Milton Historical Society
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Upcoming 2013 Events & Exhibits

For more information contact info@historicmilton.org or 302-684-1010.

 

JANUARY 

January 11, 2013 – Delmarva Roots Film Series – Howard Pyle and the Illustrated Story – 7 pm at the Milton   Fire Hall, 116 Front St., Milton, DE.  $5 adults; $3 children 12 and under

Delmarva Roots is co-sponsored by the Rehoboth Beach Film Society and the Milton Historical Society. This winter series takes place on January 11, February 15, and March 15 and features films about the rich history of the Delmarva region.

Parking lots are located across from the Fire Hall on Front St., behind the M&T Bank at Federal and Front Sts., at Union and Magnolia, and at the museum. For more information, call the Film Society office at 302-645-9095, ext. 1 or the Milton Historical Society office at 302-684-1010. Admission is $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for children ages 12 and under.

Purchase tickets online here, at the RBFS office, or at the door. Tickets are non-refundable.

 

January 18, 2013 – MHS Speaker’s Series – “The Delaware History Trail” presented by Russ McCabe - 7 pm at the Lydia B. Cannon Museum – FREE

This presentation is designed to encourage visitors and residents alike to learn about our state’s rich heritage and culture. The Delaware History Trail consists of 50 sites throughout the state. The trail is intended to serve as a starting point for exploring Delaware’s many treasures. It provides travelers with a cross-section or sampling of places that tell the story of our state and its people. Mr. McCabe’s presentation will include a narrative discussion of the sites and their significance.

Images from Landmarks and Legacies, a book of photographs by Kevin Fleming of Delaware’s most historic places that was published in June, 2012, will illustrate the presentation.

Mr. McCabe considers it a pleasure and privilege to have been asked to select the Delaware History Trail sites. Milton’s Governor’s Walk is one of the 50 sites on the trail.

 

FEBRUARY

February 10, 2013 – 6th Annual Salon Milton Fund Razor to Benefit the Milton Historical Society

Salon Milton hosts the 6th Annual Community Valentine’s Day Bake Sale and Salon Services on Sunday, February 10, 2013 from 12 noon until 5 pm.  Haircuts, manicures, and hand massages with a makeup consultation offered for a $25 donation.

Purchase home-baked goods from Milton’s best bakers, bid on Silent Auction items, and take a chance on the 50/50 raffle offered by Milton’s Ms. 50/50, Gladys Wilkins. Pat Grieninger of Almost Home Catering will offer gourmet Beef Bourguignon, and there will be a wine tasting compliments of Kemp’s Liquors.   All of the proceeds will all be donated to the Milton Historical Society.

Call Salon Milton at 302-684-1880 to schedule an appointment and for further information.  The salon is located at 517 Chestnut St. in Milton.  If you cannot attend but would like to make a contribution, please mail a check to MHS, PO Box 112, Milton, DE 19968 with “Salon Fund Razor” in the memo line.

 

February 15, 2013 – Delmarva Roots Film Series – The Red Shoes (short) and The Dream Share Project                  7 pm at the Milton Fire Hall, 116 Front St., Milton, DE.  -   $5 adults; $3 children 12 and under

Delmarva Roots is co-sponsored by the Rehoboth Beach Film Society and the Milton Historical Society. This winter series takes place on January 11, February 15, and March 15 and features films about the rich history of the Delmarva region.

Parking lots are located across from the Fire Hall on Front St., behind the M&T Bank at Federal and Front Sts., at Union and Magnolia, and at the museum. For more information, call the Film Society office at 302-645-9095, ext. 1 or the Milton Historical Society office at 302-684-1010. Admission is $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for children ages 12 and under.

Purchase tickets online here, at the RBFS office, or at the door. Tickets are non-refundable.

 

February 22, 2013 – MHS Speaker’s Series – “How I Became Ben Franklin: The Story of Signer’s Hall at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia” - 7 pm at the Lydia B. Cannon Museum – FREE

This lively illustrated talk will feature an insider’s view of how this  museum, dedicated to telling the story of the U.S. Constitution, was developed, with a focus on the main exhibition Signer’s Hall, a room filled with life-size bronze statues of the 42 men who were in the room when the U. S. Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787. During the research Ray did on the physical appearance of the Signers, he discovered he was the same size as Benjamin Franklin and thus became the model used to create Franklin’s statue.

