The Lewes Historical Society’s History Happy Hour Series Continues in July

Lewes, Delaware- June 24, 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.

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.

These events are free, but due to the program’s 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.

Please consider joining us for this unique educational opportunity!

These programs are sponsored by Hotel Rodney.

History Happy Hour July schedule:

On Friday, July 8, at 4:00pm, Charles Salkin & Michael DiPaolo present,

“Ebe Lynch Murder: the 100 year anniversary & the Jewish Connection.”  Ebe (short for Ebenezer) Lynch was murdered in cold blood on Second Street 100 years ago — July 18, 1916 — over an argument about the Lewes baseball team lineup.  The shotgun blasts that killed Lynch also wounded several bystanders on that hot Lewes night, all of whom were members of Lewes’s Jewish community. Former director of Delaware State Parks Charles Salkin along with Mike DiPaolo, Executive Director of The Lewes Historical Society, will explore how the tragic killing of Ebe Lynch exposed to us, the modern viewer, to a vital Jewish population in Lewes in the early 20th century and will follow what life was like for them in southern Delaware at that time.

Charles Salkin is the former director of Delaware State Parks.  Mike DiPaolo is Executive Director of The Lewes Historical Society.

On Friday, July 15, at 4:00pm, William Manthorpe presents, “Lewes during World War One.”  This presentation briefly describes a

nd illustrates life in Lewes in the years before the Great War covering the establishment of the naval base which placed Lewes on the front lines of coastal defense of the United States. German submarine operations off the coast brought the noise and devastation of war right into Lewes’s harbor.

William Manthorpe will also present on Friday, July 22, at 4:00pm, with “Lewes during World War Two.”  Mathorpe will briefly describe and illustrate the establishment and early days of Fort Miles recounting the German submarine operations off the coast from January to June of 1942.  This six month period directly involved the organizations and people of Lewes as active participants in the war.

William Manthorpe is a retired Navy Captain and civilian Senior Executive in the Navy Department.  He researches, writes and speaks on the naval heritage of Delaware.  His first book, “A Century of Service: The U.S. Navy on Cape Henlopen, Lewes Delaware, 1898-1996” is on sale in The Lewes Historical Society’s Zwaanendael Club Museum Store at 302 Savannah Road in Lewes.

On Friday, July 29, at 4:00pm, Jim Bertholet presents, “Lighthouses & Their Keepers.”  Lighthouses- how did they work and who kept them working?  For centuries lighthouses have been essential to navigation both in the daytime and at night. Each light is a bit different and had its own “signature” to identify it. These guideposts to safety were kept burning bright by the keepers of the US Lighthouse Service and their families who often they lived inside or near the light that they tended year round. Learn more about this fascinating facet of maritime history and lives of the people who operated them.

Jim Bertholet is a Vietnam Veteran who retired after 40 years in sales, sales training, and sales management. Bertholet is a life-long history buff who grew up on the Jersey shore and always had a particular interest in maritime history, especially the US Life-Saving Service and US Lighthouses.  He moved to Delaware in 2010, where he currently conducts Lewes Historical Society Maritime Tours, is a presenter at both the History Happy Hour and the Lunch and Learn programs, speaks to school groups at the US Life-Saving Station and is a member of The Wooden Boat Building Program Volunteer Crew.

The Lewes Historical Society would like to thank History Happy Hour sponsor, Hotel Rodney.  For a complete listing of speakers and subjects, please visit www.HistoricLewes.org.

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