Preservation News
An archive of historic-preservation-related articles compiled from the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs and the media.
8 things to know about newly restored World War II tower in Delaware Seashore State Park
News Journal, Wilmington, Del. — April 21, 2023
Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the tower is one of several along Delaware’s Atlantic coastline.
History Matters: Brandywine Hundred Historical Society
Delaware Public Media, Dover, Del. — April 21, 202
Aunt Mary’s continues the tradition of The Rodney
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — April 5, 2023
Find out how you can celebrate and get involved.
Celebrate historic preservation this May
National Trust for Historic Preservation, Washington, D.C. — March 13, 2023
Find out how you can celebrate and get involved.
Archaeology and history symposium at Dover’s Old State House on April 22, 2023
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — March 10, 2023
Day-long series of activities to highlight archaeological investigations, historical research and related topics for the state and surrounding areas.
Guest Commentary: ‘Green Book’ reveals bits of Black history in Delaware
Delaware State News, Dover — Feb. 26, 2023
By Carlton Hall, Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs historian, on the travel and vacation guidebook for people of color during the segregation era.
Details in Delaware: Homsey Architects
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Feb. 15, 2023
Did you know Homsey Architects, based in Wilmington, was one of the first female-led architectural firms in Delaware?
Guest Commentary: Your family’s recorded history is worth preserving
Delaware State News, Dover — Feb. 19, 2023
Article on how to compile a family’s oral history.
Cultural preservation specialist to speak at Coastal Georgetown AAUW meeting
Delaware State News, Dover, Del. — Feb. 2, 2023
Division Historian Carlton Hall to discuss Delaware sites listed in the Green Book, a vacation guide for Black travelers during the segregation era.
Commentaries on the DuPont Schools Oral History Project
By Dr. Abdullah R. Muhammad, director of the oral history project on the Delaware schools built by Pierre S. du Pont for students of color during the segregation era.
DuPont School histories share common themes, shared experiences
Delaware State News, Dover — Feb. 27, 2023
Delving into the DuPont Schools Oral History Project
Delaware State News, Dover — Feb. 5, 2023
Ebenezer Methodist Church in Townsend receives grant to preserve Black historic churches
Delaware State News, Dover, Del. — Jan. 30, 2023
National Trust for Historic Preservation awards $75,000 to help preserve church.
Call for papers: 2023 Delaware Archaeology and History Symposium
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Jan. 13, 2023
Presentations to highlight archaeological or historical research, or related topics for the State of Delaware. Deadline: March 10, 2023
National Historic Preservation Advocacy Week, March 6–8, 2023
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Jan. 12, 2023
Annual gathering promotes sound federal preservation policy and programs.
Camden, Del.’s Goggin Manor House receives $500,000 Save America’s Treasures grant
Historic property, dating to the 1700s, would be used as a museum demonstrating Kent County’s place along the Underground Railroad.
Camden’s Goggin House to get $1 million face-lift
Delaware State News, Dover, Del. — Jan. 14, 2023
Kent County Hopes to Create Museum at Historic Goggin Manor House
WBOC TV, Salisbury, Md. — Jan. 11, 2023
Goggin Manor House And Brecknock County Park To Get $1,000,000 Upgrade
First State Update, online, Del. — Jan. 8, 2023
$1,000,000 Awarded to Kent County Parks and Recreation
WRDE TV, Milton, Del. — Jan. 6, 2023
KentCo historic house, park getting upgrades
WDEL Radio, Wilmington, Del. — Jan. 6, 2023
Community feedback helps shape the future of Cooch’s Bridge
“The Green,” WDDE Radio, Dover, Del. — Dec. 16, 2022
Enhanced public access planned for the site of Delaware’s only Revolutionary War battle.
Delaware State Review Board for Historic Preservation meeting on Jan. 18, 2023
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Dec. 15, 2022
During the meeting, the Review Board will consider the amended nomination of the Rockwood Estate Historic District for submission to the National Park Service for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
Hockessin Colored School No. 107 opens as historic site
TownSquareLive, online, Del. — Dec. 14, 2022
School educated Black children during the segregation era.
DuPont Schools study expands with story map
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Dec. 13, 2022
Map will explore the dozens of early 20th century schools built for African American and Native American students in Delaware.
Caring for the HMS DeBraak
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Dec. 12, 2022
Curation upgrades help to better preserve the hull of the British warship that sank off the Delaware coast on May 25, 1798.