Ray was chief historical consultant to the National Constitution Center. The museum opened on July 4, 2003.  Earlier he served as the first official historian of the U. S. House of Representatives from 1983 to 1995. For the past ten years he has been director of the Robert C. Byrd Center for Legislative Studies at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. He is the author or editor of numerous works on Congress and other topics. He was co-editor of the 14-volume Booker T. Washington Papers and is the author of a biography of Booker T. Washington.  He holds the Ph.D. in American history from the University of Maryland. He currently serves as a member of the National Historical Publications and Records Commission, an independent agency of the Federal government affiliated with the National Archives. He is also president of the West Virginia Humanities Council.

MARCH

 

March 15, 2013 – Delmarva Roots Film Series – A Ninth Life and White Gold: Delaware’s Oyster Industry -            7 pm at the Milton Fire Hall, 116 Front St., Milton, DE.  -   $5 adults; $3 children 12 and under

Delmarva Roots is co-sponsored by the Rehoboth Beach Film Society and the Milton Historical Society. This winter series takes place on January 11, February 15, and March 15 and features films about the rich history of the Delmarva region.

Parking lots are located across from the Fire Hall on Front St., behind the M&T Bank at Federal and Front Sts., at Union and Magnolia, and at the museum. For more information, call the Film Society office at 302-645-9095, ext. 1 or the Milton Historical Society office at 302-684-1010. Admission is $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for children ages 12 and under.

Purchase tickets online here, at the RBFS office, or at the door. Tickets are non-refundable.

 

March 22, 2013 – MHS Speaker’s Series – “Antietam to Gettysburg: Lincoln and the Second American Revolution” with Kevin Kelly, interim director -  7 pm at the Lydia B. Cannon Museum – FREE

 

The decision by the Lincoln administration to exercise the authority of the federal government granted in the Constitution to use force to suppress “domestic insurrections” in the Southern and slave holding states resulted, at the war’s end, in a fundamental change in the meaning and the content of that same Constitution.

How did Lincoln’s stated position prior to the war that he would support slavery everywhere, nowhere, or in some places, but not in others give way to his determination to end slavery via presidential proclamation and eventually Constitutional amendment at the conclusion of the war? What role did the outcomes of the battles fought in 1862 and 1863, especially at Antietam and at Gettysburg, play in Lincoln’s thoughts and actions?

Join us, won’t you, for an evening’s conversation about the way the 272 words spoken by Lincoln at Gettysburg in November 1863 created a “Second American Revolution” that changed the way Americans then and now understand the meaning of their Constitution.

March 23, 2013 – Volunteer Training for the Milton Historical Society Begins - 10:00 am – noon at the Lydia B. Cannon Museum

The Milton Historical Society is seeking residents of the region to serve as museum volunteers at its Lydia Black Cannon Museum in historic downtown Milton.  Volunteering for the MHS is a great way to learn about the history of the area and meet others who share your interests. If you are a friendly person who loves meeting new people, learning and sharing, this important volunteer position is for you.

As hosts and guides, volunteers make an important contribution to the vitality of the museum.  Without our volunteers, the museum could not be open on a regularly scheduled basis.  The museum is often the first stop for visitors to Milton, so you may also help visitors discover the many other attractions in the town and in the area.

A four-session training class is offered each spring.  This year the classes will be held on the following Saturdays, March 23, April 6, April 27, and May 4 from 10:00 am – 12:00 noon at the museum.  The sessions are interesting and provide an opportunity for interaction.  After completing the training, you are asked to commit a minimum of four hours volunteer time per month between Memorial Day and Labor Day and at least four hours per quarter throughout the year.

To sign up for training, call the museum at 302-684-1010 or email visit@historicmilton.org

APRIL

April 6, 2013 -  Volunteer Training for the Milton Historical Society - 10:00 am – noon at the Lydia B. Cannon Museum

The Milton Historical Society is seeking residents of the region to serve as museum volunteers at its Lydia Black Cannon Museum in historic downtown Milton.  Volunteering for the MHS is a great way to learn about the history of the area and meet others who share your interests. If you are a friendly person who loves meeting new people, learning and sharing, this important volunteer position is for you.

As hosts and guides, volunteers make an important contribution to the vitality of the museum.  Without our volunteers, the museum could not be open on a regularly scheduled basis.  The museum is often the first stop for visitors to Milton, so you may also help visitors discover the many other attractions in the town and in the area.

A four-session training class is offered each spring.  This year the classes will be held on the following Saturdays, March 23, April 6, April 27, and May 4 from 10:00 am – 12:00 noon at the museum.  The sessions are interesting and provide an opportunity for interaction.  After completing the training, you are asked to commit a minimum of four hours volunteer time per month between Memorial Day and Labor Day and at least four hours per quarter throughout the year.

