DOVER, DE (March 1, 2022) – Young Delaware companies in need of funding to help expand their business can now apply to compete for an Encouraging Development, Growth and Expansion (EDGE) Grant from the Division of Small Business. The division will be accepting EDGE Grant applications until March 31 from promising early-stage businesses throughout Delaware. […]

Ten Delaware high school students to compete for the state title and to advance to virtual National Finals MEDIA ADVISORY March 2, 2022 WHAT: Ten Delaware high school students participated in the taped state finals for Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest that will premiere on the Delaware Division of the Arts’ YouTube channel. The […]

In celebration of Women’s History Month, the Delaware Heritage Commission is proud to present “Beneath Thy Guiding Hand: A History of Women at the University of Delaware” as our Book of the Week. – by noted Delaware historian and history professor Dr. Carol E. Hoffecker!   You can view and/or download a PDF version of […]

In examining Delaware’s environmental past, “Man and Nature” provides a basic description of the extraordinary changes in the state’s natural world over the last four centuries. From the early days of European colonization, during which Delawareans had to overcome and adapt in the face of a strange new land, to the modern era, in which […]

Wilmington, Del. (March 10, 2022) – From a field of ten Delaware high school students, Natalie Kim Ramos, a senior from Saint Mark’s High School, earned the title of 2022 Poetry Out Loud Delaware State Champion at the virtual state finals held on March 10. The first runner-up was Kai Schmiedel from Delaware Valley Classical […]

Delaware’s History stretches back almost four hundred years, with its first European settlers landing long before it became the First State. By the time the American Revolution ended, Delaware had been ruled by three different kingdoms and had endured several major conflicts. In “Colonial Delaware: A History”, John A. Munroe examines Delaware’s rich history, from […]

  It is with heavy hearts that we observe the passing of Delaware Supreme Court Justice and Historian Randy J. Holland. Justice Holland was appointed to the Delaware Supreme Court in 1986 and served until his retirement in 2017. During his long career, Justice Holland received numerous awards and accolades for his service, wrote several […]

During the past decade, the world has mourned the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War I as well as celebrated the 100th anniversary of its conclusion. It was a conflict that would change the world forever and consume the lives of millions of people. Francis A. Ianni, a retired Major General in the […]

NEW CASTLE, DE (March 28, 2022) – The Council on Development Finance (CDF) on Monday approved eight Site Readiness Fund project applications totaling $6.2 million. The projects are located throughout the state with three each in New Castle County and Kent County and two in Sussex County. Established through Senate Bill 127, the Site Readiness […]

In 1972, Delaware formed a commission to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the American Revolution. Realizing the need to record, celebrate, and preserve Delaware’s history, this commission was made a permanent institution: the Delaware Heritage Commission. For fifty years, the Commission has worked to educate the public, record our history, and preserve our legacy. History […]

The State of Delaware Historical Markers Program will unveil its newest Historical Marker for the Surf Safety Line at Rehoboth Beach. This dedication will be held on Thursday, April 14th, 2022 at 10:00 AM at: The Bandstand 1 Rehoboth Avenue Rehoboth Beach, Delaware 19971   The Surf Safety Line was a project funded by the […]

The Delaware Heritage Commission began its long career by commemorating the 200th anniversary of the American Revolution. With the Commission currently making plans to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Revolution in 2026, we are proud to present “Liberty and Independence”. Originally published by the Commission in 1976 for the Bicentennial, we are proud to […]

Free one-day-only affair showcases one of Delaware’s most historic estates

Another publication from the Bicentennial of the American Revolution, Dr. Carol Hoffecker’s comprehensive guide to Delaware’s history was one of the Heritage Commission’s first projects. This book is a valuable resource for those interested in the long history of the First State. Delaware: The First State – by Dr. Carol Hoffecker   You can view […]

During the American Civil War, Delaware was just as divided as the rest of the nation. While being home to abolitionists, Underground Railroad conductors, and many volunteers, Delaware was also a border state and resisted the final termination of slavery. Harold Hancock discusses Delaware’s political climate during the Civil War and the social and economic […]

The foundation of Delaware’s democracy is its General Assembly. A body that has governed both the colony and state of Delaware for over three hundred years, it has been the voice of the people in our government and has affected almost every aspect of our lives. Dr. Carol Hoffecker’s “Democracy in Delaware” discusses the role […]

Free one-day-only affair showcases one of Delaware’s most historic estates.

