NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE!                                 If you missed our January moderated discussion in New Castle with Dr. Zara Anishanslin and Dr. Emily Sneff, it’s now available to watch online. The January 18th discussion at The Arsenal in Old New Castle explored the diverse people and movements who engaged with the Declaration of Independence and how questions of belonging in the new nation affected Delawareans past and present.       Dr. Sneff shared stories of people who helped spread news of the Declaration in the summer of 1776 and the people who worried about what would happen next, and Dr. Anishanslin discussed the global promise and limits of the Declaration’s assertion that “all men are created equal.” Beyond Words: New Histories of the Declaration of Independence and the recording were made possible in part by a grant from Delaware 250.                                                                       In February, the Delaware Historical Society (DHS) partnered with the Jewish Historical Society of Delaware (JHSD) to present World War II: Voices of Service, a traveling exhibition developed by Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. This exhibition explored major events of World War II through the photographs, letters, and oral histories of everyday Americans.       DHS and JHSD supplemented the exhibition with selections from collections of the Delaware Historical Society, Delaware Public Archives, the “Dear Mollye” Collection of the Jewish Historical Society of Delaware, and Delaware’s World War II Fallen. The temporary exhibition was on view in Old Town Hall throughout the month of February and received positive feedback from both visitors and local media.                 WDEL: "World War II: Voices of Service" exhibition brings to light DE WWII stories Delaware Public Media: New exhibit highlights Delawareans experiences in World War 2                                       The permanent exhibitions at the Delaware History Museum tell important stories of Delaware and its people, but there are many more stories to share and histories to explore. That’s why DHS introduced a monthly film series this spring at the Museum related to various heritage month celebrations, beginning with Black History Month in February and continuing through Women’s History Month in March. The April films represent several heritage months, including Arab American Heritage Month, Jazz Appreciation Month, and Earth Month. Screenings are every Saturday at 1 p.m. and are included with Museum Admission. Remember, admission is always free for members!                                 April 2025 - film screenings                       Simon Shaheen - Connecting Culture                       Brownie Speaks                       An Evolving Legacy: Delaware's Coastal Zone Act                       Mary Lou Williams: The Lady Who Swings the Band                 May 2025 - Events                       Rediscovering Wilmington's Washington Memorial Bridge                       A Day in Old New Castle                           While the Read House was closed this winter for seasonal maintenance and upkeep, some of the walls received a little extra TLC after sustaining water damage from a leak in the new HVAC unit in the attic. DHS hired ATG Construction to complete the repair and another vendor to carefully move some of the furniture to accommodate the work in the rear parlor, southwest chamber, and second floor hallway. “They scraped the walls of the flaking paint, sanded, primed, and painted,” explained DHS Buildings & Grounds Supervisor Ashley Mills. “They did a very good job, and they were very respectful of the space.”       To precisely match the existing paint colors, including the vibrant turquoise in the rear parlor, the company scanned a paint sample to recreate the specific hues. While the fresh coat of paint was an unplanned repair, the iconic wallpaper in the New Castle dining room also received attention this offseason. As part of routine preventive maintenance, a conservator assessed the custom wallpaper to proactively address minor repairs. The Read House is now open for the season and looks forward to welcoming visitors! Open Thursday – Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.                     february 24, 2025                 One of our most popular recent social media posts highlighted our These Houses Were Homes walking tour in Old New Castle. Dr. Melissa Benbow Flowers presented her research on the generations of Black families       who lived in New Castle from 19th to early 20th centuries at the Read House. Her presentation was followed by a walking tour through the town to visit and learn about key figures and sites in Old New Castle's historic Black neighborhoods.                                                                        From weddings and cocktail receptions in historic Old Town Hall, to outdoor events in Willingtown Square or the Read House & Gardens, to corporate meetings and luncheons in our spacious Copeland Room, DHS looks forward to hosting you! Contact Rental & Events Coordinator Carol Washington for rates and availability. Members get a 15% discount!                    Astronomy 1776, A Semiquincentennial Almanack        The rolling hills near the Brandywine River have long been a perch for celestial observation. The first known Delaware astronomer was William Poole (1729-1779), a Quaker, who in 1769 intentionally observed a Transit of Venus, which occurs when the planet Venus passes directly between the Sun and the Earth along its orbit, leaving a small dark dot across the face of the sun. It’s a fairly rare event. The next one doesn’t happen until 2117. More than a century later, in 1882, another Wilmington Quaker, photographer Ellwood Garrett, son of Underground Railroad Stationmaster Thomas Garrett, peered into the night sky to watch a Transit of Venus. The Delaware Astronomical Society (DAS), which operates public outreach programs and events connected to the Mount Cuba Astronomical Observatory, recently requested any photographs Garrett may have taken of this or other cosmic events. Unfortunately, none turned up in the DHS collection, but we do have a remarkably clear glass plate portrait of Ellwood Garrett himself with his impressive, sagacious beard. The search for celestial photographs on behalf of the DAS led to additional research about our       collections regarding astronomy in Delaware. Hidden in the DHS rare book and almanack collection is the Pennsylvania Town & Country-man’s Almanack of 1776. It includes various astronomical calculations, notes about solar and lunar eclipses, a bizarre astrological connection to anatomy, a curious diatribe about coffee and tea, and moral guidance. The almanack was printed in Wilmington, Delaware for its compiler, John Tobler, by Delaware’s foremost printer of the era, James Adams. Adams was born in Ireland and immigrated to Philadelphia, but heavy competition in the printing business in the 1760s prompted him to relocate. Competition in the printing business was heavy in Philadelphia in the early 1760s, prompting a need to relocate. His friend Benjamin Franklin recommended the Caribbean, but Adams prospered on Wilmington’s lower Market Street from 1761 to 1792, with various printing projects like this one. The almanack is intended to be an entirely serious, authoritative, objective analysis of celestial topics sprinkled with a hodgepodge of ponderous prose, as well as moral instruction penned around a century earlier by William Penn. A few of the pages veer into almost comical pseudo-science and amusing medicinal potions, most of which are based on rum. This almanack is a delightful eccentricity, a perplexing read, and a unique window into Revolutionary War culture, intellectual inquiry and what was once considered cutting edge astronomy. Email research@dehistory.org to explore more of the almanack.                                      Becoming a member of the Delaware Historical Society offers a unique opportunity to dive deep into the rich history of our state while enjoying exclusive benefits. Members receive free admission to our museums, invitations to special events, and early access to new exhibitions. You'll also enjoy discounts on programs and purchases, as well as access to our extensive research library. Your membership helps preserve Delaware's history and supports our educational initiatives, making you an integral part of keeping our heritage alive for future generations.                  The Vault        Take a peek at The Vault (@delawarehistoryvault), the Instagram account sharing highlights from DHS Collections. These include items that aren’t yet available in our digital collections, such as this advertisement for "The Sleeping Beauty" from a recently discovered treasure trove of community posters, as well as these aspiring gymnasts from our Walnut Street YMCA Collection.                                                                         Your support helps us to preserve and present priceless collections and to keep telling all the ever-expanding stories of Delaware’s past and present in new ways.