December 3, 2024 • 20 mins
Discover the fascinating tapestry of Delaware's history and culture with our special guest, Laura Earls, the director of Read House and Gardens. Laura's passion for museums and local history is infectious as she takes us on a journey through Delaware's rich past. From exploring the architectural gems of the Reed House to uncovering its connections to Declaration of Independence signer George Read, Laura provides a captivating look at the community's commitment to preserving its heritage. Don't miss her insights into programs like Dr. Melissa Benbow Flowers' tour, which celebrates the homes of Black communities in Old New Castle, highlighting the area's diverse historical narratives.
Venture into the vibrant world of Delaware's arts scene as we spotlight the Delaware Division of the Arts and their mission to nurture creativity statewide. Tune in for an engaging discussion on the transformative impact of art and history in our communities.
The Delaware Division of the Arts, a branch of the Delaware Department of State, is committed to supporting the arts and cultivating creativity to enhance the quality of life in Delaware. Together with its advisory body, the Delaware State Arts Council, the Division administers grants and programs that support arts programming, educate the public, increase awareness of the arts, and integrate the arts into all facets of Delaware life. Learn more at Arts.Delaware.Gov.
Delaware State of the Arts is a weekly podcast that presents interviews with arts organizations and leaders who contribute to the cultural vibrancy of communities throughout Delaware. Delaware State of the Arts is provided as a service of the Division of the Arts, in partnership with NEWSRADIO 1450 WILM and 1410 WDOV.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
For Delaware State of the Arts, I'm Andy Truscott.
My guest today is Laura Earls,the director of the Reed House
and Gardens, which is a part ofthe Delaware Historical Society.
Earls, a museum professionaland historian of gender and
material culture in earlyAmerica, has worked in
collections, management andinterpretation at institutions
including the Nemours Estate,the Museum of the American
(00:42):
Revolution and the WinterthurMuseum the Nemours Estate, the
Museum of the AmericanRevolution and the Winterthur
Museum.
She formerly served as agraduate assistant and
contractor at DelawareHistorical Society's Research
Library.
Today we'll speak with herabout Delaware Historical
Society's upcoming Lit for theHolidays, delaware's Changing
Winter Landscapes event, whichis going to be running December
14th through the 29th.
Laura, thanks again for joiningus and, as we kick off here,
(01:05):
tell us a little bit aboutyourself what brought you to the
Reed House and DelawareHistorical Society and kind of
what excites you about the workthat you all do.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Thank you so much for having me today, and I have.
I've always wanted to work inmuseums since I was a child and
I went to graduate school forhistory and museum studies at
the University of Delaware andgraduated with a PhD in the
history of American civilizationat the University of Delaware
last year In Delaware, whichincluded, of course, as you said
(02:08):
, the Delaware HistoricalSociety Research Library, which
got me interested in Delaware'slocal history.
It was really wonderful to comeback to a place that was such
an important part of my owngraduate education and my own
training as an emerging museumprofessional, and I am really
excited about the many storiesthat we tell at the Reed House
and Gardens.
We look not only at thefamilies who lived here, such as
the Reeds, coopers and Lairds.
We also told the stories of themany people who lived and
worked here.
(02:28):
There are so many fascinatingstories that speak not only to
Delaware's history but nationaland global history as well.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
For those that maybe don't know much about what or
where the Delaware HistoricalSociety is, can you give us a
bit of a background on theorganization and kind of what
makes it so integral to not onlythe history of Delaware but the
future of the Delaware way?
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Absolutely so.
The Delaware Historical Societyis a non-profit that was
founded in 1864.
And we are made up of ninehistoric buildings that have
roots in Delaware's past and wehave a really wonderful
collection of over 3 millionobjects, books, documents,
photographs and maps.
And eight of those ninehistoric buildings are at our
(03:14):
Wilmington campus in WillingtownSquare, which is on Market
Street in Wilmington, and thenhere at the Reed House in Old
Newcastle.
We are the ninth historicbuilding and we are the only
private nonprofit organizationwhose mission is to serve as
Delaware's statewideorganization that explores,
preserves, promotes and sharesDelaware's history, heritage and
(03:37):
culture, to educate and inspireand empower people and
communities.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
Tell us why they should be encouraged to go
inside to learn more and to kindof better understand why this
is such an important part ofpreservation.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
So we get all sorts of visitors at both campuses and
at the Reed House.
