Port Penn Area Historical Society

10/22/2026

We will be having a Historic Town Tour this coming Saturday at 2:00 pm. Hope to see you there!

Please note: The time for this program has changed from previously posted ads. This program will be starting at 2:00 pm, NOT 10:00 am.

10/14/2026

Cemeteries are wonderful windows into local and family history! Join historian Mike Dixon for Tales the Tombstones Whisper, exploring the history, symbolism, and stories behind old gravestones.

📅 Monday, October 19, at 6 p.m.

A great program for anyone interested in history, genealogy, and historic preservation. Registration required.

Cemeteries hold more local history than most people realize.

Join the Delaware City Library on Monday, Oct. 19, at 6 p.m. for Tales the Tombstones Whisper: Understanding the History of Cemeteries, a look at what headstones, burial customs, and cemetery design can teach us about the people who came before.

It's a thoughtful way to spend an October evening exploring the region's history.

Learn more and register through the Delaware City Public Library.

delawarelibraries.libcal.com/event/17501918

10/13/2026

Preservation work continues at the historic Stewart Family Cemetery located just outside of Port Penn.

Kristin Cardi, Architectural Conservator with Heritage Conservation Collective, is on site today carefully straightening grave markers. We're also pleased to report that the cemetery is looking great, with virtually no biological growth on the stones and the landscaping holding up well.

Many thanks to Kristin for her expertise and dedication to preserving this historic site!

www.conservationhc.com

10/08/2026

SAVE THE DATE!

The Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs (HCA) cordially invites you to the John Dickinson Plantation Visitor Center Opening and Ribbon Cutting.

When: Saturday, October 10, 2026, at 10:00 AM

Where: 250 Kitts Hummock Road, Dover, DE 19901

We are thrilled to open this new facility, which features dedicated community meeting space and exciting educational opportunities. The grand opening will mark the debut of our new exhibition, “One Land Many Voices.”

Following the ceremony, we invite you to stay and enjoy Revolutionary Trades Day, running from 10:30 AM to 4:00 PM.

This event is free and open to the public. We look forward to celebrating with you!

10/07/2026

Our friends at the Delaware City Public Library have another great local history program coming up!

Join Jake Miller of Fort Delaware State Park for “Death in Victorian America” on October 14. Jake will explore Victorian-era rituals and customs surrounding death, along with the ways the Civil War changed Americans’ experiences and expectations around death and mourning.

📅 October 14 | 6:00–7:00 PM
📍 Delaware City Public Library
Registration requested.

Mourning in the Victorian era followed its own set of customs, rules, and rituals.

Join Fort Delaware State Park on Wednesday, Oct. 14, at 6 p.m. at the Delaware City Library for Death in Victorian America, a look at how 19th-century families grieved, remembered, and marked loss.

It's a window into daily life during a period defined as much by its customs around death as its customs around living.

Learn more and register through the Delaware City Public Library.

delawarelibraries.libcal.com/event/17378257

10/05/2026

Help highlight the history, character, and places that make our Bayshore communities, including Port Penn, special!

The Delaware Bayshore Byway is seeking public input on recommended walking itineraries. Join the public meeting on Tuesday, October 20, and share your ideas and feedback.

10/02/2026

Delaware City Day is tomorrow!

Come out and enjoy a full day of music, food, family fun, the parade, boat rides, and fireworks to end the day! Hope to see you there!

07/29/2026

Fort DuPont has played an important role in the history of the Delaware River and our community.

Fort DuPont was built to protect the Delaware River.

On Saturday, Aug. 1, at 6 p.m., you can learn how that mission shaped the Fort and the surrounding region.

Join Delaware State Parks for a guided Battery Hike exploring the history of coastal defense and the role Fort DuPont played for generations.

Wear waterproof shoes and be prepared for uneven terrain.

The program is free! To register, please call 302-601-6382, or email Jake at [email protected].

07/29/2026

Looking for an interesting local history program?

Join the Lenape Indian Tribe of Delaware for a screening of First People. First State: Cheswold's American Indian Community, a new documentary exploring the history and heritage of Delaware's Native community.

The event includes a welcome from Chief Dennis Coker, a brief discussion of the film's creation, a screening of the 48-minute documentary, and a Q&A session.

We're happy to share this opportunity with those interested in Delaware history.

Join us for a film screening of a new documentary: First People. First State: Cheswold's American Indian Community, a new documentary developed by the Lenape Indian Tribe of Delaware!

Register here: https://delawarelibraries.libcal.com/event/17131306

The event will include a welcome from Chief Dennis Coker and a brief overview of the film's creation, a screening of the 48-minute-long film, and a Q&A.

07/25/2026

Augustine Beach was once one of the great tourist sites of Delaware! Listen to the words of Ray Armstrong, who grew up in Port Penn in the 40s and 50s:

"At that time Tommy Texas had what they call the Augustinian Hoetown which was an amusement park....There's always something to do; if it wasn't on the amusement park side it was on the river side. Swimming and playing all day. For a small park they had just about everything. I know they had the train ride, to circle the whole park, the merry-go-round, chair-planes, and all the arcades, ball pitching and all that. It was pretty complete for a small park."

From an interview between Ray Armstrong and Mike Miller, February 27, 1997. Excerpt edited for clarity.