New Online Program Focuses on Life in Kent County, Delaware, 1680-1740
Due to current coronavirus restrictions the Delaware Public Archives will be presenting its October First Saturday program in an online format only. Presented by historian Charles Fithian, the October Program is titled “
Intendinge to Seate In These Upward Parts”: Life in Kent County, Delaware, 1680-1740. It is currently available on the Delaware Public Archives website
https://archives.delaware.gov/ . Look for the DPA TV icon. During the 17
th-century, Anglo-European settlers established colonies throughout the Delaware Valley. The century saw the establishment of colonial societies in what became one of the most culturally diverse areas in North America. These complex cultural and social interactions continued well after Delaware, known then as the “Lower Counties” of Pennsylvania, became an English colony in 1664.
Integrating information from archaeological and historic research, this presentation will examine what life was like on this frontier in what is now central Delaware. Discussed will be such topics as the pattern of settlement, landscape and environmental adaptations, immigration, family and household structure, transportation networks, and material culture. These different kinds of information will be compared with those from neighboring colonial areas, and the theme of early Delaware’s distinctive nature will be emphasized.
Charles (Chuck) Fithian, a resident of Dover, currently serves as an instructor of Anthropology and Archaeology at Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland. For 28 years, Fithian served as the Curator of Archaeology with the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs. In this position he was responsible for the curation of the archaeological collections of the State of Delaware while directing archaeological and historical research projects, including the research and conservation for the British warship DeBraak. He has also conducted extensive research on Delaware during the American Revolution and the War of 1812.
Please be aware that this is an online only presentation. For more information, contact Tom Summers (302) 744-5047 or e-mail
thomas.summers@delaware.gov