You know this was the house ofGeorge Reed II, son of George
Reed I, who was a signer of theDeclaration of Independence, so
a lot of folks who areinterested in the Reeds will
come in.
We also have a lot of interestthat comes from people who are
(04:14):
interested in early Americandecorative arts, material
culture, because this house issuch a wonderful example of
Philadelphia federalarchitecture and we have a lot
of really wonderful uniquefeatures to the architecture of
the house.
A lot of people enjoy the punchand gouge trimming in a lot of
(04:37):
the house and we essentially geta lot of people who are
interested in early Americanhistory, decorative arts,
material culture, gardens andlandscapes as well, because we
do have gardens attached to thehouse and we are also working on
a garden revitalization projectwhich will enhance the
(04:59):
accessibility of the space forall of our visitors.
So there's really something foreveryone.
If you're interested inDelaware's, heritage.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
As it relates to visiting, what can visitors
expect when they show up?
So is it like I should buy aticket, get a tour arranged in
advance, or is it these are kindof open hours that allows me to
kind of peruse through thehouse, peruse through any of the
Delaware historical locationsand kind of learn about history
at my own pace.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
The Delaware History Museum is open from Wednesday to
Saturday 12 to 5 pm and that wehave a.
We have a core exhibit therethat visitors are free to walk
through.
But at the Reed House andGardens our normal operating
hours are Thursday throughSunday, 11 am until 4 pm and we
offer tours on the hours.
(05:54):
So the visitors experience thehouse through guided tours with
our wonderful museum.
Our museum ambassadors do awonderful job really immersing
visitors in the many storiesthat this house tells.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
What excites you the most about not only kind of
Delaware's history but thehistory that you're able to kind
of curate through the Reeds.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
House most since coming here is just.
I'm very energized by howinvested the people in the
Newcastle community and beyondin Delaware are invested in the
well-being and the longevity ofthis house, and I love getting
(06:50):
to see all the different waysthat people have been involved
here or how their interestsbring them into getting getting
involved here, and it'sDelaware's is such a I'm a
transplant to Delaware, so it'sit's been great to see you know
(07:10):
the Delaware way in all things.
I suppose you know the Delawareway in all things, I suppose.
And it's Delaware is such aunique place with such an
interesting situation inAmerican history and I think
that the stories that we tellabout the history of this house
and the space that we offerpeople to explore that history
(07:32):
is just a really, reallywonderful way to tell all sorts
of stories.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
Can you describe any specific programs or initiatives
that maybe have been successfulin engaging new or diverse
audiences at either theHistorical Society or the Reed
House?
Speaker 2 (07:57):
more recent programs.
That happened shortly before Iarrived here was Dr Melissa
Benbow Flowers tour.
These houses were homes fivegenerations of Black community
in Old Newcastle and essentiallyDr Flowers was a graduate
intern from the University ofDelaware at the Reed House this
past summer and she did researchabout Black history in
Newcastle and offered thisreally wonderful walking tour of
(08:19):
old Newcastle.
That sold out twice and peoplereally enjoyed it and we are
fortunate enough that we get tocontinue developing that tour
into a permanent offering thatwill essentially be a joint
special tour offering betweenthe Reed House and the Mitchell
(08:42):
Center for African AmericanHeritage at the Delaware
Historical Society.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Are there any particular collaborations with
other organizations or communitygroups in Delaware that you
think really set the HistoricalSociety apart in terms of its
programming?
Speaker 2 (08:56):
I think that a lot of the close relationships that we
have with faculty and studentsat the undergraduate and
graduate levels at theUniversity of Delaware, I
believe that sets us apart.
I mean, the relationship theHistorical Society has with UD
is how I got involved in theorganization in the first place
(09:21):
and I believe that theconnections that we maintain
with educational institutionshelp us stay in tune with what
students need, with whatemerging professionals need, and
keeps us up to date on thefield.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
I want to take just a minute here to remind our
listeners.
You're listening to DelawareState of the Arts on News Radio
1450 WILM and 1410 WDOV.
Laura, thanks again forbringing this to our attention,
this great event coming up Litfor the Holidays Delaware's
Changing Winter Landscapes.
Talk to us a little bit aboutwhat makes the event unique, why
(09:53):
the Historical Society is soexcited about bringing it
through and maybe what visitorscan expect.
