First State Times

(DOVER, Del.) — Beginning on Oct. 8 and continuing each Saturday through Oct. 29, 2022, the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs’ Zwaanendael Museum will offer “Mysteries of History” walking tours that explore the darker and more unusual aspects of Lewes, Delaware history. Tours leave from the museum, located at 102 Kings Highway in Lewes, at 2 p.m., and will visit local cemeteries. Enroute, visitors will learn about the history of the town, mysterious incidents at sea and local shipwrecks.

Admission to the tours is free but registration is required and limited to 12 participants per tour. Reservations may be made up to one day in advance of each tour by calling 302-645-1148 or mailto:zmuseum@delaware.gov.

The Zwaanendael Museum was built in 1931 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the state’s first European colony, Swanendael, established by the Dutch along Hoorn Kill (present-day Lewes-Rehoboth Canal) in 1631. Designed by E. William Martin (architect of Legislative Hall and the Hall of Records in Dover), the museum is modeled after the town hall in Hoorn, the Netherlands, and features a stepped façade gable with carved stonework and decorated shutters. The museum’s exhibits and presentations provide a showcase for Lewes-area maritime, military and social history.

^{Façade of the Zwaanendael Museum}

The Zwaanendael Museum is administered by the Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, an agency of the State of Delaware. The division enhances Delaware’s quality of life by preserving the state’s unique historical heritage, fostering community stability and economic vitality and providing educational programs and assistance to the general public on Delaware history. The division’s diverse array of services includes operation of five museums which are accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, administration of the State Historic Preservation Office, conservation of the state’s archaeological and historic-objects collections, operation of a conference center and management of historic properties across the state. Primary funding for division programs and services is provided by annual appropriations from the Delaware General Assembly and grants from the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, a federal agency. However, the contents and opinions expressed in the division’s programs and services do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Department of the Interior.

Original source can be found here.