(DOVER, Del.—Aug. 11, 2015)—The New Castle Court House Museum, located at 211 Delaware St. in New Castle, Del., will be presenting two history-related lectures during the months of August and September 2015. The lectures will take place at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays, Aug. 19, and Sept. 9, and are free and open to the public. For additional information, call 302-323-4453.

On Aug. 19, historian Mike Dixon will present “Crime and Time in Delaware,” a history of crime and punishment in the First State; while on Sept. 9, historian Gene Pisasale will present a program on the Marquis de Lafayette, the French general who fought in the American Revolution and participated in the Battle of Brandywine.

One of the oldest and most historic courthouses in the United States, the New Castle Court House (main section built in 1732) served as Delaware’s first court and state capitol. Here in 1776, New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties declared their independence from Pennsylvania and England creating the Delaware State. The museum features tours and exhibits that illustrate Delaware’s unique boundaries, law and government and the Underground Railroad.

In addition to the lectures, the museum is currently featuring the exhibit “Emeline Hawkins: Her Journey From Slavery to Freedom on the Underground Railroad” which chronicles the compelling story of Emeline Hawkins and her family, and their 1845 odyssey on the Underground Railroad from slavery in Maryland, through Delaware to freedom in Pennsylvania; and Sculpture by Charles Parks, a 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.

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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

(DOVER, Del.—July 16, 2015)—On Sunday, July 26, 2015 at 2 p.m., the New Castle Court House Museum, located at 211 Delaware St. in New Castle, Del., will present “Hollywood History at the Court House: ‘Shirley Temple Day in New Castle,’ ” a program that will explore child actress Shirley Temple’s July 2, 1938 visit to New Castle where she ate lunch in the Court House Tea Room. It was a banner day for the city with over 300 people coming to town to catch a glimpse of “America’s Little Sweetheart.” The program will include a screening of Temple’s 1934 film “Bright Eyes” which focuses on the relationship between a bachelor aviator and his orphaned godchild. The film features Temple performing the song “On the Good Ship Lollipop.”

Admission to the program is free and open to the public but, due to space restrictions, reservations are recommended by calling 302-323-4453. The museum will also open for visitation from 1:30–4:30 p.m.

One of the oldest and most historic courthouses in the United States, the New Castle Court House (main section built in 1732) served as Delaware’s first court and state capitol. Here in 1776, New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties declared their independence from Pennsylvania and England creating the Delaware State. The museum features tours and exhibits that illustrate Delaware’s unique boundaries, law and government and the Underground Railroad.

In addition to the “Shirley Temple Day in New Castle” program, the museum is currently featuring the exhibit “Emeline Hawkins: Her Journey From Slavery to Freedom on the Underground Railroad” which chronicles the compelling story of Emeline Hawkins and her family, and their 1845 odyssey on the Underground Railroad from slavery in Maryland, through Delaware to freedom in Pennsylvania; and Sculpture by Charles Parks, a 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.

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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

(DOVER, Del.—July 17, 2015)—The Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs will be sponsoring 10 special events during the month of August 2015 at the museums of the state of Delaware. A full schedule is included below. With the exception of DeBraak tours, all programs are free and open to the public.

Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs special events, August 2015

Saturday, Aug. 1, 2015
“The Doctor Is In.” Living-history theatrical performance by Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs historical interpreter Dennis Fisher exploring the life and times of Dr. James Sykes, an 18th to 19th-century Dover physician and statesman who served as Delaware’s governor for a short period. First Saturday in the First State program. The Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover. Programs at 1 and 3 p.m. Museum open 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-744-5054.

Saturday, Aug. 1, 2015
“Music Therapy.” Utilizing original recordings played on authentic Victor Talking Machines, the program explores the therapeutic power of music, and Victor Talking Machine Company founder E.R. Johnson’s passion for recording music and making it available for people across the world. First Saturday in the First State program. Johnson Victrola Museum, 375 S. New St., Dover. Program at 2 p.m. Museum open 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-739-3262.

Mondays, Aug. 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31, 2015
Lecture/tours of His Majesty’s Sloop DeBraak. Explore the history of the DeBraak which was capsized and lost off the Delaware coast on May 25, 1798. Program includes a trip to the hull facility in nearby Cape Henlopen State Park for a tour of the surviving section of the ship’s hull. Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway, Lewes. Programs at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Limited seating. Admission $10 by reservation only through the Shop Delaware website (go to http://shop.delaware.gov and click the “Tours” link). For additional information, call 302-645-1148.

Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015
Demonstrations by the Thistledown Fiber Arts Guild. Program explores spinning, weaving, knitting and other fabric arts. John Dickinson Plantation, 340 Kitts Hummock Road, Dover. Program 1–3 p.m. Museum open 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m. 302-739-3277.

Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015
“Caesar Rodney Meets Dr. Who.” In celebration of Dover Comic Con, this inter-active program examines what would have happened if aliens had tried to interfere with Caesar Rodney’s triumphant journey to Philadelphia to break the tie for the Declaration of Independence, and how the problem would have been solved if Dr. Who stepped in to help Rodney. The Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover. Programs at 1 and 3 p.m. Museum open 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-744-5054.

Wednesday, Aug, 19, 2015
“Crime and Time in Delaware.” Historian Mike Dixon will present a program on the history of crime and punishment in the First State. New Castle Court House Museum, 211 Delaware St., New Castle. 7 p.m. 302-323-4453.

Exhibits and displays, August 2015
In addition to special programming, the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs is sponsoring the following exhibits and displays at sites across the state:

 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. 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
“Delaware Mourns Lincoln: A Demonstration of Love and Sorrow.” Utilizing graphics, clothing and memorabilia, the display explores how Delawareans expressed their deep sorrow upon the death of President Abraham Lincoln on April 15, 1865. 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
“Discovering Delaware’s Maritime Past.” Display explores the DeBraak, a shipwrecked 18th-century British warship including a photo of the hull recovery, reproductions of items aboard ship, and a model of the vessel. Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway, Lewes. Tue.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; Sun., 1:30–4:30 p.m. from April 1–Oct. 31. Wed.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. from Nov. 1–March 31. 302-645-1148.

Ongoing
“Emeline Hawkins: Her Journey From Slavery to Freedom on the Underground Railroad.” Exhibit chronicles the compelling story of Emeline Hawkins and her family and their 1845 odyssey on the Underground Railroad from slavery in Maryland, through Delaware to freedom in Pennsylvania. New Castle Court House Museum, 211 Delaware St., New Castle. Wed.–Sat., 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Sun., 1:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-323-4453.

Ongoing
“Middletown Goes To War.” Designed by the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, the exhibit spotlights the contributions of Middletown’s veterans from the Revolutionary War to the present. Middletown Historical Society, 216 N. Broad St., Middletown. Fri., 9 a.m.–3 p.m. First Sat. of each month, 9 a.m.–Noon. Third Wed. of each month, Noon–4 p.m. Other times by appointment. 302-378-7466.

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. Mon.–Sat., 10 a.m.–3:30 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. Wed.–Sat., 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m. 302-739-3277.

Ongoing
“World War II Through the Lens of William D. Willis.” Designed by the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, the display features photographs taken in Western Europe from 1943-45. From the collections of the state of Delaware. Legislative Hall, 411 Legislative Ave., Dover. Limited visitation hours; call 302-739-9194 before planning a visit.

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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

(DOVER, Del.—June 15, 2015)—The Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs will be sponsoring 12 special events during the month of July 2015 at the museums of the state of Delaware. A full schedule is included below. With the exception of DeBraak tours, all programs are free and open to the public. For additional information, call 302-744-5055.

Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs special events, July 2015

Wednesdays, July 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29, 2015
“Watercolor Wednesdays.” Explore the hues of the John Dickinson mansion, learn about 18th-century paint colors and paint a scene. John Dickinson Plantation, 340 Kitts Hummock Road, Dover. Program 11 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Museum open 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m. 302-739-3277.

Saturday, July 4, 2015
Independence Day program. Screenings at 11 a.m., 1 and 5 p.m. of “Thunder and Rain,” a film about Caesar Rodney’s historic ride for independence. At 2 and 4 p.m., the bell of The Old State House 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 aloud from the spot where the document was first read to the citizens of Dover in 1776. First Saturday in the First State program. The Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover. Museum open 9 a.m.–6 p.m. 302-744-5055.

Saturday, July 4, 2015
“Stars and Stripes.” Guided tours explore some of Victor Records’ many recordings of patriotic music 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. 302-744-5055.

Mondays, July 6, 13, 20 and 27, 2015
Lecture/tours of His Majesty’s Sloop DeBraak. Explore the history of the DeBraak which was capsized and lost off the Delaware coast on May 25, 1798. Program includes a trip to the hull facility in nearby Cape Henlopen State Park for a tour of the surviving section of the ship’s hull. Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway, Lewes. Programs at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Limited seating. Admission $10 by reservation only through the Shop Delaware website (go to http://shop.delaware.gov and click the “Tours” link). For additional information, call 302-645-1148.

Saturday, July 11, 2015
Demonstrations by the Thistledown Fiber Arts Guild. Program explores spinning, weaving, knitting and other fabric arts. John Dickinson Plantation, 340 Kitts Hummock Road, Dover. Program 1–3 p.m. Museum open 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m. 302-739-3277.

Exhibits and displays, July 2015
In addition to special programming, the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs is sponsoring the following exhibits and displays at sites across the state:

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. 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
“Delaware Mourns Lincoln: A Demonstration of Love and Sorrow.” Utilizing graphics, clothing and memorabilia, the display explores how Delawareans expressed their deep sorrow upon the death of President Abraham Lincoln on April 15, 1865. 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. 302-744-5055.