Landscapes talk to us a littlebit about what makes the event
unique, why the historicalsociety is so excited about
bringing it through and maybewhat visitors can expect to see
when they visit the exhibit ofcourse, so lit for the holidays
this year is basically.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
It is a continuation of a long-standing tradition at
the reed house in which lydiaand Philip Laird, former owners
of the house in the 20th century, would ring in the holiday
season with winter parties.
So Lit is essentially acontinuation of that.
That includes an exhibit, andthis year's is titled Delaware's
(10:26):
Changing Winter Landscapes, andit essentially so.
Lit for the Holidays is a partythat opens the exhibit
Delaware's Changing WinterLandscapes that will then be on
view from December 14th untilDecember 29th, and the party
this year is going to featurewonderful entertainment and
(10:47):
catering.
We will have live music fromBruce Anthony caroling with
vocal points from the Universityof Delaware, complimentary
beverages and we will havecatering by Toscano this year.
And the exhibit itself includesartwork that will be displayed
throughout the Reed Housealongside dried floral
arrangements that have beenlovingly crafted by our staff
(11:11):
here at the Reed House fromflowers in Our Own Gardens.
So it will be a realcelebration of the Reed House
Gardens, and the exhibitfeatures drawings and paintings
from not only the collections ofthe Delaware Historical Society
but also the privatecollections of members of the
Newcastle community, as well aspaintings by plein air artists
(11:34):
from the Washington Society ofLandscape Painters, and overall,
what this exhibit does isshowcase how winter scenes have
changed from the 19th centuryuntil today, and I want visitors
to really think about how wecan best care for and steward
Delaware's landscapes for futuregenerations.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
One might not know that the Historical Society has,
like a collection right of art.
Talk to us about what mightqualify a piece of art to be
kind of housed in thatcollection and kind of how the
staff or you as the directorkind of come together and curate
a show of this type based onwhat you kind of have in your
(12:13):
background.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
So our collections are largely Delaware focused, as
you might imagine, and theexhibit will feature not only
art but objects from everydaylife.
You know what made wintersurvivable for people in the
past before modern refrigeration?
The conveniences of modern life, essentially.
And we do have art in ourcollections and there will be a
few pieces by Howard Pyle andRobert Shaw, who are two
(12:45):
Delaware artists.
Howard Pyle is known for hischildren's book illustrations
and Robert Shaw is known for hisDelaware landscape artwork.
And essentially how theseexhibits come together is we
have our wonderful collectionsand access department that is
based in Wilmington and, workingwith my colleagues over there,
(13:07):
we're able to work out thelogistics of what objects do we
have, what might fit with theidea that I'm having, what might
fit with the idea that I'mhaving, and we're also able to
essentially figure out just thelogistics of display and moving
the objects and making thelabels and all of those sorts of
things.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
This is an annual event, as you had brought up.
Are there other annual eventssuch as this or even upcoming
major exhibits that the ReedHouse or the Historical Society
is really excited about in 2025?
Speaker 2 (13:41):
So this is our main annual event, and I am
especially excited about theJanuary book talk.
Well, it's going to be amoderated conversation between
two historians of theDeclaration of Independence, and
we're going to be talking aboutthe you know who was included
in the Declaration ofIndependence and when and we'll
(14:02):
be talking about the parametersof citizenship in the new nation
.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
Thank you for bringing up the Delaware 250,
because that you guys obviouslybake right into that.
Talk to us about kind of what'sso exciting about this kind of
probably once-in-a a generationopportunity right to not only
highlight Delaware's history butbe a part of it.
As we approach our 250thanniversary, does the Historical
(14:29):
Society have any exciting plansfor that coming up?
Speaker 2 (14:46):
Our programming and our upcoming you know exhibit
plans at least for what I haveplanned for the Read House for
2026, is focused on Delaware 250.
So I'd say that a lot of ourinterpretation is focused on how
the history that we explorehere really exemplifies a lot of
, a lot of what thesemi-concentennial is is looking
at.
I know we're all especiallycompelled by the, the idea of
(15:08):
unfinished revolutions and andwhat we can all do as, as
Delawareans, to continue to liveup to those ideals.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
Talk to us about how the public can get involved with
not only the Reed House but theHistorical Society as it
relates to tickets, memberships,donations, if they're
particularly interested insupporting you guys.
What's kind of the best firststep that someone can make
Become a member of the?
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Delaware Historical Society.
Become a member of the DelawareHistorical Society and you can
do that at dehistoryorg.
And becoming a member of DHSdoes mean that you can also be
involved in the Reed House.
