Debraak Tours Attendance Increased by 38% in 2013; New Tours Scheduled for 2014

A total of 314 visitors attended the Lewes, Del. based lecture/tours of the hull of His Majesty’s Sloop DeBraak during 2013, an increase of 38% over the previous year. As a result of this continued interest, the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs will again offer tours of the historic vessel’s hull during the upcoming season that will run from late spring to early fall 2014.

Artistic rendition of the capsizing of the DeBraak by Peggy Kane, 1990.
Artistic rendition of the capsizing of the DeBraak by Peggy Kane, 1990.

The DeBraak was a British warship that was escorting and protecting a convoy of British and American merchant ships en route to the United States when it was capsized and lost off the Delaware coast on May 25, 1798. The surviving section of the ship’s hull and its associated artifact collection have been curated by the division since they were acquired by the state of Delaware in 1992. Go to the following to learn more about the historical significance of the DeBraak.

Viewing area inside the DeBraak hull facility. The surviving section of the ship’s hull can be seen in the left of the photo.
Viewing area inside the DeBraak hull facility. The surviving section of the ship’s hull can be seen in the left of the photo.

Tours will again begin at the Zwaanendael Museum, located at 102 Kings Highway in Lewes, Del., where a lecture on the ship will be presented in conjunction with “A Seaborne Citizenry: The DeBraak and Its Atlantic World,” an exhibit that tells the story of the vessel, its crew and the historical context within which it operated in the late 18th century. Ticket holders will then be transported, via van, to the DeBraak hull facility in nearby Cape Henlopen State Park for a curator-led tour of the surviving section of the ship’s hull.

Details for the 2014 season of tours including dates, times and prices will be announced via this blog in the near future. For additional information, call 302-645-1148.

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