"I bring word from Philadelphia." Ryan Schwartz of Historic Lewes announces the arrival of the Declaration of Independence. During the July 3 event, 26 people from the Lewes community each read a part of the document to kick off the 250 weekend. BILL SHULL PHOTOS
Bill Hicks, left, and Bill Manthorpe, both of Historic Lewes, are the first to read. The selected readers spoke in front the old doctor's office on the Historic Lewes Shipcarpenter Campus.
Kevin McGuiness, left, host of the We In Lewes podcast, and Mickeya Linzie, a member of the Lewes African American Heritage Commission, deliver their parts of the declaration.
Deb Hansen from the Lewes Public Art Committee reads her part. Hansen said the opportunity was meaningful to her because she has patriots in her family.
Dave Shook, Overfalls Foundation president, left, and Lewes Police Chief Tom Spell each read a section of the document.
Bill Collick, a Lewes native and member of the city's African American Heritage Commission, delivers his part. 
Betsy Reamer, Lewes Chamber of Commerce executive director, reads her segment of the document.
Ethan Foos, 10, represents American Legion Post 17 for his portion of the declaration reading.
Beth Bowersock, Daughters of the American Revolution Col. David Hall Chapter regent, reads her portion of the Declaration of Independence with a patriotic flair.
Young and old came to the Historic Lewes campus to listen to the declaration reading.
Ron Collins, an author and Lewes Public Library distinguished lecturer, reads his segment of the document.
Andrew Lyter, curator of the Maritime History Museum, talks about the city's history with the declaration. Lyter said not all residents of then-Lewestown supported independence; some remained loyal to the crown.
Joe Lawson, Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice executive director, holds the parchment showing his part of the declaration. Lawson said the reading was an amazing and emotional experience for him.
Mayor Amy Marasco relaxes with her grandson, Nick Snipes, who was one of the declaration readers.
Andrea Spuck, left, and Tim Southerst, owners of Puzzles and Lewes Gourmet, celebrate the 250 weekend at the declaration reading. Southerst is from England, but proudly wears a puzzle piece with the U.S. flag.
Bill Manthorpe of Historic Lewes said his great-grandfather six times removed was William Deweese, the sheriff of Philadelphia in 1776.
"I bring word from Philadelphia." Ryan Schwartz of Historic Lewes announces the arrival of the Declaration of Independence. During the July 3 event, 26 people from the Lewes community each read a part of the document to kick off the 250 weekend. BILL SHULL PHOTOS
Bill Hicks, left, and Bill Manthorpe, both of Historic Lewes, are the first to read. The selected readers spoke in front the old doctor's office on the Historic Lewes Shipcarpenter Campus.
Kevin McGuiness, left, host of the We In Lewes podcast, and Mickeya Linzie, a member of the Lewes African American Heritage Commission, deliver their parts of the declaration.
Deb Hansen from the Lewes Public Art Committee reads her part. Hansen said the opportunity was meaningful to her because she has patriots in her family.
Dave Shook, Overfalls Foundation president, left, and Lewes Police Chief Tom Spell each read a section of the document.
Bill Collick, a Lewes native and member of the city's African American Heritage Commission, delivers his part.
Betsy Reamer, Lewes Chamber of Commerce executive director, reads her segment of the document.
Ethan Foos, 10, represents American Legion Post 17 for his portion of the declaration reading.
Beth Bowersock, Daughters of the American Revolution Col. David Hall Chapter regent, reads her portion of the Declaration of Independence with a patriotic flair.
Young and old came to the Historic Lewes campus to listen to the declaration reading.
Ron Collins, an author and Lewes Public Library distinguished lecturer, reads his segment of the document.
Andrew Lyter, curator of the Maritime History Museum, talks about the city's history with the declaration. Lyter said not all residents of then-Lewestown supported independence; some remained loyal to the crown.
Joe Lawson, Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice executive director, holds the parchment showing his part of the declaration. Lawson said the reading was an amazing and emotional experience for him.
Mayor Amy Marasco relaxes with her grandson, Nick Snipes, who was one of the declaration readers.
Andrea Spuck, left, and Tim Southerst, owners of Puzzles and Lewes Gourmet, celebrate the 250 weekend at the declaration reading. Southerst is from England, but proudly wears a puzzle piece with the U.S. flag.
Bill Manthorpe of Historic Lewes said his great-grandfather six times removed was William Deweese, the sheriff of Philadelphia in 1776.
"The Congress of the continent has declared a declaration to be read before you this date."
With that pronouncement by the town crier, played by Ryan Schwartz of Historic Lewes, the reading of the Declaration of Independence began. The event took place the evening of July 3 on the Shipcarpenter Campus in Lewes.