The Reed House is part, becausethe Reed House is part, of the
Delaware Historical Society.
(15:53):
We have specific mailing listsfor people who are especially
interested in the Reed House.
And, like I had mentionedearlier, to purchase tickets for
Lit for the Holidays, go toreedhouseandgardensorg,
backslash lit 2024.
And there are sponsorshiplevels available there if you're
(16:14):
interested in supporting usfurther than your ticket
purchase there if you'reinterested in supporting us
further than your ticketpurchase.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
As we wrap up here, talk to me about maybe a
specific message you'd like toshare with the public about the
importance of supporting kind ofan organization like this who
is focused on contextualizingand presenting Delaware's
history and what you think thepublic can learn from learning
more about what brings ustogether and what's brought us
here as Delawareans the storieswe tell are your stories as well
(16:46):
, and everybody has.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
everyone should be invested in their local history.
Essentially, we just we can'tdo what we do without that
(17:08):
support.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
Laura, one of the outcomes of a great attendance
to this event right is that ithelps support the upcoming
garden project for the ReedHouse.
Tell us a little bit more aboutthat project and what makes you
so excited for it.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
So we have been working on a garden
revitalization project here atthe Reed House and Gardens and
essentially what we aim to dothere is to enhance the
accessibility of the gardens andmake it a more hospitable event
space, and we've been in thedesign phases planning what
(17:45):
we're going to do.
It's very important to us tomaintain the historical layout
of the gardens because there'ssuch a unique survival of
Victorian gardens Victoriangardens and as we've been
thinking about the longevity ofour gardens and how to best
(18:05):
preserve them so that the publiccan enjoy them, lit encourages
us to think about how we bestcare for the environment around
us, not only in the winterseason, but year round.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
Laura, thank you so much for joining me today.
You can learn more about theDelaware Historical Society by
visiting their website atdehistoryorg or, as she
mentioned,readhouseandgardensorg, which is
R-E-A-D.
Houseandgardensorg.
Laura, have a great rest ofyour afternoon and good luck
with your event.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
Thank you so much for having me and I hope to see you
at Lit for the Holidays.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Delaware State of the Arts is a weekly podcast that
presents interviews with artsorganizations and leaders who
contribute to the culturalvibrancy of communities
throughout Delaware.
Delaware State of the Arts isprovided as a service of the
Delaware Division of the Arts inpartnership with News Radio,
1450 WILM and 1410 WDOV.
(19:30):
The Delaware Division of theArts, a branch of the Delaware
Department of State, iscommitted to supporting the arts
and cultivating creativity toenhance the quality of life in
Delaware.
Together with its advisory body, the Delaware State Arts
Council, the divisionadministers grants and programs
that support arts programming,educate the public, increase
(19:53):
awareness of the arts andintegrate the arts into all
facets of Delaware life.
To find out more about thedivision, visit artsdelawaregov.
For Delaware State of the Arts, I'm Andy Truscott.
My guest today is Laura Earls,the director of the Reed House
and Gardens, which is a part ofthe Delaware Historical Society.
Earls, a museum professionaland historian of gender and
material culture in earlyAmerica, has worked in
collections, management andinterpretation at institutions
including the Nemours Estate,the Museum of the American
(00:42):
Revolution and the WinterthurMuseum the Nemours Estate, the
Museum of the AmericanRevolution and the Winterthur
Museum.
She formerly served as agraduate assistant and
contractor at DelawareHistorical Society's Research
Library.
Today we'll speak with herabout Delaware Historical
Society's upcoming Lit for theHolidays, delaware's Changing
Winter Landscapes event, whichis going to be running December
14th through the 29th.
Laura, thanks again for joiningus and, as we kick off here,
(01:05):
tell us a little bit aboutyourself what brought you to the
Reed House and DelawareHistorical Society and kind of
what excites you about the workthat you all do.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Thank you so much for having me today, and I have.
I've always wanted to work inmuseums since I was a child and
I went to graduate school forhistory and museum studies at
the University of Delaware andgraduated with a PhD in the
history of American civilizationat the University of Delaware
last year In Delaware, whichincluded, of course, as you said
(02:08):
, the Delaware HistoricalSociety Research Library, which
got me interested in Delaware'slocal history.
It was really wonderful to comeback to a place that was such
an important part of my owngraduate education and my own
training as an emerging museumprofessional, and I am really
excited about the many storiesthat we tell at the Reed House
and Gardens.
