History’s most prestigious recognition for achievement in the preservation and interpretation of state and local history. Remaining lecture/tours, which are limited to 12 visitors per program, will take place at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on the following Mondays during 2014: Aug. 4, 11, 18 and 25; and Sept. 15, 22 and 29. (No program on Sept. 1.)

Conducted by historical interpreters from the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, activities begin at the Zwaanendael Museum, located at 102 Kings Highway in Lewes, Del., where a lecture on the ship will be presented in conjunction with the exhibit, “A Seaborne Citizenry: The DeBraak and Its Atlantic World.” The exhibit tells the story of the vessel, its crew and the historical context within which it operated in the late 18th century. Ticket holders will then be transported, via van, to the DeBraak hull facility in nearby Cape Henlopen State Park for a tour of the surviving section of the ship’s hull.

Nonrefundable tickets for the lecture/tours are $10 per person (restricted to persons aged 10 and above) and are available through the Shop Delaware website. For additional information, call 302-645-1148.

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 vessels. 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 Britannia ruled the waves and the United States was just beginning to develop its sea legs.

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 including the keel, keelson and framing elements of the lower hull, and a large section of the starboard (right) side.

 

 —“The DeBraak and Its Atlantic World” honored with Award of Merit from the American Association for State and Local History—

On June 18, 2014, the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs received notification from the American Association for State and Local History that the multi-dimensional interpretive program, “The DeBraak and Its Atlantic World,” is a recipient of the 2014 Award of Merit, a component of the association’s Leadership in History Awards program. The award will be presented to Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs representatives on Sept. 19, 2014 during the association’s annual meeting that will take place in St. Paul, Minn.

“The DeBraak and Its Atlantic World” shines a spotlight on His Majesty’s Sloop of War 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 was capsized and lost off the Delaware coast on May 25, 1798. The surviving section of the ship’s hull and its associated artifact collection have been curated by the division since they were acquired by the state of Delaware in 1992.

Held on Mondays from late spring through early fall, program activities begin at the Zwaanendael Museum, located at 102 Kings Highway in Lewes, Del., where a lecture and video on the ship are presented in conjunction with the exhibit “A Seaborne Citizenry: The DeBraak and Its Atlantic World.” The exhibit tells the story of the vessel, its crew and the historical context within which it operated in the late 18th century. Visitors are then transported, via van, to the DeBraak hull facility in nearby Cape Henlopen State Park for an interpreter-led tour of the surviving section of the ship’s hull. Remaining programs during 2014 will be held at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on July 7, 14, 21 and 28; Aug. 4, 11, 18 and 25; and Sept. 8, 15, 22 and 29. For tickets and additional information, go to the Shop Delaware website or call 302-645-1148.

The American Association for State and Local History’s Leadership in History Awards program was initiated in 1945 to establish and encourage standards of excellence in the collection, preservation and interpretation of state and local history throughout the United States. Leadership in History Awards not only honor significant achievement in the field of state and local history, but also bring public recognition of the opportunities for small and large organizations, institutions and programs to make contributions in this arena. 

The American Association for State and Local History is a not-for-profit professional organization of individuals and institutions working to preserve and promote history. From its headquarters in Nashville, Tenn., the association provides leadership, service and support for its members who preserve and interpret state and local history in order to make the past more meaningful in American society.

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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