The Delaware County Historical Society was recently informed it will receive an Outstanding Achievement Award from the Ohio Local History Alliance (OLHA) in the category of History Outreach – Public Programming.
The selected program, titled “Cultural Communities of Delaware County: Early Settlers and American Indians 1770-1850,” is an entertaining and educational experience, geared for both school age and adult audiences. Featuring costumed reenactors and produced by members of the historical society’s Curriculum Support Committee, the program consists of 11 vignettes, which illustrate the interactions between the Lenni Lenape (Delaware people) and early pioneers who settled Delaware County. A narrator introduces us to historical experiences of early settlers and American Indians, which are depicted through multi-media presentations incorporating reenactment, art, dance and music.
The vignettes include William Little and his knowledge of the American Indian settlers in Delaware County, early settlers’ migration to Delaware and Africa Ohio, Rev. James B. Finley’s contributions to the Wyandot settlements, the roles women played and the interactions of Mrs. Moses Byxbe (wife of the founder of the city of Delaware) and Laura Carpenter with different tribes, the story of “Drakes Defeat,” rights of African-American settlers, Benjamin Franklin Thomas and the Crawford Band, games derived from the American Indians, the War of 1812 and the forced march of the Lenni Lenape through Delaware to Piqua, and music and dance forms of the Lenni Lenape. The program also includes an artifact cart of objects in use during the time period.
The award will be presented to Delaware County Historical Society project coordinators — Nancy Fleming, Francine Butler and Cindy Kerr — at the OLHA Annual Meeting Awards ceremony on Oct. 2.
This program was designed to be performed by Delaware County Historical Society volunteers for a live audience. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the vignettes and descriptions of the artifacts were recorded and edited into a 90-minute program viewed on YouTube and Facebook on March 25.The live version is available to be performed for groups. Contact the historical society at [email protected] to schedule this program for your group or school. Program fees may apply.
This program has been funded, in part, by the Ohio Arts Council and by the Charles and Betty Sheets Family Fund through the Delaware County Foundation.
The Delaware County Historical Society is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote, preserve and sustain interest in the history of Delaware County. The Barn at Stratford is operated by the Delaware County Historical Society as an event venue for weddings, corporate meetings, and other special occasions. To learn more, visit the venue and society websites at barnatstratford.org and delawareohiohistory.org.
