Historic Maritime Delaware

December 17, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Historically rich, Delaware boasts abundant opportunities to explore the history and culture of the state. As a coastal state Delaware has a strong connection to the sea. Maritime attractions are plentiful.

Kalmar Nyckel, The Tall Ship of Delaware: Based in Wilmington, sails out of the Cape May-Lewes Ferry Terminal during the month of July, visiting other East Coast ports. The ship is available for tours, charters, events, and receptions. She serves as Delaware’s seagoing goodwill ambassador, and is a replica of the original, one of the pioneer colonial ships. Though her story is not widely known, Kalmar Nychel brought the first permanent settlers to the Delaware Valley in 1638.

Harbor of Refuge Lighthouse: Off the coast of Cape Henlopen State Park, it is the only working lighthouse in the state. The lighthouse was built in 1901.

Cannonball House: Owned and operated by the Lewes Historical Society, the museum is an eclectic mix of the more colorful maritime history of the area, including the sinking of HMB DeBraak. Located in Lewes, “the first town”. The Lewes Historical Society Museums are open mid-June through mid-October and house over 375 years of maritime history.

Treasures of the Sea Exhibit: At Delaware Tech, Owens Campus in Georgetown, displays the treasures recovered from the wreck of the Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de Atocha, which sank in a hurricane in 1622. A video showing the search for the wreck and a gift shop round out the exhibit.

DiscoverSea Shipwreck Museum: On Fenwick Island, this museum is a treasure trove of maritime treasures. The museum, which is funded only by donations and owner support, opened in 1995. The museum holds one of the largest collections in Mid-Atlantic and includes artifacts from around the world, the displays are rotated to showcase new pieces as they are discovered or acquired by the museum.

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Famous Delawareans

December 10, 2010 by Leave a Comment

There are many historical and famous people who claim Delaware as their place of birth or state of residence. The following people are a sampling of the most significant contributors to their respective fields.

Dr. Henry Jay Heimlich, known for inventing the Heimlich Maneuver, was born in Wilmington, Delaware on February 3, 1920. His first medical invention was procedure for gastric tube esophagoplasty, constructing a new esophagus from a section of the patient’s stomach. He also invented an emergency chest drainage device, which is still in use today in many emergency medical facilities.

George Read, though originally opposed to the resolution for independence from Britain, was one of the original signers of the Declaration of Independence. His other achievements include attorney general for the Lower Counties, member of the Continental Congress, president of Delaware, and chief justice of Delaware.

Baseball player and Hall of Fame member, William Julius “Judy” Johnson was a star fielding third baseman in the Negro Leagues, prior to the integration of baseball.
Annie Jump Cannon, astronomer and curator of astronomical photographs at the Harvard College Observatory, was born in Dover, Delaware. During her career, she classified more than 500,000 stars. The catalog, named after patron Henry Draper, is still in use today. Cannon discovered 500 variable stars, 5 novas, and 1 spectroscopic binary because of her photographic work and understanding of spectra. She is a member of the National Women’s Hall of Fame.

Thomas Garrett was an abolitionist, though born in Pennsylvania; he was a toolmaker and hardware merchant in Wilmington, Delaware. His home became one of the stations for the Underground Railroad. The term Underground Railroad is a metaphor for the network of people and places that helped slaves escape. After being convicted in 1848 and depleting his resources to pay the fines imposed, he resumed his work to help slaves to freedom.

Filed Under: Delaware, History

Things to Know About Christine O’Donnell

December 8, 2010 by Leave a Comment

In the Delaware Senate race there is no name more popular than Christine O’Donnell. It is likely her name will be on the lips and minds of many citizens for decades to come. This favorite of the Tea Party Movement has made her presence known. She has been surrounded by controversy since day one. From the party she has chosen to her personal religious experimental beliefs she is a constant media target. However, there are a few things that people should know about Christine O’Donnell and her political motivation spurring on her career.

Christine O’Donnell’s background is in marketing, public relations, and political commentary. During her time in public and political relations she has proven her stance on conservative political values by being a supporter and of the Right to Life movement. This controversial movement was only one of the controversy driven conservative projects O’Donnell undertook. She also spoke out personally and politically against premarital sex and pornography making her a prime hardcore candidate for the Christian Republican and Conservative platform.

