The Delaware Public Archives is pleased to announce the installation of the second of four Historical Markers celebrating the centennial of the passage and ratification of the 19^th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States providing for women’s suffrage. 

The “Women’s Suffrage Parade” marker commemorates the parade by approximately 400 suffragists as they marched from the Pennsylvania Railroad Station to the New Castle County Court House. 

The Historical Marker is located in the East Front Street Park, at the corner of N. Walnut & E. Front Streets, Wilmington, Delaware.

These markers have been installed with the support of the Delaware Women’s Suffrage Commission, in cooperation with the Delaware Heritage Commission and the Delaware Public Archives.  The installation and presentation of these Historical Markers have been delayed due to the pandemic. 

Learn more about the Delaware Centennial – www.Archives.Delaware.gov/women-vote-100

The Delaware Public Archives formally dedicated a new Delaware Historical Marker on Tuesday, August 31, 2021, that commemorates the community of Henry Clay Village in Wilmington, Delaware. The marker acknowledges the residents of the community and notes the formation of this village that grew up around powder manufacturing near the textile mills north of Wilmington. The marker was unveiled near Breck’s Mill, Montchanin, Delaware, with more than forty guests in attendance.

In the photo: (Left to right) Stephen M. Marz, Director & State Archivist, Delaware Public Archives; Gerald Brady, State Representative; Jill MacKenzie, Executive Director, Hagley Museum & Library; and Phillip Leach, Local Historian & Delaware Historical Marker Requestor. 

(left-to-right) Sarah Denison, Deputy Director, Delaware Public Archives; Wilma Yu, President, Friends of Bellevue State Park; State Representative Debra Heffernan; DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin; Don Blythe, Board member, Friends of Bellevue State Park, dedicate new historical marker at the Mount Pleasant Meeting House in Bellevue State Park. (DNREC Photo)

WILMINGTON – DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin was joined by State Representative Debra Heffernan, Delaware Public Archives Deputy Director Sarah Denison and members of the Friends of Bellevue State Park today, to dedicate a new historical marker highlighting the history of the Mount Pleasant Meeting House in Bellevue State Park.

The meeting house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for architectural significance. It was originally used as a public meeting house then transitioned to a dedicated religious space. Construction on the stone building began in 1838, and a cemetery was added in 1841. A Queen Anne style parsonage was constructed in 1894. Numerous improvements and restoration work have occurred since then. The Church of Christ purchased the property in 1961 and restored it to its 1893 appearance. The state acquired the site in 1996, and incorporated it into Bellevue State Park.

“The Mount Pleasant Meeting House is unique given its age and historic significance,” said Secretary Garvin. “We are pleased that our parks visitors can enjoy learning about this important site. One of our state parks’ goals is to make sure the public is educated about our historic and cultural treasures, and this is certainly one of them. I thank the Friends of Bellevue State Park, State Representative Debra Heffernan, and the Delaware Public Archives for their support in making this possible.”

In 2016, DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation completely renovated the 1894 parsonage to restore its original design, including a new roof, full window restoration, exterior siding, restoration of the front porch, and new plasterwork on the third floor interior. Paint chip samples from the structure were color-matched, and the building was repainted in its original colors. In 2017, the Meeting House received a new cedar shake roof, and plans are in place to restore its large stained glass windows.

The restoration work was coordinated by DNREC in partnership with the Friends of Bellevue, which secured grants for the work from the Longwood Foundation, Crystal Trust and the Crestlea Foundation. The Delaware Public Archives administers the state’s Historical Markers Program. The new historical marker was funded by Representative Heffernan.

Contact: Beth Shockley, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 48, No. 319