New lobby exhibit celebrates “things that aren’t there anymore”

Do you remember rocking at the Stone Balloon; enjoying a muskrat meal at The Wagon Wheel; or having a shopping spree at Wanamaker’s?  If you don’t the Delaware Public Archives does.
Starting in April 2024, the DPA will kick off a celebration and remembrance of things that aren’t there anymore with a new exhibit in their Lobby Galleries, “Memory Lane”.

The exhibit contains 75 rare newly digital and restored photos of things, events, and places in The First State that no longer exist including beloved businesses, restaurants, theaters, festivals, and parks. Visitors to the Lobby Galleries at the Archives can view a five-minute informative video, read additional interesting historical facts, and receive a free 16-page full-color booklet packed with photos and First State trivia.

“This new exhibit shares images of things like Gino’s Hamburgers, S & H Green Stamps, Wilmington Dry Goods, and the Delaware landmark, The Dinner Bell Inn,” said Stephen Marz, State Archivist and Delaware Public Archives Director. “For most of us longer-term Delawareans, these may be distant memories, but with this exhibit, we hope to trigger some long-forgotten fond memories with their nostalgic look at times gone by, and to share the stories of these “local legends” with our newer residents.”

This new “Memory Lane” exhibit is based on the extremely popular Delaware Public Archives social media feature of the same name found on the DPA’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

The Delaware Public Archives is located at 121 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Dover, DE 19901, and is open from 8:30 am – 4:30 pm.

To view/download a copy of the booklet, click here.

Find out more about the Delaware Public Archives here.

Gov. John Carney and DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin joined WWII Veterans Ernie Marvel and Herb Faulls, U.S. Army Commander Maj. Gen. Robert Edmonson II, DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation Director Ray Bivens, Delaware Seashore Preservation Foundation Members and other state and local officials cutting the ribbon for public access to the rehabilitated World War II-era Tower 3 at Delaware Seashore State Park. Left to right in photo: Delaware Seashore Preservation Foundation President Chairman Larry Brown, Sussex County Councilman Mark Schaeffer, Delaware House of Representatives Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, Maj. Gen. Edmonson, State Senator Russell Huxtable, World War II Veteran Ernest Marvel, State Sen. Gerald Hocker, Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long, WWII Veteran Herbert Faulls, Gov. Carney, Sussex County Council President Michael Vincent, DNREC Secretary Garvin, State Rep. Ronald Gray, Dover Air Force Base Col. Jason Holcomb, and DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation Director Ray Bivens. /DNREC photo

New Access to Top of Rehabilitated Coast Defense Tower Offers Panoramic Views of Atlantic Ocean, Inland Bays

Gov. John Carney joined Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Secretary Shawn M. Garvin Wednesday to cut the ribbon on the newly-rehabilitated World War II Fire Control Tower 3 in Delaware Seashore State Park (DSSP). Visitors to Towers Beach along Route 1 in the park can now walk up the nearly 100 spiral steps to the top of Tower 3, which was built to help protect the Delaware coastline during the Second World War.

Tower 3 is one of 15 fire control towers built as part of Fort Miles, now part of Cape Henlopen State Park, during World War II. Eleven towers were constructed in Delaware while another four were across the Delaware Bay in New Jersey. While Fort Miles never had to engage enemy warships during World War II, the soldiers stationed at this tower practiced regularly to be thoroughly prepared.

“These World War II era towers are iconic landmarks of Delaware’s coastline,” said Gov. John Carney. “I’m glad that Tower 3 has been preserved so future generations can learn about Delaware’s history while enjoying our beautiful state parks. I want to thank DNREC, the Delaware Seashore Preservation Foundation, Delmarva Veterans Builders, and members of the General Assembly for making this landmark accessible to the public.”

The project highlights the DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation’s strong partnerships with volunteer groups like the Delaware Seashore Preservation Foundation (DSPF) and the Fort Miles Historical Association, local legislators and various area stakeholders, all of whom came together to bring this project to fruition.

