The Saving Delaware History Podcast

Named after the canaries common in coal mines towards the beginning of the 20th century, After the Canary Song examines the true stories behind popular disaster songs. This podcast from the Johnson Victrola Museum discusses the original tragedies that inspired these songs and the ways in which they became distorted with time. You can find new episodes of After the Canary Song every other week on all your regular podcast hosts and at https://www.buzzsprout.com/1831758.

This is the last episode of The Saving Delaware History Podcast. Thank you for your support and please continue exploring your local history. Learn more about the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs at history.delaware.gov. Find After the Canary Song at https://www.buzzsprout.com/1831758.

In the hometown of nine governors, the birthplace of Dixie cup wooden spoons, and the site of the first attempt at integration in Delaware lies this post-office-turned-museum, displaying collections of the state bug, Milford inventions, and World War I and II premier shipbuilding. Review the exhaustive contributions of this town to Delaware history in this episode with Museum Director Claudia Leister. This episode deviates from the established style of the Saving Delaware History Podcast in its more conversational tone and minimal editing. If you have the time, please offer your thoughts on this episode via this form: Thoughts on Milford Museum Episode

The next episode of the Saving Delaware History Podcast will be up later today with the edited content from this week. Thanks for your support!

When the distant Canadian descendants of Commander Drew of the sloop DeBraak came looking for the watch imprinted with their family crest, they found it carefully conserved within the Division for Historical and Cultural Affair’s archives of thousands of shipwreck artifacts. Dive into extensive coverage of Delaware’s maritime history with our returned guest, Paul Nasca, the state’s Curator of Archaeology.

As one of the first communities to attempt desegregation, Milford, Delaware grappled with an uncooperative state government, prolonged harassment of minors, the resignation of an entire school board, disenrollment of any integrated student, and the forestallment of integration for more than a decade. Learn about them here: The Link The URL: https://edtrust.org/the-equity-line/extraordinary-districts-special-edition-the-milford-11/ Another source: https://www.capegazette.com/node/65880

Long-treasured locations like Funland in Rehoboth, Delaware, are brought before the State Historic Review Board, where they rigorously check the nominated sites against maintenance requirements and cultural significance standards before forwarding the approvals down to Washington, D.C. Unfold this episode of The Saving Delaware History Podcast with the Board’s Chairman Jim Ellison.

Modeled after the home of Dolly and James Madison, this estate, built by William duPont Jr., boasts a horsetrack akin to that of the Kentucky Derby, including a fishing pond, volleyball courts, tennis courts, and plenty of field space. Take in this coverage of Bellevue Hall, now part of a public park, with Interpretive Programs Manager Nick Madden.

One people, under many nationalities, lived, worked, loved, and died in the Delaware River Valley, founding the city of Wilmington and leaving behind many forts’ worth of artifacts. Discover the story of these three forts within one community with return guest Cynthia Snyder from the New Castle Court House Museum.

Running through the waters of downtown Wilmington courses a replica of the Kalmar Nyckel, a 17th-century pinnace and the Swedish colonial ship that founded the first permanent European settlement in Delaware. Brave the rough river waters in this dialogue again with Samuel Heed, Senior Historian from the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation. Visit their website: https://www.kalmarnyckel.org/ View the mentioned animation: Tall Ship Time Machine Photographer: Crewmember Jon Caspar

Diamond merchant Peter Minuit, who struck the bargain for Manhattan after governing New Amsterdam, hand-picked Fort Christina, the foundation of today’s city of Wilmington. Untangle the development of Delaware’s most populous city in this talk with Samuel Heed, Director of Education for the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation.

Along with her phenomenal team of horticulturists, she makes what appears ugly beautiful again by hemming boxwoods and planting annuals. Take a look at how horticulture serves the mission of Delaware Historical and Cultural Affairs in this discussion with Elizabeth Gant.

Tracked throughout history and across geography, aerial images from the Cultural and Historic Resource Information System (CHRIS) display Delaware’s and the nation’s historic properties and developments as they evolved. Investigate this geographic information database with Jenifer Anderson-Reno, the Cultural Research Center Resource Manager from the State Historic Preservation Office. Explore for yourself: Cultural and Historic Resource Information System

A Harlem Renaissance activist, poetess, and teacher; one of the first desegregated schools in the US; and a major transition point in the Underground Railroad, all encircled within the bounds of the second smallest state. Review some of the many achievements of African Americans from Delaware with architectural historian Carlton Hall of the State Historic Preservation Office.

Sorry for the delay! The next episode of The Saving Delaware History Podcast will come out in the next twenty four hours.

“Liberty and Justice for ALL!!!” declares the hot-pink sign created by Gail Reid for last year’s removal of the whipping post at the Old Sussex Court House, which was recently acquired by the HCA’s Collections program. Take in this story about Gail’s protest poster as told by Curator of Collections Elizabeth Coulter and Ms. Reid herself. See the poster: @delawarehistory Help her nonprofit: Aliyah’s Cupboard

Sea merchants, insurance companies, past scavengers, and modern salvors all subjected Delaware’s shipwrecks to centuries of salvaging; only in the past half-century have they been the focus of archaeological recoveries. Delve into Delaware’s many marine riches with underwater archaeologist Stephanie Soder of the State Historic Preservation Office.

Back from the ‘60s as one of only 63 known to the world, the Futuro House imitates for the common man the ability to live in a spaceship. Queue up this episode with Madeline Dunn, the National Register Coordinator, and Emily Whaley, a Cultural Preservation Specialist, from the State Historic Preservation Office to discuss the phenomenal structure and the status of its acceptance to the National Register. See it yourself: The Futuro House

Since six years old, she knew she wanted a career in archaeology and paleontology; after almost two decades performing Section 106 reviews, she rose to the second-highest preservation post in Delaware. On the first day of National Historic Preservation Month, listen in to this talk with Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer Gwen Davis about the State Historic Preservation Office.

The socioeconomic elite of early 1800s Philadelphia sought the distinctive, detailed portraiture of Sarah Miriam Peale, one of the first women accepted into the respected Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the painter of families closely intertwined with early Delaware politics. Join us today to speak with Curator of Collections Elizabeth Coulter and Curator of Collections Management Laura Walsh about the history of the Collections team and one such work which has been bestowed upon them. Some associated links: The Portrait in Collections The Collections Website