To sign up for training, call the museum at 302-684-1010 or email visit@historicmilton.org

 

April 20, 2013 – Milton Historical Society Annual Dinner – Doors open at 5 pm for happy hour with dinner served at 6 pm – Milton Fire Hall, 116 Front St. in Milton

The 8th Annual Milton Historical Society dinner will once again provide an enjoyable evening for members and friends to socialize and celebrate the generous commitment of our volunteers, members and community that sustains our museum and organization.

A traditional southern Delaware dinner will be catered by Jimmy’s Grill including baked ham, fried chicken, chicken salad, macaroni and cheese, strawberry pretzel salad, green beans, sweet potato soufflé, parsley potatoes, cole slaw, rolls, assorted desserts, iced tea, and coffee. A cash bar will offer beer and wine. There will be a short presentation when the “2012 Volunteer of the Year” will be announced.

Tickets must be purchased in advance at the Lydia B. Cannon Museum until April 14. Tickets are $20 for adults, $7.50 for children 7 – 12, and free for children 6 and under. No tickets will be sold at the door.  For more information or to purchase tickets, call 302-684-1010 or email info@historicmilton.org. All proceeds will benefit the Milton Historical Society.

 

April 26, 2013 -  Milton Arts Guild Exhibit –  ”Comparisons - 6 Artists, 5 Works Each, 5 Subjects” through May 11

In this exhibit, five Lower Delaware artists, who are members of the Milton Arts Guild, have each painted five paintings in their own style based on recent photographs by Keith Steck of  scenes in Milton and Prime Hook Nature Preserve.  The exhibition invites viewers to compare how skilled artists will approach the same subject matter from very different angles and come up with results that display their own ideas of color, form, and style.  Each interpretation presents a varied way of looking at the same thing.

The artists are:  Photographer; Keith Steck.   Painters; Jean Bowers, Eddie Filemyr, Aurelio Grisanty, Earl Norman, and Ray Petersen.

 

April 26, 2013 –  Opening Reception for “Comparisons – 5 Artists, 5 Works Each, 5 Subjects” – 5:00 – 7:00 pm, Lydia B. Cannon Museum, Free

Meet the artists and enjoy  wine and light hors d’oeurvre while previewing the work in this exhibit.

April 27, 2013 -  Volunteer Training for the Milton Historical Society – 10:00 am – noon at the Lydia B. Cannon Museum

The Milton Historical Society is seeking residents of the region to serve as museum volunteers at its Lydia Black Cannon Museum in historic downtown Milton.  Volunteering for the MHS is a great way to learn about the history of the area and meet others who share your interests. If you are a friendly person who loves meeting new people, learning and sharing, this important volunteer position is for you.

As hosts and guides, volunteers make an important contribution to the vitality of the museum.  Without our volunteers, the museum could not be open on a regularly scheduled basis.  The museum is often the first stop for visitors to Milton, so you may also help visitors discover the many other attractions in the town and in the area.

A four-session training class is offered each spring.  This year the classes will be held on the following Saturdays, March 23, April 6, April 27, and May 4 from 10:00 am – 12:00 noon at the museum.  The sessions are interesting and provide an opportunity for interaction.  After completing the training, you are asked to commit a minimum of four hours volunteer time per month between Memorial Day and Labor Day and at least four hours per quarter throughout the year.

To sign up for training, call the museum at 302-684-1010 or email visit@historicmilton.org

MAY

May 6, 2013 -  Volunteer Training for the Milton Historical Society – 10:00 am – noon at the Lydia B. Cannon Museum

The Milton Historical Society is seeking residents of the region to serve as museum volunteers at its Lydia Black Cannon Museum in historic downtown Milton.  Volunteering for the MHS is a great way to learn about the history of the area and meet others who share your interests. If you are a friendly person who loves meeting new people, learning and sharing, this important volunteer position is for you.

As hosts and guides, volunteers make an important contribution to the vitality of the museum.  Without our volunteers, the museum could not be open on a regularly scheduled basis.  The museum is often the first stop for visitors to Milton, so you may also help visitors discover the many other attractions in the town and in the area.

A four-session training class is offered each spring.  This year the classes will be held on the following Saturdays, March 23, April 6, April 27, and May 4 from 10:00 am – 12:00 noon at the museum.  The sessions are interesting and provide an opportunity for interaction.  After completing the training, you are asked to commit a minimum of four hours volunteer time per month between Memorial Day and Labor Day and at least four hours per quarter throughout the year.

To sign up for training, call the museum at 302-684-1010 or email visit@historicmilton.org

May 8, 2013 – Milton Historical Society Day Trip to the National Constitution Center and The Fabric Workshop and Museum in Philadelphia –leave Milton at 8 am – return at approx. 6:30 pm – $75 members/$85 non-members includes admissions, lunch, bus and snacks on the bus.

