Attention: Researchers who wish to perform research on-site may make an appointment by calling (302) 744-5000 or e-mailing archives@delaware.gov More Info
Delaware's most prized documents, photographs of Delaware in the past, historic audio clips, and much more.
The Mabel Lloyd Ridgely Research Room is open to the public from 8:30a to 4:00p, M-F unless otherwise noted.
Guides to our Military records and Agency Histories are just a few of the links available.
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During the 17th-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.
In this program, local historian Lew Miller will discuss the sudden rise of Abraham Lincoln to the Presidency. How did this unknown former congressman pull off such a great upset? What events led southerners to the brink of secession? Lincoln was a brilliant politician but his rise to the presidency could not have happened without both mistakes by his rivals for the Republican nomination and circumstances beyond his control. The story of how he became president involves powerful personalities, a nation in crisis, and a few chance events.
Delaware Public Archives
121 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. North
Dover, DE 19901
(302) 744-5000