The endeavor to open the tower to the public began more than 15 years ago when the DSPF the non-profit organization that supports Delaware Seashore State Park, launched its “Save the Tower” fundraising efforts. Donations started to take off just before being delayed by The Great Recession, and the project was delayed. The DSPF continued to raise funds to bring Tower 3 back to life and by 2019, enough money had been raised to commence construction.

“Many people have been waiting for the day they can walk to the top of Tower 3. We are honored and proud to preserve this piece of Delaware’s World War II history and excited for visitors to learn about and enjoy it,” said. DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “A trip to the tower makes a great excuse to get outside on Earth Day and enjoy views of the ocean, beach, dunes and inland bays. The wetlands visible to the south are some of the most productive ecosystems on the planet, right here in Delaware.”

The rehabilitation project cost approximately $1.7 million, of which $500,000 was raised by the DSPF from multiple sources, and with $300,000 contributed via Community Transportation Funds from all Sussex County Legislators who served during the 151st Delaware General Assembly.

Construction was led by Delmarva Veterans Builders and included installation of modern features along with restoration of the tower’s ships ladders; installation of an entry ramp and sidewalk; a metal spiral staircase to the top; lighting; a fire alarm system; replacement of windows on the bottom level; a handrail and netting system at the top of the tower for safety; and interpretive elements that will enable the public to understand the important role fire control towers played in World War II. A separate project to pave the Towers Beach parking lot and replace its bathhouse ramp was also recently completed.

Following today’s ribbon cutting, guests enjoyed an ice cream social as they waited their turn to go to the top of Tower 3. Honored guests included WWII Veterans and Delawareans Ernie Marvel and Herb Faulls; the family of the late Dr. Gary Wray, Fort Miles Historical Association co-founder; U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Robert L. Edmonson II, and William C. Grayson, author of the book “Delaware’s Ghost Towers: The Coast Artillery’s Forgotten Last Stand During the Darkest Days of World War II.”

The DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation manages more historic structures than any other entity in the state. The rehabilitation of Tower 3, a long time in the making, was a unique project to tackle, and will serve as a tourist destination for years to come. Tower 3 also is the second fire control tower the division has opened to the public in Delaware State Parks, following Tower 7, known as The Observatory, and located within Cape Henlopen State Park near Fort Miles.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation oversees more than 26,000 acres in 17 state parks and the Brandywine Zoo. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Shauna McVey, shauna.mcvey@delaware.gov or Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov.

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In this monograph, Catherine Adams Masek examines the life and times of the Adams family and the farm they’ve lived on for seven generations. In fact, the farm has been continuously operated by the same family since 1862! Including original family photographs, this is an incredible story of family and tradition, through the lens of rural Delaware.
 
The Adams Home Farm of Northwest Fork Hundred
– by Catherine A. Masek

You can view and/or download a PDF version of this book here.

Find out more about the Delaware Heritage Commission here.

Delaware’s history can be found all around us, not only in textbooks, but in the buildings and homes that we live and work in. Our state’s architecture has been influenced by several hundred years of growth, development, and cultural exchange, and many of these historic buildings are still standing in our towns and communities. George F. Bennett’s “The Perennial Apprentice” discusses Delaware’s architecture, from early settlement to the 20th century. Featuring photographs and illustrations of buildings from all over the state, this book is sure to be a hit with historians and craftsmen alike.
 
The Perennial Apprentice: 60 Year Scrapbook of Architecture, 1916 to 1976
– by George Fletcher Bennett

You can view and/or download a PDF version of this book here.

Find out more about the Delaware Heritage Commission here.

Piloting, or the navigation of ship, is one of the oldest and most important professions on the North American coast. Traversing unfamiliar shores and unforgiving waters, early American merchant ships heavily relied on skilled pilots to travel safely from port to port. Andrew Knopp’s history, “One Hundred Year History of the Pilot’s Association, Bay and River Delaware, 1896-1996”, explores the origins of the profession in Delaware and how these skills and traditions still persist today.
– by Andrew Knopp

You can view and/or download a PDF version of this book here.

Find out more about the Delaware Heritage Commission here.