She has the background that some feel are necessary for her potential Senate seat. Her history is rich with place marks in the Republican National Convention, the women’s Christian movement Concerned Women of America, and SALT or the Savior’s Alliance for Lifting the Truth. It was in 2010 that she announced her change from the Republican party citing that it had become far to liberal and that she would be aligning herself with the conservative movement of the Tea Party.

Christine O’Donnell does not lack for a strong conservative background when it comes to her politics. She has made her presence known in every conservative arena. The question that really faces O’Donnell and will face her long after any election is the country. Is the United States open to conservative change and if so are they open to the kind of conservative change O’Donnell would align herself with.

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A Lasting Contribution of Brotherhood

November 22, 2010 by Leave a Comment

In the early 1820s, William and Maurice Wurts began to construct what would eventually be called the Delaware and Hudson Canal. It was a brilliant idea for finding markets in several states (and later Canada, as well) that weren’t as saturated with anthracite coal as the Philadelphia market was at the time. At first, their idea was nothing more than a canal, but mountainous terrain for a few miles between Honesdale, New York and Carbondale, Pennsylvania forced them and their management team to get a little bit more creative. From this necessity, a simple gravity railway was constructed within these few miles. At the time, they may not have realized that it was the seed of what would be the first American railroad.

Throughout the 19th century, the Delaware and Hudson canal slowly faded from use. After all, while canals were efficient and relatively easy, railroad cars were faster and never suffered the danger of sinking. Moving 100 tons at a time, first by steam ship and then by steam locomotive, the company’s operation blossomed throughout New England. The Canada 411 on the matter is that their markets benefitted greatly from the introduction of such ample quantities of U.S. anthracite coal. While the process was slow in evolution, it never wanted for approval from local governments who adored all the jobs and easy access to coal (then the major method of heating homes and businesses) the line created.

While all the jobs and prosperity that went along with the railroad’s early successes have faded with the changing world, the National Park Service has ensured that the line will never be forgotten, as it has in recent years restored the line’s aesthetic appeal and marked important points thereon. As long as the entrepreneurial spirit and cooperative synergy between people (brothers, especially) continues, it’s definitely fair to say there is pretty much nothing that human beings can’t accomplish.

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Georgetown History

October 25, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Georgetown is the county of Sussex. It has attached to itself an interesting story of itself. This town was created in 1789 by Tobacco exporters. The first mayor if this town was a tobacco exporter. Lands were slowly acquired in this town for the federal government by people such as George Washington and Benjamin Stoddert. Almost ten state appointed people and lead by the Senate Mitchell George made the first major advancement in making the presence of Federal Government known. They purchased more than 70 acres of land in the middle of Sussex County. This gave way to the construction of the town in a circular manner starting from town square. Court house was created in 1791 along with the jail and made this place the official county of Sussex. Georgetown was also the home for the vice president Thomas Jefferson for a brief period of time. It was also a major hot spot for slave trading before the slave trade was made illegal. The town got its economic development in the form of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad which opened it for imports and exports of products.
Only after the American Revolution did the town of Georgetown became a property of the government under independent municipal government. Before the civil war, the town suffered badly because of silting rivers and dying businesses. Only after the reopening of the Q Bride after the beginning of 19th century did trade began coming back to the town. The town was connected back to the Rock Creek Park. It is home to one of America’s best Universities known as the University of Delaware. George town today is a well-developed city with hotels, shops and restaurants that serve from high end customers to everyone else. It also has the embassies of countries such as Venezuela, Ukraine, Mongolia, France, Thailand and Sweden.

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Delaware Agricultural Museum & Village

October 20, 2010 by Leave a Comment

This is one museum that you and your children can not miss on your trip to Delaware. When comparing to other historical museums, this museum is nothing like them. It has no boring historical records, rusted metal armor and pictures of old men with funny looks. This museum is dedicated to preserving the rural heritage of Delaware in all its glory. It is a non-profit and private organization which is spread over a large area. It was formed in 1980.

