19th century shipwreck is Rehoboth museum topic Oct. 28

The Rehoboth Beach Museum will present We Come to Catastrophe, a live program featuring a costumed interpreter who tells the chilling tale of surviving the shipwreck of the Faithful Steward, at 7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 28, in Grove Park.

In the early hours of Sept. 1, 1785, the Faithful Steward, a vessel headed for Philadelphia, sank off the coast of Southern Delaware with close to 250 passengers aboard. More than half perished in the rough waves within sight of the beach. The ship was carrying 400 barrels of English pennies, which broke open during the wreck, with coins washing out to sea and eventually onto the beach.

For many years, people walked Coin Beach south of Dewey and collected pennies and half-pennies.

Historic character interpreter and Lewes Historical Society Director of Education Marcos Salaverria will relate the tragedy of this wreck through a historic reading of a firsthand account, in the dress and voice of Mr. McEntire, a survivor.

Participants will meet in the lantern-lit Grove Park pavilion to hear the sad tale, and afterward go into the museum to view some artifacts from the wreck, and enjoy cider and cookies.

The museum requests a $10 cash donation per person. Reservations are required. Grove Park is located next to the Rehoboth Beach Museum and the chamber of commerce visitor’s center. To make a reservation, call 302-227-7310.

To learn more, go to rehobothbeachmuseum.org.