We look not only at thefamilies who lived here, such as
the Reeds, coopers and Lairds.
We also told the stories of themany people who lived and
worked here.
(02:28):
There are so many fascinatingstories that speak not only to
Delaware's history but nationaland global history as well.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
For those that maybe don't know much about what or
where the Delaware HistoricalSociety is, can you give us a
bit of a background on theorganization and kind of what
makes it so integral to not onlythe history of Delaware but the
future of the Delaware way?
Speaker 2 (02:52):
Absolutely so.
The Delaware Historical Societyis a non-profit that was
founded in 1864.
And we are made up of ninehistoric buildings that have
roots in Delaware's past and wehave a really wonderful
collection of over 3 millionobjects, books, documents,
photographs and maps.
And eight of those ninehistoric buildings are at our
(03:14):
Wilmington campus in WillingtownSquare, which is on Market
Street in Wilmington, and thenhere at the Reed House in Old
Newcastle.
We are the ninth historicbuilding and we are the only
private nonprofit organizationwhose mission is to serve as
Delaware's statewideorganization that explores,
preserves, promotes and sharesDelaware's history, heritage and
(03:37):
culture, to educate and inspireand empower people and
communities.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
Tell us why they should be encouraged to go
inside to learn more and to kindof better understand why this
is such an important part ofpreservation.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
So we get all sorts of visitors at both campuses and
at the Reed House.
You know this was the house ofGeorge Reed II, son of George
Reed I, who was a signer of theDeclaration of Independence, so
a lot of folks who areinterested in the Reeds will
come in.
We also have a lot of interestthat comes from people who are
(04:14):
interested in early Americandecorative arts, material
culture, because this house issuch a wonderful example of
Philadelphia federalarchitecture and we have a lot
of really wonderful uniquefeatures to the architecture of
the house.
A lot of people enjoy the punchand gouge trimming in a lot of
(04:37):
the house and we essentially geta lot of people who are
interested in early Americanhistory, decorative arts,
material culture, gardens andlandscapes as well, because we
do have gardens attached to thehouse and we are also working on
a garden revitalization projectwhich will enhance the
(04:59):
accessibility of the space forall of our visitors.
So there's really something foreveryone.
If you're interested inDelaware's, heritage.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
As it relates to visiting, what can visitors
expect when they show up?
So is it like I should buy aticket, get a tour arranged in
advance, or is it these are kindof open hours that allows me to
kind of peruse through thehouse, peruse through any of the
Delaware historical locationsand kind of learn about history
at my own pace.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
The Delaware History Museum is open from Wednesday to
Saturday 12 to 5 pm and that wehave a.
We have a core exhibit therethat visitors are free to walk
through.
But at the Reed House andGardens our normal operating
hours are Thursday throughSunday, 11 am until 4 pm and we
offer tours on the hours.
(05:54):
So the visitors experience thehouse through guided tours with
our wonderful museum.
Our museum ambassadors do awonderful job really immersing
visitors in the many storiesthat this house tells.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
What excites you the most about not only kind of
Delaware's history but thehistory that you're able to kind
of curate through the Reeds.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
House most since coming here is just.
I'm very energized by howinvested the people in the
Newcastle community and beyondin Delaware are invested in the
well-being and the longevity ofthis house, and I love getting
(06:50):
to see all the different waysthat people have been involved
here or how their interestsbring them into getting getting
involved here, and it'sDelaware's is such a I'm a
transplant to Delaware, so it'sit's been great to see you know
(07:10):
the Delaware way in all things.
I suppose you know the Delawareway in all things, I suppose.
And it's Delaware is such aunique place with such an
interesting situation inAmerican history and I think
that the stories that we tellabout the history of this house
and the space that we offerpeople to explore that history
(07:32):
is just a really, reallywonderful way to tell all sorts
of stories.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
Can you describe any specific programs or initiatives
that maybe have been successfulin engaging new or diverse
audiences at either theHistorical Society or the Reed
House?
Speaker 2 (07:57):
more recent programs.
That happened shortly before Iarrived here was Dr Melissa
Benbow Flowers tour.
These houses were homes fivegenerations of Black community
in Old Newcastle and essentiallyDr Flowers was a graduate
intern from the University ofDelaware at the Reed House this
past summer and she did researchabout Black history in
Newcastle and offered thisreally wonderful walking tour of
(08:19):
old Newcastle.
