HCA Celebrates Separation Day and 250th

DOVER, Del. -- In honor of the nation's 250^th Anniversary, several Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs (HCA) properties will host programs that complement statewide celebrations by capturing pivotal moments in history. From the New Castle Court House Museum (NCCH) to The Old State House in Dover, and the Zwaanendael Museum in Lewes, HCA ensures that visitors across all three counties can learn about Delaware's Revolutionary roots. Whether it's meeting with historians and reenactors, getting immersed in state civics or watching a revolutionary period film on the New Castle Green, HCA connects Delawareans and visitors to our deep, rich and complex colonial past. All HCA programs are free.

June

Thursday, June 4^th, 10 - 11 a.m., Walk to DeBraak at Cape Henlopen State Park. 15099 Cape Henlopen Drive, Lewes, DE 19958

Join this special walking tour that explores the history, artifacts, and surviving hull section of the 18th century shipwreck HMS DeBraak. Visitors can view the ship's hull and learn about its origin, crew and sinking through a guided presentation and display of historic relics.

Free tours start at Cape Henlopen State Park. Participants will meet Zwaanendael staff outside the CHSP Park Office for a short walk (0.3miles) to the DeBraak. Tours last 45-60 minutes. Ages 10 and up are welcome. Space is limited to 18. Comfortable footwear is required. Prior registration is strongly encouraged to ensure a spot. Walk-ins are welcome space permitting.

To register, email [email protected] or call (302) 645-1148. (Tours for groups of more than 10 people may be arranged in advance by contacting the museum.)

The Zwaanendael Museum,102 Kings Hwy, Lewes DE. Phone: (302) 645-1148

Saturdays, June 6^th & 20^th, 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Loyalist on the Lawn

Visitors interact with and learn from a costumed historian portraying an officer of the Loyal American Regiment during the Revolutionary War.

The Old State House, 25, The Green, Dover, DE. Phone: (302) 744-5054

Saturday June 6^th, 1 p.m. - Capturing Delaware's Music Scene: Ella Fitzgerald to Public Enemy

Join Delaware Music History Archives and Rosedale Beach historians, as they document Delaware's rich music history from 1940s to the present, including the Rosedale Beach Resort, vacation destination for People of Color in the mid-20th century. Entertainers who performed at the Rosedale resort included Count Basie and His Orchestra, Lionel Hampton, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Ray Charles, James Brown, and a young Stevie Wonder.

Saturday June 27^th, 1 p.m. Who Was King George III?

Known as the Mad King, George III was a husband and father, a patron of the arts and sciences, and a popular king among many of his subjects. The Old State House Site Supervisor explores all in this lecture-style presentation.

The New Castle Court House Museum, 211 Delaware St, New Castle, DE Phone: (302) 323-4453

Saturday, June 13^th, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. - Separation Day Celebrations at New Castle Court House Museum (NCCH)

In tandem with the Separation Day Parade and other City of New Castle festivities, NCCH will offer tours in addition to hosting many other museums' educational activities on The Green. Visitors can learn how to write with traditional quill pens, make delft tiles or converse with reenactors from the 1st Delaware Regiment in their encampment. For more information on the City of New Castle's Separation Day celebration, including fireworks, please visit https://www.separationdayde.com/

Monday, June 15^th Separation Day Observances

NCCH will host special educational activities related to civics and the history of beloved state symbols such as the Blue Hen and Horseshoe Crab from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

• At 7 p.m. NCCH will present a special Declaration of Independence program.

Friday, June 19^th, 8 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. Dog Days of Summer: Hamilton

Dogs are welcomed to join the festivities on the Green when the NCCH Museum screens a selection of Independence-themed films to celebrate the nation's 250^th Anniversary. Hamilton is the screen presentation of the award-winning Broadway production chronicling the life of America's Founding Father, Alexander Hamilton.

July

The Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Hwy, Lewes DE. Phone: (302) 645-1148

Wednesday, July 1^st & Saturday, 18^th, 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Loyalist on the Lawn

Visitors interact with and learn from a costumed historian portraying an officer of the Loyal American Regiment during the Revolutionary War.

The Old State House, 25, The Green, Dover, DE. Phone: (302) 744-5054

Saturday July 4^th - 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Independence Day Observances

Visitors to the Old State House can enjoy self-guided tours of the state's historic capital building while interacting with interpreters who share stories of Delaware's Revolutionary past. Guests can also learn the 18th century art of quill pen writing.

Declaration of Independence readings at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. - Witness the Declaration of Independence read on Dover's Historic Green just steps from where colonists first heard it in 1776.

The New Castle Court House Museum, 211 Delaware St, New Castle, DE Phone: (302) 323-4453

Friday, July 3^rd, 8 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. Dog Days of Summer: 1776

Dogs welcomed at the outdoor movies on the New Castle Green. Based on the Tony award-winning Broadway show, 1776 depicts the political struggles of Founding Father's Ben Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson in rallying the colonies to declare independence from the English.

Tuesday, July 21^st - Friday, July 24^th - New Castle History Camp

Travel through history this summer at the FREE New Castle History Summer Camp, focused on the history of government with comparisons of the administration during the American Revolution and government today. Students develop skills as a historian by researching and designing a creative group project that will be presented at the New Castle Public Library. More details, including how to register, available at https://history.delaware.gov/new-castle-history-camp. Contact info [email protected].

Friday, July 24^th, 6 p.m. The American Revolution and Civil Disobedience

Guests will witness a reenactment of the burning of the Court House's tip staves, a wooden baton and symbol of the king, followed by an in-depth discussion on civil disobedience and the Revolution. The event also features a reading of the Declaration.

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About HCA: The Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs is an agency of the State of Delaware. The division enhances Delaware's quality of life by preserving the state's unique historical heritage, fostering community stability and economic vitality, and providing educational programs and assistance to the public on Delaware history. The division's diverse array of services includes operation of five museums, administration of the State Historic Preservation Office, conservation of the State's archaeological and historic-objects collections, operation of a conference center and management of historic properties across the state. Primary funding for division programs and services is provided by annual appropriations from the Delaware General Assembly and grants from the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, a federal agency. However, the contents and opinions expressed in the division's programs and services do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Department of the Interior.