In the incredibly busy world people forget what really matters and keep running behind things that mean little. How is a software designer going to feed herself and her kids with zeros and ones, how is a writer going to buy fruits with his papers, how is anyone going to live without things that really keep us going. This museum is dedicated to these things that keep us going. The chances of your child not knowing from where does milk come from, she might answer that it comes from a grocery store instead of a cow. Don’t let your children take food for granted, bring them to the Delaware Agricultural Museum and Village and let them learn the fascinating story behind their vegetables and their glass of milk. Delaware for centuries was a agricultural and farming land. Although this place is famous for the tobacco plantations in this region which were exported to the rest of America and Europe from here, it also famous for its culture. This museum has a collection of historic buildings, collections of different farming utensils and equipment’s, exhibitions and other things that make this place more than other museums. This place is also an active place for ongoing research on American farms and farming practices. This place is great for children’s and adults alike to kick get a feel of true rural America.

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An Early and Brief History of The First State

September 27, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Counties constituting the Delaware Valley Regi...
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As the first state in the union, Delaware has a rich history. Long before the arrival of European explorers, the eastern Algonquian tribes lived all over the Delaware Valley, and next to rivers leading to Chesapeake Bay.

The Agonquian, also called the Unami Lenape tribe, of the Delaware Valley, had a society based on agriculture and hunting. They also become heavily engaged with another tribe called the Minqua in the rapidly increasing fur trade. In the 1670s, the Iriquois nation destroyed the Minqua tribe, and forced the remaining Unami Lenape migrated to the Alleghany mountains by the 1750s.

Spanish and Portuguese explorers were the first Europeans to arrive in Delaware, but the Dutch were the first to settle in Delaware, at the trading post in Zwaanedael in about 1631. The colony was short lived, however, as local Indian tribes wiped out the settlers during a dispute a year later. The Swedish established New Sweden in 1638 at Fort Christina, which is located in present-day Wilmington, while the Dutch settled a new fort in modern-day New Castle in 1651. The Dutch eventually overthrew the Swedish in 1655 and re-incorporated New Sweden into New Netherland.

Just nine year later, the English dethroned the Dutch under the direction of James, the Duke of York. Ownership was then passed to William Penn in 1682, who had wanted the sea access for the province of Pennsylvania. A representative government was established, and these Lower Counties on the Delaware were combined with the province of Pennsylvania until 1704, when Pennsylvania grew so large that it needed its own government, which was based in Philadelphia.

Delaware’s early government business was conducted in New Castle, but continued to share a governor with Pennsylvania for many years. Around the time of the Declaration of Independence, Delaware declared itself both free of Pennsylvania and the British, and formed its own government. The state boundaries were surveyed in 1760s.

Delaware was the first of the thirteen original colonies to ratify the U.S. Constitution. Delaware officially became the first state in the new Federal Union following the Revolutionary War, on December 7, 1787.

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Town of Lewes – Let Go of the Reigns

August 21, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Panama mount at Battery 22, Former Fort Miles,...

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The Town of Lewes is of great historical and environmental significance to Delaware Bay. It is situated on the Delaware Estuary and is a vantage point for distant oceanic views and surrounding wetlands. The town’s origins trace back to early 17th century, when the Dutch fleet arrived and raised up a settlement here calling it Swaanendael.

The Town of Lewes has over 4,000 acres of unaltered coastal beaches and wetlands. Migratory birds, such as the shorebirds, songbirds and raptors, fly in from across the Atlantic in winter and inhabit the marshes. Other wading birds, including the waterfowls, breed and thrive here. Thousands of visitors visit every year to trek through the trails of the Wildlife sanctuary and observe rare animals. At Cape Henlopen, which is situated on the Atlantic Flyway, visitors can view a different perspective of the multitude of birds all around, including other wildlife. Cape Henlopen State Park has seven miles of hiking and biking trails and two beaches watched over by lifeguards. Here campers can set up their camps, use the public restrooms, the bath house and the snack shop. The huge aquarium tanks at Seaside Nature Center teem with multitude of aquatic species, viewable up close. This establishment also organizes bayside adventures such as hiking, bird watching, canoe trips, kayak tours, fishing and dolphin watching. Visitors can catch the ferry service that runs to Cape May, New Jersey and back to Lewes.

