Delmarva Archaeology and History Symposium

Delmarva Archaeology and History Symposium, taking place on Saturday, April 25, 2026 at the Historic Lewes Maritime Museum, 101 Adams Avenue in Lewes, Delaware. This annual symposium is presented by the Delaware State Historic Preservation Office in partnership with the Archaeological Society of Delaware. It is free and open to the public, and all are welcome to attend.

The Delmarva Archaeology and History Symposium 2026 will take place on April 25, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM at the Historic Lewes’ Maritime Museum, located at 101 Adams Ave., Lewes, DE, 19958. The event will begin with a welcome by Gwen Davis, Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer, and John Martin, President of the Archaeological Society of Delaware.

The morning presentations will include topics such as a comparative analysis of ceramics from eighteenth-century sites in Delaware by archaeologist Max Kichline, interdisciplinary research on marginalized peoples in nineteenth-century Rockland, Delaware by Sara Downard, findings on unmarked historic human burials at Avery’s Rest Archaeological Site by Dan Griffith, research on Captain Fountain, a Delaware Underground Railroad hero, by Debra C. Martin, and the life and career of Charlotte E. Ray, the first Black woman lawyer in the United States and a Delaware teacher, presented by Brayden Moore.

After a lunch break, the afternoon presentations will feature Kara Briggs exploring the architectural works of Wallace E. Hance, Wade Catts discussing archaeological evidence of a firefight at Cooch’s Bridge Battlefield, Emily Whaley examining how historic photographs can inform municipal history, Linda Seminario investigating a nineteenth to twentieth-century barn, and Devon Filicicchia presenting new courses for shipwreck tours of the HMS DeBraak.

The symposium will conclude with closing remarks at 4:15 PM. Refreshment breaks are scheduled at 10:15 AM and 2:30 PM. The event will cover a diverse range of topics, including archaeology, history, architecture, and preservation, with speakers from various professional backgrounds such as archaeologists, historians, naturalists, and students.