I often have the opportunity to investigate rich, deep, and varied narratives about the past in unfamiliar towns and communities. The distinctive heritage of these places, along with the complex forces that connect communities and families to their roots, is something I enjoy digging up during my research. One unconventional technique I have honed over my decades of…
Wilmington Library Has Valuable Storehouse of Information in the Delaware Index
The Wilmington Library, established in 1788, has been collecting Delaware materials for centuries, and the reference department has many useful resources. But one gem that should not be overlooked is the “Delaware Index,” a unique pre-computer age catalog of 3 x 5 cards and vertical files with materials from 1922 to 1977. For the better part…
The Christiana Resistance: Exploring a Community and its Connection with the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act
A mere 17-miles over the Mason Dixon Line there is the quiet Pennsylvania borough of Christiana with about 1,100 residents. In the 21st century it is an idyllic, tranquil community on the northeastern edge of fine Lancaster County farm country. However this modern scene differs sharply with the disturbing violence that took place there a decade before…
Links to the Past Found in Delaware’s Public Libraries
Whenever I start a new investigation one of my first stops is the local library as I begin the process of learning about a community and its history. These unique institutions contain an astonishing variety of materials that help anyone puzzling together evidentiary traces of earlier times. No matter how small, they always have local titles and…