Savor the favorite local delights in the many coffee shops and restaurants at Lewes. The Notting Hill Coffee Shop offers certified fresh roasted brews, soups, baked products, sandwiches and salads. The Striper Bites Cafe serves special seafood dishes and salads. The restaurants have outdoor patios, where your dog can accompany and dine with you. Find quality and ample accommodation at the Red Mill Inn on the Coastal Highway, the King’s Inn B&B and the Lazy L at Lewes. Here children can indulge in recreational activities including swimming pool and hot tub. These hotels also allow pets, have off leash play areas for them and offer day care centers.

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Town of Little Creek

August 5, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Dover Air Force Base

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Little Creek is a fascinating town, located east of Dover along the Delaware Bay. This much obscure town is in fact an historical and cultural treasure of Delaware, and a place where citizens know and are willing to help each other.

The town began in the early 19th century as a settlement known as “Little Landing”, when little later British seamen were defeated by the local farmers with their muskets. The town experienced an economic boom in the late 19th century with the oyster industry and soon large ships began to make stopovers at Port Mahon. Commercial boats were soon introduced and shops and restaurants in the town began to resize and increase in number. Today there are little or no boats at Little Creek and the ships that come into Port Mahon are the tankers that bring in jet fuel for the Dover Air Force Base.

Little Creek, as with all places, has had its economic ups and downs. The citizens of the town though have been very content with the slow but steady economic security. Everybody in Little Creek know each other well and emphasize more on familial and social values. Local business establishments like the Little Creek Deli, Lane’s bait shop and produce stand, Mike Little’s decoy and plant shop and Little Creek Bed and Breakfast are well known to all. A general consensus in 2009 on the overall progress of Little Creek returned a fairly good report.

A walk through the town will bring you by Old Stone Tavern and the bridge over the Creek. The Little Creek Wildlife Area lies south of town, with marshlands used for hunting, fishing and crabbing. The road which leads out of town to Port Mahon was once lined up with oyster shucking houses and fishing shacks. Inside Port Mahon, lush marshlands on one side house many birds and the bay with water constantly gushing in, lies on the other side. The remains of the lighthouse, which was burned down in 1984, still exists.

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The Delaware Estuary – A National Treasure

August 5, 2010 by Leave a Comment

The Delaware Estuary is part of the National Estuary Program, which spans a major portion of the tidal watersheds in Delaware. The Delaware Estuary maintains a vital ecosystem that is crucial for the survival of human civilization, animal life and to the economy of the nation. The state of Delaware is made up of the Delaware Estuary, the Chesapeake Bay and a collection of Inland Bays, of which the Delaware Estuary is the largest in the state and also covers portions of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The Delaware Estuary converges with ecology and industry together to tide various environmental challenges and threats.

Estuaries are characterized by water movements created when freshwater river currents meets oceanic tides. They maintain the right degree of salinity in the area, which in turn creates multiple habitats for different species of animals that thrive and depend on it. Estuaries host hundreds of species of plants and animals. Water from inlands, polluted by civilization and natural disasters reach the Estuary and undergo a process of purification. A large portion of human civilization, both those living along watersheds and inland, depends on Estuaries for food, drinking water, industries and recreation.

The Delaware Estuary contains over 200 species of finfish, oysters, clams and more. It is home to a large concentration of migratory birds such as the shorebirds, songbirds and raptors, and various other species of birds that spend their lives there. Endangered species such as the short nose sturgeon, dwarf wedge mussels, and bog turtles live in the Estuary. The Delaware Estuary has the largest number of horseshoe crabs in the world. The cities of Philadelphia, Wilmington and Camden are highly commercialized areas with a number of critical industries operating for the nation’s sustenance. These port cities accommodate petrochemicals imported from the east and have the largest refineries, which rely on the Delaware River for transportation of over 42 million gallons of crude everyday, with annual revenue of $19 billion. The Delaware Estuary contains over 405,000 acres of wetlands.

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