After learning about the National Constitution Center and “Signers Hall” during our Speaker’s Series this past winter, it was clear that MHS should plan a visit.  Located on Independence Mall, the Center explains the history of the U.S. Constitution through a theatre presentation, Freedom Rising, and creative exhibits with artifacts and original documents.  We will also mingle among the life-sized sculptures of the 39 signers of the Constitution and the 3 dissenters – an amazing experience in Signer’s Hall.  A lunch will be provided in the Delegates’ Café.

Following lunch, we will tour the Fabric Workshop and Museum founded in 1977 with the visionary purpose to stimulate experimentation among leading contemporary artists and to share the process of creating works of art with the public.  The museum provides studio facilities, equipment and expert technicians to foster creativity.  Originally, FWM invited artists to experiment solely with fabric.  Now a wide range of innovative materials and media are used by the artists from diverse artistic backgrounds including sculpture, installation, video, painting, ceramics, and architecture.  The FWM is recognized as an internationally acclaimed contemporary art museum.

May 18, 2013 – Boats, Buttons, Beans, and Beer!  Walking & Brewery Tour in Milton – 10 am – noon

The Milton Historical Society and Dogfish Head Brewery provide a joint historical walking tour and brewery tour in Milton.  Milton was originally known as the “Head of the Broadkill” and enjoys a rich heritage with 198 structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  The walking tour reviews the town’s early history and includes a lively discussion of the ship captains and seafaring men who called Milton home.  A breoad range of architectural styles will be featured and button sheds, barns, and outbuildings will be discussed as the tour winds through side lanes and alleys.  The tur will also include a history of the King Cole Cannery, part of the site where Dogfish Head Brewery is located.

The tour will last approximately 2 hours ( 10 – 10:45 walking outdoors and 11 – noon for the brewery tour).  The walk covers a little over a mile.  Sturdy, closed-toe walking shoes are required.  Bring and use plenty of sun block, hats are recommended.  ID is required for the beer tasting after the brewery tour.

Tour dates: May 18, June 22, July 20, August, 17, and Sept. 28.  This tour is limited to 15 people, the cost is $5 for non-MHS members and free for MHS member.  Reservations are required.  Reserve your tour by calling 302-684-1010 or sending an email to visit@historicmilton.com.

 

May 23, 2013 -  Milton Arts Guild Exhibit -  through June 8

 

May 23, 2013 – Milton Arts Guild –Opening Reception – 5:00 – 7:00 pm, Lydia B. Cannon Museum, Free

Meet the artists and enjoy wine and light hors d’oeurvre while previewing the work in this exhibit.

 

Milton’s Horseshoe Crab Festival – Saturday, May 25, 2013

 

JUNE

June 14, 2013 – John F. Kennedy in June, 1963: A Portrait of Presidential Leadership – A talk and discussion with Daniel Pritchett - 7:00 pm at the Lydia B. Cannon Museum, Free

Fifty years ago, in the last year of his brief presidency, John Fitzgerald Kennedy dramatically illustrated his mastery of the office and his growth as a leader.  With three eloquent and historic speeches and a triumphant foreign trip—all taking place within three unforgettable weeks—JFK entered the realm of true greatness.  This talk will take us back a half-century to look again at our youngest elected president, the three speeches that still powerfully resonate today, and the foreign trip which demonstrated his tremendous popularity around the world. Looking back to that remarkable month can remind us why his death five months later is still painful to recall.

Daniel Pritchett has been teaching American history since 1969, 34 years in the Capital School District in Dover and then as an adjunct professor at Delaware State University. He presently teaches classes at the Osher Academy of Lifelong Learning in Dover and is a speaker for the Delaware Humanities Forum. A native of West Virginia, he now lives in Smyrna.

June 22, 2013 – Boats, Buttons, Beans, and Beer!  Walking & Brewery Tour in Milton -  10 am – noon

The Milton Historical Society and Dogfish Head Brewery provide a joint historical walking tour and brewery tour in Milton.  Milton was originally known as the “Head of the Broadkill” and enjoys a rich heritage with 198 structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  The walking tour reviews the town’s early history and includes a lively discussion of the ship captains and seafaring men who called Milton home.  A breoad range of architectural styles will be featured and button sheds, barns, and outbuildings will be discussed as the tour winds through side lanes and alleys.  The tur will also include a history of the King Cole Cannery, part of the site where Dogfish Head Brewery is located.

