Delaware artifacts grace governor’s office, public spaces

With hundreds of thousands of historic artifacts to care for and display, the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs (HCA) is always looking for new ways to encourage public access to pieces of First State history. With the arrival of a new administration in state government also comes an opportunity to display historic artifacts in the public spaces used by some of the state’s elected officials.

In Governor Matt Meyer’s office at Carvel in Wilmington, two built-in cabinets have long displayed decorative dishes, but now include much more.

Each of the cabinets’ four shelves honors statewide and county-specific times in history, from commemorative plates from across the First State to a 1980s bumper sticker. A baseball glove from the 1930s-era Sussex Bees team marks the southernmost shelf, along with a baseball Meyer threw at a Blue Rocks game. A printing plate from a Milford factory that employed area women and even a cardboard milk container from West End Dairy offers small glimpses into what life was like over the years in Delaware.

“It’s decorative, but it’s primarily interpretive,” explained Kira Lyle, HCA’s state collections manager. “It’s an interesting and unique experience to incorporate historic interpretation into an office setting.”

Meanwhile, behind the governor’s desk in Tatnall is a navigation light from one of the decommissioned Cape May-Lewes ferries, as well as a Dolle’s saltwater taffy box. A ceramic crock from a business in western Sussex County represents the southern part of the state.

Some of these objects will be rotated for others that might otherwise not find a place to be on display. Various items in the state’s historic collections may not fit a specific theme or area of a specific historic site or museum, so taking advantage of unique opportunities to display items in the governor’s offices also offers room for Delaware’s historians to get a little creative.

Many of these items focus on different strengths and times of Delaware’s economy, and some may be swapped out in the future.