This month’s episode is all about the explosions in Hagley’s Powderyards. Hagley’s own Richard Templeton sat down with Ben Spohn to discuss his 2020 book Across the Creek: Black Powder Explosions on the Brandywine. Templeton’s book focuses on the lives of the 235 men, two women, and one child who lost their lives in explosions at Hagley. Using Hagley’s own sources ranging from pay recorded in petit ledgers to oral histories recorded in the mid-twentieth century to newspapers, genealogical, and government records Templeton documents the lives of those who lost their lives and the family and loved ones that they left behind.

If you’d like to purchase your own copy of Across the Creek: Black Powder Explosions on the Brandywine it is available in Hagley’s gift shop and can be ordered through Huxley and Hiro in Wilmington, Delaware.

To make a donation underwriting this program and others like it please visit our Eventbrite page: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/underwriting-donation-tickets-1470779985529?aff=oddtdtcreator.

Denise Clemons discusses her book, A Culinary History of Southern Delaware with Hagley’s Ben Spohn . By Clemons’ own estimation, Southern Delaware begins somewhere below the C&D canal where the suburban sprawl surrounding Wilmington ends and the rest of the state begins. This area consisting of only two counties- Kent and Sussex- is small yet mighty.

In this conversation Clemons traces the history of local foodways back to Delaware’s indigenous peoples and traces the rise of local crops and foodstuffs that most of us associate with Delaware: scrapple, chicken, and peaches, but also some of Delaware's less familiar gustatory delights: strawberries, watermelon, muskrat, and much more. But that’s not all. In addition to the history of the above foodstuffs, Clemons discusses recipes for them and local restaurants and farmer’s markets where one can sample these goods. Maybe you’ll bring some of these Southern Delaware foods to your table this holiday season?

If you’d like to purchase your own copy of A Culinary History of Southern Delaware, it is available at Huxley and Hiro in Wilmington, Delaware.

To make a donation underwriting this program and others like it please visit our Eventbrite page: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/underwriting-donation-tickets-1470779985529?aff=oddtdtcreator.

In the inaugural episode of our Neighborhood Author Series, Hagley’s Ben Spohn interviews Josh Hitchens about his 2024 book, Eerie Delaware: Chilling Tales from the First State. Hitchens talks about his writing and research process, with an eye on how he used the archive and historical sources to write a book about ghosts, folklore, and even a little bit of true crime. He also talks about the allure of the First State and how as a native of Sussex County he was drawn to write stories about his home. Finally Hitchens addresses the biggest question any writer of haunted histories must: Does he believe in ghosts?

If you’d like to purchase your own copy of Eerie Delaware, it is available at Huxley and Hiro in Wilmington, Delaware.

To make a donation underwriting this program and others like it please visit our Eventbrite page: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/underwriting-donation-tickets-1470779985529?aff=oddtdtcreator

New podcast series from the Center for the History of Business, Technology, and Society at the Hagley Museum and Library!

THE NEIGHBORHOOD AUTHORS SERIES

Series premier October 31st