"Shells, Bells and Knots: Maritime Skills at Zwaanendael"
Program to be held on October 6, 2007
| Dover, Delaware - September 25, 2007 Visitors to Lewes, Delaware will have an exciting opportunity to learn about the importance of the oyster in Delaware's maritime history and the mysterious and valuable archaeological information that can be gleaned from the leftover shells of these succulent mollusks. These and other maritime-related activities will be offered in the program, "Shells, Bells and Knots: Maritime Skills at Zwaanendael," that will take place on Saturday, October 6, 2007, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m., at the Zwaanendael Museum, 102 Kings Highway, Lewes, Delaware.
Held in conjunction with Lewes' annual "Boast the Coast" festival, "Shells, Bells and Knots" programs will include an oyster informational display, an oyster bushel count contest, and an oyster craft activity. Additional maritime activities will include rope- and net-making demonstrations, knot-tying, Crown and Anchor, a block and tackle exhibit, ship's bells, and a reading from an account of a trial of a pirate who committed murder on board an oyster sloop. Admission to the Zwaanendael Museum is free and open to the public. For additional information, call 302-645-1148. For information on the "Boast the Coast" festival, call 877-465-3937 or visit their website. The Zwaanendael Museum was built in 1931 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the state's first European colony, Swanendael, established by the Dutch along Hoorn Kill (present-day Lewes-Rehoboth Canal) in 1631. Designed by E. William Martin (architect of Legislative Hall and the Hall of Records in Dover), the museum is modeled after the town hall in Hoorn, the Netherlands, and features a stepped facade gable with carved stonework and decorated shutters. The museum's exhibits and presentations provide a showcase for Lewes-area maritime, military, and social history. In addition to "Shells, Bells and Knots" activities, the museum is currently featuring the exhibit, "Rediscovery Through Recovery," which displays artifacts from the wreck of the Severn, a British commercial ship that sank off Lewes' Roosevelt Inlet in the late 18th century. The Zwaanendael Museum is one of eight museums administered by the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs (HCA), an agency of the State of Delaware. HCA enhances Delaware's quality of life by preserving the state's unique historical heritage, fostering community stability and economic vitality, and providing educational programs and assistance to the general public on Delaware history and heritage. In addition to its museums, HCA operates two conference centers and manages over thirty historic properties across Delaware. Funding for HCA's museums, programs, and services is provided by annual appropriations from the Delaware General Assembly, revenue from HCA's History Stores, and grants from the National Park Service, a federal agency. |