Pathways to expand access to John Dickinson Plantation in Dover in 2023
Delaware Public Media, Dover, Del. — Dec. 11, 2022
Paths will connect with those in the St. Jones Reserve.
17th-century life revealed at Avery’s Rest
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Dec. 5, 2022
Archaeologists use modern-day technology and DNA testing to learn about the backgrounds of 11 people buried at the site.
Milford Museum selected to participate in CAP program
MilfordLIVE, online, Del.— Dec. 5, 2022
Collections Assessment for Preservation program helps museums improve the care of their collections.
Maggie S. Myers sinks, is later refloated
Bowers Beach oyster schooner, built circa 1893 and listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, sank on Dec. 23, 2022 and was refloated on Dec. 28, 2022.
Maggie S. Myers re-floated; historic boat needs your help
TownSquareLive, online, Del. — Dec. 29, 2022
Historic Landmark Recovered from Murderkill River Awaits Repairs
WMDT TV, Salisbury, Md. — Dec. 28, 2022
Maggie S Myers Lives On
WBOC TV, Salisbury, Md. — Dec. 28, 2022
A Piece of Oyster Fishing History is Making Waves
WBOC TV, Salisbury, Md. — Dec. 26, 2022
National Trust Preservation Funds available
National Trust for Historic Preservation website, Washington, D.C.
Grants encourage preservation at the local level by supporting on-going preservation work and by providing seed money for preservation projects. Deadline: Feb. 1, 2023
Delaware Preservation Fund grants available
Preservation Delaware, Inc. website, Camden-Wyoming, Del.
Small Grant program provides financial assistance to owners of historic properties. Deadline: Feb. 3, 2023
Centreville’s Dauneport added to National Register
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Nov. 21, 2022
Property was a collaboration of two women in the early 1900s
New members join state historic preservation board
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Nov. 18, 2022
Three new members have joined the Delaware State Review Board for Historic Preservation.
Details in Delaware: Shutters
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Nov. 16, 2022
Have you ever noticed shutters on a historic home and wondered about the differing types and styles? Learn more about why those differences exist.
Lewes planners look to protect history, preserve land
Cape Gazette, Lewes, Del. — Nov. 11, 2022
Unmarked human remains may exist on the site.
‘Demystifying historic preservation‘
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Oct. 19, 2022
The Sussex County Association of Realtors will host a symposium on historic preservation on Tuesday, Nov. 22.
Despite initial controversy, construction on the Green Mansion and Main Street hotel continues
The Review, University of Delaware, Newark — Oct. 19, 2022
National-Register-listed Newark property facing development changes.
The colorful life of John Avery, the owner of historic Avery’s Rest
Salisbury Daily Times, Md. — Oct. 14, 2022
Article on the 17th century Delaware colonist.
Details in Delaware: Boot scrapers
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Oct. 5, 2022
Clean your shoes with a boot scraper at the Wilmington Friends Meeting House.
African American Civil Rights grant opportunity
National Parks Service website, Washington, D.C.
Funding available through the African American Civil Rights Grant Program. Deadline: Nov. 8, 2022
Enlighten Me: Incredible progress being made in restoring Newark Union Church and Cemetery
Delaware Public Media, Dover, Del. — Sept. 30, 2022
Historic church north of Wilmington was built in 1845.
Milton Historic District listing is amended
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Sept. 20, 2022
Extensive research and surveys have led to an updated and expanded listing of the Milton Historic District in the National Register.
State review board to hold annual business meeting
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Sept. 14, 2022
The Delaware State Review Board for Historic Preservation will hold its annual business meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 19.
Preservation Delaware hosts annual meeting
Preservation Delaware, New Castle
Join the statewide nonprofit Oct. 20-22 for its 2022 Annual Conference, which will be held virtually over Zoom.
South The Historic District of Milton is Expanding to Include More Historic Homes
WBOC TV, Salisbury, Md. — Aug. 30, 2022
Proposed expansion would include 417 buildings, structures and sites.
For historical preservation, climate is key
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Aug. 18, 2022
Rising temperatures require new solutions.
Join us at two Historic Preservation public forums Sept. 21
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Aug. 17, 2022
Public invited to share ideas on how to advance historic preservation in Delaware.
Your preservation questions answered
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Aug. 17, 2022
Learn more about historic preservation in the First State in this Q&A with Delaware’s Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer.
Details in Delaware: Serpentine stone
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Aug. 16, 2022
Read on to learn about this greenish gemstone that was once popular as a building material, but had its flaws.
Delaware’s history as part of the Underground Railroad to be preserved in new museum
News Journal, Wilmington, Del. — Aug. 11, 2022
Historic farmhouse at Brecknock Park in Camden, Del. to house the facility.
Enlighten Me: Preserving the 180-year-old Buttonwood home
Delaware Public Media, Dover, Del. — Aug. 5, 2022
New Castle property faces ‘demolition by neglect.”
History of Equal Rights Grants
National Parks Service website, Washington, D.C.
Grants will help preserve sites related to the struggle to achieve the ideal of equal rights in America. Deadline: Sept. 14, 2022
Another Favorite Local Building is a Tribute to African-American History
Cape Gazette, Lewes, Del. — July 27, 2022
Nassau School outside Lewes was built by industrialist Pierre S. du Pont to educate Black students during the segregation era.
Renovations ongoing at Fenwick Lighthouse complex
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — July 14, 2022
Rehabilitation efforts, including exterior updates, at the light keeper’s house continue as historians aim to preserve this coastal Delaware landmark.
Explore CHRIS, Delaware history’s online resource
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — July 12, 2022
Residents and researchers can access the web-based mapping system known as CHRIS to explore Delaware’s historic places and National Register nominations over the years.
Historic Achmester estate falls victim to ‘demolition-by-neglect’
Delaware Public Media, Dover, Del. — July 1, 2022
Middletown property set to be demolished.
Keeping preservation above water
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — June 23, 2022
With the lowest-lying average elevation in the country, Delaware history experts are eyeing future solutions to rising tides and a changing climate.
New reports on historic DuPont Schools offer enlightening perspective
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — June 10, 2022
Oral history project with alumni of six early 20th century schools built for African American and Native American students and a new architectural study examine the history, current condition and significance of 84 DuPont Schools in Delaware.
As Gibraltar decays, Delaware says it’s ‘never had to enforce’ conservation easements
News Journal, Wilmington, Del. — June 8, 2022
Historic property in a state of serious deterioration.
Mayor proposes new idea to save, renovate historic Gibraltar mansion. Would it work?
News Journal, Wilmington, Del. — May 31, 2022
Property in a state of serious deterioration.
Historic Manor in Camden to become abolition museum with help from federal funds
WMDT TV, Salisbury, Md. — May 27, 2022
Goggin Manor House to be converted into the Kent County Historical and Underground Railroad Museum.
Underrepresented Communities Grants
National Parks Service website, Washington, D.C. — May 25, 2022
Grant program works towards diversifying the nominations submitted to the National Register of Historic Places. Deadline: Aug. 10, 2022
A new chapter for Buena Vista’s greenhouse
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — May 23, 2022
Nearly century-old greenhouse in northern Delaware restored.
Rehabilitation of the Sheriff’s House is underway
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — May 19, 2022
$5 million restoration effort will allow this landmark to serve as a welcome center for the First State National Historical Park.
11 most endangered historic places in 2022
National Trust for Historic Preservation, Washington, D.C. — May 4, 2022
Sites include community anchors and sacred ground, sites of injustice and activism, and places of creative expression.
Three Delaware schools to be affiliated with Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park
Sites played an important role in the Supreme Court’s ruling that outlawed school segregation.
Now a historic site, Hockessin’s former segregated school celebrated on Brown v. Board of Education Day
WHYY, Wilmington, Del. — May 18, 2022
Three historic Delaware schools gain national attention for their role in landmark court case
Delaware Public Media, Dover, Del. — May 18, 2022
Delaware played a big role in Brown v. Board of Education. So did this Hockessin school
News Journal, Wilmington, Del. — May 17, 2022
Biden signs bill to expand Topeka’s Brown vs Board historic site
Salina Post, Kan. — May 14, 2022
Brown v. Board National Historical Park Expansion
National Trust for Historic Preservation, Washington, D.C. — May 12, 2022
Celebrate Preservation Month in May
Saving Delaware History, newsletter of the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — April 25, 2022
Organizations across the country unite in May to promote history and heritage. This year focuses on showcasing the diversity of our nation.
Dive into Delaware’s historic site selections
Saving Delaware History, newsletter of the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — April 25, 2022
Jim Ellison, chair of the Delaware State Review Board for Historic Preservation, explains how historic sites are nominated, reviewed and approved.
The Division is on the move and committed to preservation
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — April 21, 2022
Agency moves from one historic building to another.
Sen. Carper touts First State National Historical Park at renovation announcement
Delaware Public Media, Dover — April 15, 2022
$5.4 million plan to renovate Old New Castle’s historic Sheriff’s House.
State Review Board to meet April 20, 2022; will consider National Register nomination of Dauneport
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — March 25, 2022
Board will review a National Register of Historic Places nomination for Dauneport, a historic New Castle County property.
Division prioritizes preservation
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — March 20, 2022
Find out how the State Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program supported preservation efforts and incentives throughout Delaware in 2021.
Lewes net reel must move
Cape Gazette, Lewes, Del. — March 15, 2022
Division director Tim Slavin testified on the city’s historic preservation process.
Hockessin Colored School Prepares for Its New Future
Delaware Today, Wilmington — March 4, 2022
School educated students of color during the segregation era.
Application for Community Reinvestment Fund now open
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — March 3, 2022
Funding available for community redevelopment, revitalization and investment capital projects.
New historic site recommended for National Register of Historic Places
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Feb. 16, 2022
Robert Mitchell House in Hockessin was built in the 19th century and transformed during the Early American-style movement of the 1950s and 1970s.
Details in Delaware: Architecture and cultural resources
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Feb. 15, 2022
Article highlights unique architectural features and landmarks in Delaware.
Preserving Chinatowns in the United States
National Trust for Historic Preservation, Washington, D.C. — Feb. 1, 2022
New threats make preservation more important than ever.
Brown v. Board: A Tale of 3 (Delaware) Schools
National Trust for Historic Preservation, Washington, D.C.
Learn about the role of three sites in Delaware that were linked to Brown v. Board and desegregating America’s school system.
Historic Preservation Advocacy Week is March 7-10
Preservation Action, Washington, D.C.
Historic Preservation Advocacy Week 2022 will be held virtually this year, and registration is now open.
Grants available for historic properties
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Jan. 18, 2022
Nonprofits and local governments are eligible to apply for grant funding provided by the Historic Preservation Fund.
National Preservation Awards nominations now open
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Jan. 17, 2022
Nominations for the 2022 National Preservation Awards will be accepted through Feb. 17.
Sheriff’s House rehabilitation to begin in 2022
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Jan. 14, 2022
A $5.4 million commitment from the National Park Service will rehabilitate the Sheriff’s House at First State National Historical Park.
Grant to facilitate work with descendant community
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Dec. 13, 2021
A $5,000 grant will support HCA’s work with the descendant community at the John Dickinson Plantation.
Recapturing the stories of Black beaches
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Dec. 10, 2021
An oral history initiative at the Zwaanendael Museum aims to memorialize what being Black at Delaware’s beaches has meant historically.
Underrepresented Community Grants available
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Oct. 14, 2021
Last call for applications to the National Park Service Underrepresented Community Grants Program! The deadline is Jan. 11, 2022.
Articles on future plans for Hockessin Colored School #107
Historic school educated Black children during the segregation era.
Delaware school in Brown v. Board of Education case to launch diversity and inclusion center
WHYY, Wilmington, Del. — Dec. 16, 2021
Hockessin Colored School #107 moves closer to starting its next chapter
Delaware Public Media, Dover, Del. — Dec. 14, 2021
Delaware’s Native American tribes acquire ancestral lands
Purchases aid Lenapé and Nanticoke tribes.
Nanticoke Indians gifted 30 acres of ancestral lands
Cape Gazette, Lewes, Del. — Dec. 10, 2021
Joining forces to restore ancestral lands to Nanticoke and Lenape tribes
WHYY, Wilmington, Del. — Dec. 6, 2021
Madeline Dunn on 45+ years with the division
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Nov. 19, 2021
Veteran employee discusses her career and changes at the agency and the National Register.
Advocacy for historic preservation tax credits
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Nov. 18, 2021
Preservation enhancements proposed as part of Build Back Better legislation that is being debated in Congress.
Reflections on PastForward 2021
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Nov. 17, 2021
Inclusive History Researcher Carolanne Deal shares her thoughts on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s virtual conference.
Interviews gather the history of DuPont Schools
Bay to Bay News, Dover, Del. — Nov. 14, 2021
Schools educated Black children during the segregation era.
Lewes BOA upholds city’s position on net reel
Cape Gazette, Lewes, Del. — Nov. 5, 2021
Town’s historic preservation commission ruled that the menhaden fishing artifact must be removed from its current site.
Historic preservation grants available
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Oct. 14, 2021
National Park Service applications due in December 2021 and January 2022. Delaware Preservation Fund applications due Dec. 17, 2021.
Iron Hill area church added to National Register
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Oct. 4, 2021
African Union Church and Cemetery of Iron Hill, located southwest of Newark, Del., listed on Sept. 9, 2021.
Preservation Delaware 2021 Conference
Preservation Delaware, Lewes
Historic-preservation-related sessions to be held virtually, via Zoom, from Oct. 21 to 23, 2021.
Historic Hockessin Colored School #107 being preserved, transformed into diversity center
WPVI TV 6, Philadelphia, Pa. — Sept. 16, 2021
School educated students of color during the segregation era.
Rally organizers say: ‘Keep the net reel here’
Cape Gazette, Lewes, Del. — Sept. 10, 2021
Lewes historic preservation commission ruled that the menhaden fishing artifact must be removed from its current site.
Enlighten Me: Newark Union Cemetery
Delaware Public Media, Dover — Aug. 6, 2021
Founded in the late 17th century, the cemetery and its associated church were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2020.
Progress made on Newark Union Church restoration
Delaware Public Media, Dover — Aug. 6, 2021
Built in 1845, the property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2020.
Keeping the Faith
Delaware Today, Wilmington, Del. — Aug. 2, 2021
Baptist congregation embraces its church building’s deep roots as the former heart of Wilmington’s Ukrainian community.
Picking up the preservation baton at Newark Union Church and Cemetery
Delaware Public Media, Dover — July 9, 2021
Built in 1845, the property was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2020.
Historic tombstones stolen from Greenwood cemetery
News Journal, Wilmington, Del. — June 16, 2021
Thefts discovered on June 15, 2021.
Brown v. Board of Education Site Expansion Act
National Trust for Historic Preservation Resource Library, Washington, D.C. — June 2, 2021
Testimony in support of legislation that would create National Park Service Affiliated Areas in Delaware, Virginia, and the District of Columbia for sites associated with the Brown v. Board of Education case.
Archaeologist honored for his work researching Cooch’s Bridge Battlefield
Newark Post, Del. — May 13, 2021
Wade Catts receives History Award Medal from the Cooch’s Bridge Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
New Castle County moves to protect historic properties it buys
Delaware Public Media, Dover — May 12, 2021
Measure requires county to rezone, with a historic overlay, any eligible properties it purchases.
Alice Guerrant honored with award
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — May 10, 2021
Former division archaeologist named Delaware Department of State Employee of the Fourth Quarter.
Upgrades finished at George Read House
Delaware Public Media, Dover, Del. — April 23, 2021
Mechanical work completed at National Historic Landmark in New Castle.
Wilmington’s historic Brown House gets a reprieve
Delaware Public Media, Dover, Del. — April 23, 2021
National-Register-listed property was built circa 1820.
Statement from the National Trust Condemning Race-Based Hatred, Violence, and Misinformation
National Trust for Historic Preservation, Washington, D.C. — March 22, 2021
Support declared for Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in the wake of recent attacks.
Articles on potential demolition of Wilmington’s Brown House
National-Register-listed property was built circa 1820.
Battlelines drawn in fight over preserving Wilmington’s historic Brown House
Delaware Public Media, Dover, Del. — March 26, 2021
The history of Wilmington’s Brown House
Delaware Public Media, Dover, Del. — March 26, 2021
Historians voice concerns about warehouses planned for near Cooch’s Bridge site
Newark Post, Del. — Feb. 17, 2021
Native American and Revolutionary War archaeological sites threatened.
A piece of Browntown history in danger of being torn down
WDEL Radio, Wilmington, Del. — Feb. 16, 2021
National-Register-listed Dr. John Brown Mansion threatened.
Delaware State Review Board for Historic Preservation meeting to take place remotely on Feb. 24, 2021
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Feb. 10, 2021
Board to review National Register nomination for the African Union Church and Cemetery of Iron Hill.
Division welcomes architectural historian … and bids farewell to long-time archaeologist
Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover, Del. — Jan. 27, 2021
Hello to Emily Whaley; thanks to Alice Guerrant for decades of service.
Articles on preservation efforts at Weldin House
Original section of division-owned property in north Wilmington was built in 1790.
Long-running efforts to forge a future for the Weldin House bear fruit
Delaware Public Media, Dover — Jan. 29, 2021
What does the future hold for the Weldin House?
Delaware Public Media, Dover — Jan. 29, 2021
Related Topics: archaeology, Preservation