That sold out twice and peoplereally enjoyed it and we are
fortunate enough that we get tocontinue developing that tour
into a permanent offering thatwill essentially be a joint
special tour offering betweenthe Reed House and the Mitchell
(08:42):
Center for African AmericanHeritage at the Delaware
Historical Society.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
Are there any particular collaborations with
other organizations or communitygroups in Delaware that you
think really set the HistoricalSociety apart in terms of its
programming?
Speaker 2 (08:56):
I think that a lot of the close relationships that we
have with faculty and studentsat the undergraduate and
graduate levels at theUniversity of Delaware, I
believe that sets us apart.
I mean, the relationship theHistorical Society has with UD
is how I got involved in theorganization in the first place
(09:21):
and I believe that theconnections that we maintain
with educational institutionshelp us stay in tune with what
students need, with whatemerging professionals need, and
keeps us up to date on thefield.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
I want to take just a minute here to remind our
listeners.
You're listening to DelawareState of the Arts on News Radio
1450 WILM and 1410 WDOV.
Laura, thanks again forbringing this to our attention,
this great event coming up Litfor the Holidays Delaware's
Changing Winter Landscapes.
Talk to us a little bit aboutwhat makes the event unique, why
(09:53):
the Historical Society is soexcited about bringing it
through and maybe what visitorscan expect.
Landscapes talk to us a littlebit about what makes the event
unique, why the historicalsociety is so excited about
bringing it through and maybewhat visitors can expect to see
when they visit the exhibit ofcourse, so lit for the holidays
this year is basically.
Speaker 2 (10:06):
It is a continuation of a long-standing tradition at
the reed house in which lydiaand Philip Laird, former owners
of the house in the 20th century, would ring in the holiday
season with winter parties.
So Lit is essentially acontinuation of that.
That includes an exhibit, andthis year's is titled Delaware's
(10:26):
Changing Winter Landscapes, andit essentially so.
Lit for the Holidays is a partythat opens the exhibit
Delaware's Changing WinterLandscapes that will then be on
view from December 14th untilDecember 29th, and the party
this year is going to featurewonderful entertainment and
(10:47):
catering.
We will have live music fromBruce Anthony caroling with
vocal points from the Universityof Delaware, complimentary
beverages and we will havecatering by Toscano this year.
And the exhibit itself includesartwork that will be displayed
throughout the Reed Housealongside dried floral
arrangements that have beenlovingly crafted by our staff
(11:11):
here at the Reed House fromflowers in Our Own Gardens.
So it will be a realcelebration of the Reed House
Gardens, and the exhibitfeatures drawings and paintings
from not only the collections ofthe Delaware Historical Society
but also the privatecollections of members of the
Newcastle community, as well aspaintings by plein air artists
(11:34):
from the Washington Society ofLandscape Painters, and overall,
what this exhibit does isshowcase how winter scenes have
changed from the 19th centuryuntil today, and I want visitors
to really think about how wecan best care for and steward
Delaware's landscapes for futuregenerations.
Speaker 1 (11:52):
One might not know that the Historical Society has,
like a collection right of art.
Talk to us about what mightqualify a piece of art to be
kind of housed in thatcollection and kind of how the
staff or you as the directorkind of come together and curate
a show of this type based onwhat you kind of have in your
(12:13):
background.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
So our collections are largely Delaware focused, as
you might imagine, and theexhibit will feature not only
art but objects from everydaylife.
You know what made wintersurvivable for people in the
past before modern refrigeration?
The conveniences of modern life, essentially.
And we do have art in ourcollections and there will be a
few pieces by Howard Pyle andRobert Shaw, who are two
(12:45):
Delaware artists.
Howard Pyle is known for hischildren's book illustrations
and Robert Shaw is known for hisDelaware landscape artwork.
And essentially how theseexhibits come together is we
have our wonderful collectionsand access department that is
based in Wilmington and, workingwith my colleagues over there,
(13:07):
we're able to work out thelogistics of what objects do we
have, what might fit with theidea that I'm having, what might
fit with the idea that I'mhaving, and we're also able to
essentially figure out just thelogistics of display and moving
the objects and making thelabels and all of those sorts of
things.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
This is an annual event, as you had brought up.
Are there other annual eventssuch as this or even upcoming
major exhibits that the ReedHouse or the Historical Society
is really excited about in 2025?
Speaker 2 (13:41):
So this is our main annual event, and I am
especially excited about theJanuary book talk.