Twenty-six people – a diverse sampling of the Lewes community – each read a portion of the document aloud. Each reader's portion was printed on parchment paper.
Bill Manthorpe of Historic Lewes set the scene. Manthorpe's great-grandfather six times removed was William Deweese, the sheriff of Philadelphia and the first person to introduce the declaration to citizens on July 8, 1776.
Bill Hicks, also from Historic Lewes, then spoke the those first historic words that launched a revolution: "When in the course of human events ..."
Afterward, many of those on the roster of readers said the opportunity to take part gave them goose bumps.
"Having grown up in Lewes, and having benefited from growing up in Lewes, It's an honor to be asked to do this," said Bill Collick, a member of the Lewes African American Heritage Commission.
"What an honor," said Deb Hansen from the Lewes Public Art Committee. "Two hundred fifty years! I have patriots in my family; this is really meaningful to me."
"The thing that is just wonderful about this is to realize and see the through-lines between people trying to make a difference," said Joe Lawson, Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice executive director. "What happened back then, to be part of that, feel that emotion, feel the courage it took, by reading and listening, was just an amazing experience."
News of the Declaration of Independence reached what was then Lewestown on the evening of July 5, 1776. It was read to members of the Delaware regiment July 10 and to citizens July 20, according to Andrew Lyter, curator of the newly reimagined Lewes Maritime Museum.
Lyter said not everyone in Lewes was united behind the declaration, and they paid a price.
"Sussex County and Kent County were largely opposed," Lyter said. "Lewestowners who remained committed to the crown were persecuted in their own community, and in the months ahead, their property was confiscated by patriots."
Historic Lewes organizers had planned to bring the Declaration of Independence into town via a rider on horseback, but that part was canceled due to the heat.
The full list of everyone who read the Declaration of Independence is: Bill Manthorpe, Bill Hicks, Heidi Lowe, Kevin McGuiness, Mickeya Linzie, Deb Hansen, Tim Southerst, Joe Lawson, Cole Huxtable, Ashley Akgoren, Fred Dylla, Michiko Seto, Tom Spell, Dave Shook, Amelia Kennedy, Sethe Block, Falan Mifflin, Beth Bowersock, Chuck Smolka, Betsy Reamer, Nick Snipes, the Rev. Jeff Ross, Dr. Laura Carlson, Ethan Foos, Ron Collins and Bill Collick.
"I bring word from Philadelphia." Ryan Schwartz of Historic Lewes announces the arrival of the Declaration of Independence. During the July 3 event, 26 people from the Lewes community each read a part of the document to kick off the 250 weekend. BILL SHULL PHOTOS
Bill Hicks, left, and Bill Manthorpe, both of Historic Lewes, are the first to read. The selected readers spoke in front the old doctor's office on the Historic Lewes Shipcarpenter Campus.
Kevin McGuiness, left, host of the We In Lewes podcast, and Mickeya Linzie, a member of the Lewes African American Heritage Commission, deliver their parts of the declaration.
Deb Hansen from the Lewes Public Art Committee reads her part. Hansen said the opportunity was meaningful to her because she has patriots in her family.
Dave Shook, Overfalls Foundation president, left, and Lewes Police Chief Tom Spell each read a section of the document.
Bill Collick, a Lewes native and member of the city's African American Heritage Commission, delivers his part.
Betsy Reamer, Lewes Chamber of Commerce executive director, reads her segment of the document.
Ethan Foos, 10, represents American Legion Post 17 for his portion of the declaration reading.
Beth Bowersock, Daughters of the American Revolution Col. David Hall Chapter regent, reads her portion of the Declaration of Independence with a patriotic flair.
Young and old came to the Historic Lewes campus to listen to the declaration reading.
Ron Collins, an author and Lewes Public Library distinguished lecturer, reads his segment of the document.
Andrew Lyter, curator of the Maritime History Museum, talks about the city's history with the declaration. Lyter said not all residents of then-Lewestown supported independence; some remained loyal to the crown.
Joe Lawson, Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice executive director, holds the parchment showing his part of the declaration. Lawson said the reading was an amazing and emotional experience for him.
Mayor Amy Marasco relaxes with her grandson, Nick Snipes, who was one of the declaration readers.
Andrea Spuck, left, and Tim Southerst, owners of Puzzles and Lewes Gourmet, celebrate the 250 weekend at the declaration reading. Southerst is from England, but proudly wears a puzzle piece with the U.S. flag.
Bill Manthorpe of Historic Lewes said his great-grandfather six times removed was William Deweese, the sheriff of Philadelphia in 1776.
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