The tour will last approximately 2 hours ( 10 – 10:45 walking outdoors and 11 – noon for the brewery tour).  The walk covers a little over a mile.  Sturdy, closed-toe walking shoes are required.  Bring and use plenty of sun block, hats are recommended.  ID is required for the beer tasting after the brewery tour.

Tour dates: May 18, June 22, July 20, August, 17, and Sept. 28.  This tour is limited to 15 people, the cost is $5 for non-MHS members and free for MHS member.  Reservations are required.  Reserve your tour by calling 302-684-1010 or sending an email to visit@historicmilton.com.

 

JULY

July 20, 2013 - Boats, Buttons, Beans, and Beer!  Walking & Brewery Tour in Milton - 10 am – noon

The Milton Historical Society and Dogfish Head Brewery provide a joint historical walking tour and brewery tour in Milton.  Milton was originally known as the “Head of the Broadkill” and enjoys a rich heritage with 198 structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  The walking tour reviews the town’s early history and includes a lively discussion of the ship captains and seafaring men who called Milton home.  A breoad range of architectural styles will be featured and button sheds, barns, and outbuildings will be discussed as the tour winds through side lanes and alleys.  The tur will also include a history of the King Cole Cannery, part of the site where Dogfish Head Brewery is located.

The tour will last approximately 2 hours ( 10 – 10:45 walking outdoors and 11 – noon for the brewery tour).  The walk covers a little over a mile.  Sturdy, closed-toe walking shoes are required.  Bring and use plenty of sun block, hats are recommended.  ID is required for the beer tasting after the brewery tour.

Tour dates: May 18, June 22, July 20, August, 17, and Sept. 28.  This tour is limited to 15 people, the cost is $5 for non-MHS members and free for MHS member.  Reservations are required.  Reserve your tour by calling 302-684-1010 or sending an email to visit@historicmilton.com.

AUGUST

Family Fun Day in Milton – date to be determined

August 17, 2013 - Boats, Buttons, Beans, and Beer!  Walking & Brewery Tour in Milton - 10 am – noon

The Milton Historical Society and Dogfish Head Brewery provide a joint historical walking tour and brewery tour in Milton.  Milton was originally known as the “Head of the Broadkill” and enjoys a rich heritage with 198 structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  The walking tour reviews the town’s early history and includes a lively discussion of the ship captains and seafaring men who called Milton home.  A breoad range of architectural styles will be featured and button sheds, barns, and outbuildings will be discussed as the tour winds through side lanes and alleys.  The tur will also include a history of the King Cole Cannery, part of the site where Dogfish Head Brewery is located.

The tour will last approximately 2 hours ( 10 – 10:45 walking outdoors and 11 – noon for the brewery tour).  The walk covers a little over a mile.  Sturdy, closed-toe walking shoes are required.  Bring and use plenty of sun block, hats are recommended.  ID is required for the beer tasting after the brewery tour.

Tour dates: May 18, June 22, July 20, August, 17, and Sept. 28.  This tour is limited to 15 people, the cost is $5 for non-MHS members and free for MHS member.  Reservations are required.  Reserve your tour by calling 302-684-1010 or sending an email to visit@historicmilton.com.

SEPTEMBER

Annual Milton Antique Show – date to be determined

“Best of Milton” Auction and Party – Saturday, September 21, 2013

Boats, Buttons, Beans, and Beer!  Walking & Brewery Tour in Milton – September 28 – 10 am – noon

The Milton Historical Society and Dogfish Head Brewery provide a joint historical walking tour and brewery tour in Milton.  Milton was originally known as the “Head of the Broadkill” and enjoys a rich heritage with 198 structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  The walking tour reviews the town’s early history and includes a lively discussion of the ship captains and seafaring men who called Milton home.  A breoad range of architectural styles will be featured and button sheds, barns, and outbuildings will be discussed as the tour winds through side lanes and alleys.  The tur will also include a history of the King Cole Cannery, part of the site where Dogfish Head Brewery is located.

The tour will last approximately 2 hours ( 10 – 10:45 walking outdoors and 11 – noon for the brewery tour).  The walk covers a little over a mile.  Sturdy, closed-toe walking shoes are required.  Bring and use plenty of sun block, hats are recommended.  ID is required for the beer tasting after the brewery tour.

Tour dates: May 18, June 22, July 20, August, 17, and Sept. 28.  This tour is limited to 15 people, the cost is $5 for non-MHS members and free for MHS member.  Reservations are required.  Reserve your tour by calling 302-684-1010 or sending an email to visit@historicmilton.com.

OCTOBER

Fall Into Milton Festival – date to be determined

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER