The Lewes Historical Society’s History Happy Hour series continues in August

Lewes, Delaware- August 3, 2016- Indulge in The Lewes Historical Society’s History Happy Hour series, including interesting dialog led by local history buffs, heritage area experts, and museum professionals.  These 20-30 minute featured presentations are followed by engaging question-answer periods.  During the program, wine will be sold by Rose & Crown.

These events are free, but due to the program¹s popularity, a pass per person is required for admission.  Seating is limited. Passes are available beginning at 3:00pm (an hour in advance) on lecture days, at the Ryves Holt House, located at 218 Second Street, Lewes.

History Happy Hours take place on Friday afternoons from June through August beginning at 4:00pm in the downstairs meeting room of the Hotel Rodney at the corner of Second and Market Streets in Lewes.

Please consider joining us for this unique educational opportunity!

These programs are sponsored by Hotel Rodney.

History Happy Hour August schedule:

On Friday, August 5, at 4:00pm, Marcos Salaverria presents, “Tea Time on the Delaware River & Bay.”  In December 1773, the Philadelphia Committee on Tarring & Feathering issued a decree that no Delaware pilot should aid the ship Polly, carrying tea, up the Delaware Bay & River. A copy of this decree is on display inside of The Lewes Historical Society¹s Cannonball House Maritime Museum. Speaker Marcos Salaverria will speak on the role the transport of tea along the Delaware Bay and River affected a well-known historic event, ³The Boston Tea Party.² Attend this lecture and have a chance to sample some of the flavors of the past with the very same variety of tea sparked the debate.

Jose Marcos Salaverria started with The Lewes Historical Society in August 2014 as the Director of Education. Graduating with a BA degree in History from Saint Mary¹s College of Maryland in 2006 and a Master¹s degree in History from Washington College in 2009, he possesses ten years in the museum field.  Beginning as a historical interpreter and tour guide he knows that education through interesting interaction with the public of all ages is the key to a site¹s success. His continual goal is to encourage people to experience the exploration of the past.

On Friday, August 12, at 4:00pm, Harry Aiken & Richard King present, “60 years of Surf Fishing on Delaware¹s Shores.”  Avid surf fisher advocate and blogger for Delaware-Surf-Fishing.com, Richard King will tell attendees that surf fishing is a great past time, whether you drive your gear onto the beach or walk on.  Surf fishing is an art.  Like any other type of fishing there are techniques you learn as you go.  It can be difficult at times; the Atlantic Ocean is massive and you¹re standing on its edge.  King will be joined by Harry Aiken, who has been fishing the Delaware Beaches for over seventy-five years.  He will tell you, ³I don¹t tell fishing stories, I tell truth.²  Described as a man who knows every nook and cranny of the beaches and Indian River Inlet, Harry is the guy that pulls up on a beach, grabs a rod and starts yanking in fish one after another.  What sort of secrets will these fishermen divulge to amateur anglers in attendance?  Like a fish waiting for the right bait, we¹ll have to wait and see!

Harry Aiken is 81 years old and has been fishing Delaware for over 75 years.  He grew up in Georgetown, Delaware, and has watched the local fishing community evolve over the decades.  There isn’t a section or drop of water that Harry hasn’t fished, especially in Sussex County and more specifically, the Lewes area.  He was involved in past fishing clubs, which eventually combined and evolved into the Delaware Mobile Surf Fishing Club that exists today.  Previously, Harry owned the shop Ole Salt Bait & Tackle on New Road in Lewes.

On Friday, August 19 at 4:00pm, Michael DiPaolo presents, “Vintage Baseball in Lewes.”  The Lewes Historical Society is proud to be the home of the Lewes Base Ball Club, a member of the Mid-Atlantic Vintage Base Ball League and the Vintage Base Ball Association.  It is an educational program at the Society designed to tell the story of baseball in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  It also demonstrates the history of social and athletic life in Lewes.

The earliest known reference to baseball in Lewes is from February 1874, when a match pitting Lewes against Milton was advertised for March 1, 1874. Unfortunately the outcome of that contest is not known. Lewes played home to a member of the Eastern Shore Baseball League in the early and mid 20th century.

The Lewes Vintage Base Ball Club plays by 1864 rules, which have several differences from contemporary baseball.  The most notable differences are the ability to catch the ball on one bounce for an out and no gloves permitted for fielders. Additionally, pitchers throw underhand, batters are called strikers, strikes are called when a striker does not attempt to swing the bat after a warning from the umpire, and foul balls can be caught on the bounce for an out.

Mike DiPaolo has served as Executive Director of The Lewes Historical Society since September 2001. He serves on the boards of the Delaware Heritage Commission (appointed by Gov. Jack Markell) and U.S. Life-Saving Service Heritage Association, and represents Delaware on the Board of Advisors to the National Trust for Historic Preservation. He was Chairman of the Lewes & Delaware 375th Anniversary Commission (2004-2007); for his role in the 375th Commission he was named Southern Delaware Tourism person of the year in 2006 received the Governor¹s Delaware Tourism Award in 2007. He was the 2011 recipient of the Nancy Hanks Award for Professional Excellence presented by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM). He has previously served as Vice President of the Delaware River & Bay Lighthouse Foundation, as Vice President of Preservation Delaware, Delaware Museum Association, Small Museum Association where he served as Annual Conference Chair and President, Delaware Tourism Alliance, Delaware Governor¹s Archives Council (appointed by Gov. Ruth Ann Minner). Mr. DiPaolo holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Archaeology from The College of Wooster and a Master of Library & Information Science degree from the University of Pittsburgh.

On Friday, August 26 at 4:00pm, Michael Morgan presents, “Rumrunner on the Cape.”  The August 26 History Happy Hour topic will close the 2016 season and cover a lesser known, hidden historic story of the Lewes area, ³Run Runners of the Cape.” Hear about the daring and sometime dangerous individuals who helped keep the area flowing in alcohol during the era of Prohibition.

A former high school teacher from Baltimore, Michael Morgan has been writing freelance newspaper articles on the history of coastal Delaware for over three decades. The author of the ³Delaware Diary,² which appears weekly in the “Delaware Coast Press” and the ³Sussex Journal,² which is a weekly feature of the “Wave,” he holds a Master Degree in History from Morgan State University. For over a decade, Morgan was a member of the interpretive staff at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, where he served in the fort¹s living history program as the First Sergeant of the Fort McHenry Guard,. Morgan has also published articles in several national magazines and his ³Lore of Delmarva² weekly radio commentary on historical topics relating to the Maryland and Delaware is broadcast by station WGMD 92.7. Morgan¹s look at history is marked by a lively, storytelling style that has made his writing and lectures popular. Michael Morgan is also the author of eight books on coastal history including the “Hidden History of Lewes” and the recently released, “World War II and the Delaware Coast.”

The Lewes Historical Society¹s History Happy Hour series will wrap-up with the August 26th presentation. Speaker Series and Lunch and Learns will begin in September. The Lewes Historical Society would like to thank History Happy Hour sponsor, Hotel Rodney.  For more information, call 302-645-7670 or visit www.HistoricLewes.org