DOVER, Del. – The Delaware Division of Small Business launched SizeUpDelaware this week, making powerful market research and business intelligence available to small businesses to help them succeed. Small business owners in Delaware can now access industry-specific and hyperlocal information to help them grow and make smarter decisions using Big Data analysis. The research is individually […]

The history of the Revolutionary War is full of heroes, men like George Washington, Marquis de Lafayette, and Nathanial Greene. Although many have been immortalized in song and verse, others have fallen into obscurity. Allen McLane is one such hero, serving as a soldier, a spy, a statesman, and more. This book, written as a […]

Since the public announcement of Dolly’s arrival in Delaware last week, more than 1,000 Delaware children have been signed up for the Imagination Library. As of last week, over 21,000 Delaware children are enrolled in the program.

For Immediate Release | May 11, 2022 (Milford, DE) – Delaware Libraries invite local families to the Milford Public Library, 11 SE Front St, Milford, DE 19963, on Wednesday, May 11 at 11:00am to celebrate the arrival of a new interactive, literacy tool for children. The Toniebox, a reading device for preschoolers and elementary school […]

The son of a Delaware Revolutionary War veteran, Thomas Macdonough would serve with distinction in the War of 1812. After the climactic Battle of Lake Champlain, Macdonough would go down in history as one of Delaware greatest military heroes. In her biography, Virginia M. Burdick discusses the life and times of Captain Macdonough and tells […]

Delaware was the first state to ratify the Constitution but possibly the last state to settle its boundaries. Delaware has the distinction of the being the only state with a round border and the only state that lies completely east of the Mason-Dixon Line. Roger E. Nathan’s work discusses how Delaware’s territory changed during the […]

The Office of Veterans Services and the Delaware Commission of Veterans Affairs have scheduled two events in observance of Memorial Day. As in previous years, OVS and the Commission will host ceremonies on separate days. The first will take place on Saturday, May 28, 2022, at the Delaware Veterans Memorial Day Cemetery in Bear. The […]

Each year, the Biggs Museum of American Art, in partnership with the Delaware Division of the Arts, exhibits the work of Delaware’s Individual Artist Fellows. The Award Winners XXII exhibition recognizes the Fellows’ combined artistic accomplishments and will be on view from June 3 to July 23, 2022.

When Pete DuPont was elected governor in 1977, Delaware was facing and severe economic downturn, substantial budget deficits, and the second-highest unemployment rate in the nation. Despite these challenges, the DuPont administration would achieve long-lasting solutions to the State’s woes and improve the lives of Delaware’s citizens. Larry Nagengast’s history of the DuPont administration is […]

The Delaware Division of the Arts’ Mezzanine Gallery presents artist Samara Weaver’s exhibition, Explorations Through Materiality, running June 3 through 24, 2022. Guests are invited to attend a Meet-the-Artist Reception to be held Friday, June 3, from 5-7 p.m. as part of Art Loop Wilmington. 

The month of June is Caribbean-American Heritage Month—a month dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the significance of Caribbean people and their descendants in the history and culture of the United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of June 2019, the Caribbean-American population of the U.S. was more than 13 million. “Caribbean Americans have […]

William Hare operated the largest pottery business in Delaware, despite not having a large, industrialized operation. Christopher Espenshade’s study of Hare’s work provides insight into Delaware’s pottery industry, 19th-century changes in pottery products, and the development of the modern city of Wilmington. William Hare: Master Potter of Wilmington, Delaware, 1839-1885 – by Christopher Espenshade   […]

George Alfred Townsend, known by his pen-name Gath, was one of Delaware’s most famous writers of the 19th century. Born the son of a Methodist pastor in Georgetown, Townsend would work as a war correspondent during the Civil War, write for several newspapers, and publish several books, both fictional and biographical. Many of Gath’s works […]

Museum honored for its project “Search, Discovery, and Interpretation of the African Burial Ground at the John Dickinson Plantation.”

With an introduction by Heritage Commission Chair Richard Carter, the journals of Reverend Wells provide a unique perspective on life in Sussex County at the turn of the century. Wells’ original journals still exist and can be viewed at the at the Delaware Public Archives. The Journals of the Reverend Lewis Wheeler Wells, Rector of […]

Delaware’s Coastal Defenses, tells the stories of two of Delaware’s longest-standing coastal forts: Fort Saulsbury, built during the Second World War and used as a prisoner-of-war camp, and Fort Miles, a location that has played a role in our state’s defense since the Revolutionary War, and the men who served and defended our shores. – […]

Secretary of State Jeff Bullock on Monday announced that Suzanne Savery will lead the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs as its next director after Tim Slavin’s departure on June 30, 2022. Ms. Savery most recently served as the deputy director of the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs and will assume the […]

Originally written by the Federal Writers Project as part of their classic “American Guide” series, this reprint depicts history, life, travel, and recreation in Delaware as it was in 1938. Including a full-size replica of the original tour map, this comprehensive guide includes art and engravings of various historic locations, dozens of vintage photos, and […]