Well, it's going to be amoderated conversation between
two historians of theDeclaration of Independence, and
we're going to be talking aboutthe you know who was included
in the Declaration ofIndependence and when and we'll
(14:02):
be talking about the parametersof citizenship in the new nation
.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
Thank you for bringing up the Delaware 250,
because that you guys obviouslybake right into that.
Talk to us about kind of what'sso exciting about this kind of
probably once-in-a a generationopportunity right to not only
highlight Delaware's history butbe a part of it.
As we approach our 250thanniversary, does the Historical
(14:29):
Society have any exciting plansfor that coming up?
Speaker 2 (14:46):
Our programming and our upcoming you know exhibit
plans at least for what I haveplanned for the Read House for
2026, is focused on Delaware 250.
So I'd say that a lot of ourinterpretation is focused on how
the history that we explorehere really exemplifies a lot of
, a lot of what thesemi-concentennial is is looking
at.
I know we're all especiallycompelled by the, the idea of
(15:08):
unfinished revolutions and andwhat we can all do as, as
Delawareans, to continue to liveup to those ideals.
Speaker 1 (15:17):
Talk to us about how the public can get involved with
not only the Reed House but theHistorical Society as it
relates to tickets, memberships,donations, if they're
particularly interested insupporting you guys.
What's kind of the best firststep that someone can make
Become a member of the?
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Delaware Historical Society.
Become a member of the DelawareHistorical Society and you can
do that at dehistoryorg.
And becoming a member of DHSdoes mean that you can also be
involved in the Reed House.
The Reed House is part, becausethe Reed House is part, of the
Delaware Historical Society.
(15:53):
We have specific mailing listsfor people who are especially
interested in the Reed House.
And, like I had mentionedearlier, to purchase tickets for
Lit for the Holidays, go toreedhouseandgardensorg,
backslash lit 2024.
And there are sponsorshiplevels available there if you're
(16:14):
interested in supporting usfurther than your ticket
purchase there if you'reinterested in supporting us
further than your ticketpurchase.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
As we wrap up here, talk to me about maybe a
specific message you'd like toshare with the public about the
importance of supporting kind ofan organization like this who
is focused on contextualizingand presenting Delaware's
history and what you think thepublic can learn from learning
more about what brings ustogether and what's brought us
here as Delawareans the storieswe tell are your stories as well
(16:46):
, and everybody has.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
everyone should be invested in their local history.
Essentially, we just we can'tdo what we do without that
(17:08):
support.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
Laura, one of the outcomes of a great attendance
to this event right is that ithelps support the upcoming
garden project for the ReedHouse.
Tell us a little bit more aboutthat project and what makes you
so excited for it.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
So we have been working on a garden
revitalization project here atthe Reed House and Gardens and
essentially what we aim to dothere is to enhance the
accessibility of the gardens andmake it a more hospitable event
space, and we've been in thedesign phases planning what
(17:45):
we're going to do.
It's very important to us tomaintain the historical layout
of the gardens because there'ssuch a unique survival of
Victorian gardens Victoriangardens and as we've been
thinking about the longevity ofour gardens and how to best
(18:05):
preserve them so that the publiccan enjoy them, lit encourages
us to think about how we bestcare for the environment around
us, not only in the winterseason, but year round.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
Laura, thank you so much for joining me today.
You can learn more about theDelaware Historical Society by
visiting their website atdehistoryorg or, as she
mentioned,readhouseandgardensorg, which is
R-E-A-D.
Houseandgardensorg.
Laura, have a great rest ofyour afternoon and good luck
with your event.
Speaker 2 (18:39):
Thank you so much for having me and I hope to see you
at Lit for the Holidays.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Delaware State of the Arts is a weekly podcast that
presents interviews with artsorganizations and leaders who
contribute to the culturalvibrancy of communities
throughout Delaware.
Delaware State of the Arts isprovided as a service of the
Delaware Division of the Arts inpartnership with News Radio,
1450 WILM and 1410 WDOV.
(19:30):
The Delaware Division of theArts, a branch of the Delaware
Department of State, iscommitted to supporting the arts
and cultivating creativity toenhance the quality of life in
Delaware.
Together with its advisory body, the Delaware State Arts
Council, the divisionadministers grants and programs
that support arts programming,educate the public, increase
(19:53):
awareness of the arts andintegrate the arts into all
facets of Delaware life.
To find out more about thedivision, visit artsdelawaregov.
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