Ongoing
“Discovering Delaware’s Maritime Past.” Display explores the DeBraak, a shipwrecked 18th-century British warship including a photo of the hull recovery, reproductions of items aboard ship, and a model of the vessel. Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway, Lewes. Tue.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; Sun., 1:30–4:30 p.m. from April 1–Oct. 31. Wed.–Sat., 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. from Nov. 1–March 31. 302-645-1148. Display opened in June, 2015.

 Ongoing
“Emeline Hawkins: Her Journey From Slavery to Freedom on the Underground Railroad.” Exhibit chronicles the compelling story of Emeline Hawkins and her family and their 1845 odyssey on the Underground Railroad from slavery in Maryland, through Delaware to freedom in Pennsylvania. New Castle Court House Museum, 211 Delaware St., New Castle. Wed.–Sat., 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Sun., 1:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m. 302-323-4453.

Ongoing
“Middletown Goes To War.” Designed by the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, the exhibit spotlights the contributions of Middletown’s veterans from the Revolutionary War to the present. Middletown Historical Society, 216 N. Broad St., Middletown. Fri., 9 a.m.–3 p.m. First Sat. of each month, 9 a.m.–Noon. Third Wed. of each month, Noon–4 p.m. Other times by appointment. 302-378-7466.

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. Mon.–Sat., 10 a.m.–3:30 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. Wed.–Sat., 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m. 302-739-3277.

Ongoing
“World War II Through the Lens of William D. Willis.” Designed by the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, the display features photographs taken in Western Europe from 1943-45. From the collections of the state of Delaware. Legislative Hall, 411 Legislative Ave., Dover. Limited visitation hours; call 302-739-9194 before planning a visit.

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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

-17th annual Chautauqua tent show to take place in Lewes, Del. from June 21–25, 2015-

(DOVER, Del.—June 12, 2015)—The First State’s essential relationship with the Delaware River and Bay, and the sea, will be brought to life during the 17th annual Chautauqua tent show, “Discovering Delaware’s Maritime Past.” Events and programs will take place at a variety of downtown Lewes, Del. locations including the Zwaanendael Museum and the Lewes Historical Society from June 21 to 25, 2015. Admission is free and open to the public. Go here for a complete listing of activities. For additional information, call 302-645-1148.

A unique mixture of education and entertainment, Lewes’ Chautauqua will be held under a large tent and will be headlined by re-enactors from the American Historical Theatre who will take on the personas of celebrated historical figures, educating and entertaining audiences as they bring the past to life. Audience members are encouraged to ask questions and interact with the featured characters who will include American-Revolutionary-War-era sea captain Gideon Olmstead; enslaved African-American poet Phillis Wheatley discussing her voyage to Britain; Gov. William Augustus Newell, founder of U.S. Life-Saving Service; and first lady Abigail Adams discussing trade and embargoes during the American Revolution. The Chautauqua will also feature several family-friendly events including “Songs and Stories of Old Sailing Days,” “Run It Up the Flagpole and Sea” and the Pyrates Royale Duo; plus a new display at the Zwaanendael Museum on His Majesty’s Sloop of War DeBraak, a British warship that sank off the Delaware coast on May 25, 1798.

Chautauqua takes its name from a series of adult education programs that were first held at a campsite on the shores of Lake Chautauqua in upstate New York during the late-19th century. Chautauquas spread throughout America in the late-19th and early-20th centuries bringing speakers, teachers, musicians, entertainers, preachers and specialists of the day to a wide cross-section of the nation’s rural and small-town population. Circuit Chautauquas (also known as Tent Chautauquas) were an itinerant manifestation of the movement. Programs would be presented in tents pitched in a field near town. After several days, the Chautauqua would fold its tents and move on to the next community. The popularity of Chautauquas peaked in the mid-1920s, after which radio, movies and automobiles brought about the gradual disappearance of the movement by the 1940s.

Reborn in the 1970s as a vehicle for humanities education, modern Chautauquas are organized around a core program in which re-enactors portray celebrated historical figures, speaking and interacting with audiences, often in the setting of a large outdoor tent. Modern Chautauquas have been presented annually in Delaware since 1999 featuring a wide variety of historical figures including Abraham Lincoln; Amelia Earhart; Dolley Madison; Eleanor Roosevelt; Edgar Allan Poe; the Lone Ranger; John Philip Sousa; and Delaware’s own Pvt. James Elbert, Maj. Allen McLane, F.O.C. Darley and Clifford Brown.

Delaware’s 2015 Chautauqua is partially funded by a grant from the Delaware Humanities Forum, a state program of the National Endowment for the Humanities. It is being presented as a partnership between the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, the Lewes Historical Society and the Lewes Chamber of Commerce. Additional financial support is provided by the Delaware Heritage Commission, Delmarva Power and Sussex County Council under the auspices of Councilwoman Joan Deaver.