Piloting, or the navigation of ship, is one of the oldest and most important professions on the North American coast. Traversing unfamiliar shores and unforgiving waters, early American merchant ships heavily relied on skilled pilots to travel safely from port to port. Andrew Knopp’s history, “One Hundred Year History of the Pilot’s Association, Bay and […]

Originally published by the Heritage Commission in 1988, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the ratification of the Constitution, the Delaware Heritage Cookbook is a collection of traditional, Delaware recipes, submitted by families from all over the First State. Now available digitally for the first time, we invite you to join us in celebrating Delaware’s […]

This year the Division will invest nearly $3 million in more than 100 arts and community organizations WILMINGTON, DEL. (July 15, 2022) – The Delaware Division of the Arts is investing nearly $3 million in more than 110 arts and community organizations that will serve Delawareans statewide with arts programming and services, arts education, and […]

MILFORD, Del. (July 21, 2022) – The Delaware Division of Small Business recognized 10 small businesses Thursday as winners of the fifth round of Encouraging Development, Growth and Expansion (EDGE) grants. Awardees in the latest round of the competition include a company that created a resorbable vascular stent, a Puerto Rican inspired bakery, an outdoor […]

“Reminiscence Of A Town That Thought It Would Be A Metropolis: Delaware City, Delaware” presents reminiscences of the late William O. Wingate, who lived in Delaware City and was born in the last quarter of the the nineteenth century. Wingate’s writings were found in the local collection of the Delaware City Library and provides a […]

  Delaware Division of the Arts Winners to be Exhibited at CAMP Rehoboth   WILMINGTON, DEL. (July 29, 2022) – Works by the Delaware Division of the Arts award winners will be exhibited from Monday, August 1, to Monday, September 5, at CAMP Rehoboth located at 37 Baltimore, Ave., Rehoboth Beach. A winners reception is […]

This week, the Delaware Heritage Commission is proud to present the first installment in its Oral History series, now available in a digital format. This biographical series tells the stories of some of Delaware’s most notable governors, and we begin this week with Elbert Carvel. Consisting of interviews conducted with the governor between 1976 and […]

DOVER, Del. (August 1, 2022) – The Delaware Division of Small Business announced today that it is now accepting applications for the Site Readiness Fund from qualified businesses or local governments. Established through Senate Bill 127, the fund promotes economic growth and stability by investing in the development or improvement of commercial and industrial sites […]

This week we continue the Delaware Heritage Commission’s Oral History Series with Governor Sherman W. Tribbitt. Compiled using interviews conducted with Tribbitt and his colleagues, this book details the accomplishments and controversies of the governor’s administration. – by Roger A. Martin   You can view and/or download a PDF version of this book here.   […]

Continuing our Oral History series, this week’s Heritage Commission’s Book of the Week is, Russell W. Peterson: Governor of Delaware, 1969-1973. A reformer and an energetic leader, you can read for yourself the story of Peterson’s administration in the words of those who made it a success. – by Christopher L. Perry   You can […]

On August 10, 2022, the Public Service Commission granted the Division of the Public Advocate’s (“DPA”) petition to reduce Tidewater Utilities, Inc.’s (“Tidewater”) rates to a just and reasonable level pending further review. “No regulated utility should be allowed to earn above its authorized rate of return. While Tidewater opposed our petition, I’m delighted the […]

The Delaware Division of the Arts has announced the return of the popular transpARTation grant opportunity for Delaware schools. Schools may request up to $500 toward travel expenses, to include buses, fuel, parking, and tolls associated with these trips. “Access to the arts is pivotal to our students’ creative learning experiences and academic development as […]

On view from September 2-23, 2022 Wilmington, Del. (August 24, 2022) – The Delaware Division of the Arts’ Mezzanine Gallery presents 2022 DDOA Individual Artist Fellow Kiara Florez’s exhibition, Inner Reflections, running September 2-23, 2022. Guests are invited to attend a Meet-the-Artist Reception on Friday, September 9, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Painter Kiara Florez was always involved in […]

Our Oral History continues this week with its fourth installment: Governor Charles Terry. This volume was written by Ned Davis, Governor Terry’s Press Secretary, and contains a study of Governor Terry and his administration, using oral histories, interviews with members of the administration, and Davis’ personal recollections. – by Ned Davis   You can view […]

DOVER, DE (August 30, 2022) – Young Delaware companies in need of funding to help expand their business can apply beginning Thursday, September 1, 2022, to compete for an Encouraging Development, Growth and Expansion (EDGE) grant from the Division of Small Business. The division will be accepting EDGE grant applications September 1 through September 30 […]