Share: 

Lewes Historical Society to launch video series April 3

April 1, 2020

To keep citizens engaged in the history of the First Town in the First State and to provide outreach to homebound community members, the Lewes Historical Society will launch its first in a series of videos Friday, April 3, on its website and Facebook page.

The series will alternate each week between two subjects, Meet the Past and Lewes Legends & Landmarks.

Meet the Past videos will focus on events, and the different perspectives and experiences of actual individuals during the bombardment of Lewes in April 1813. A wide array of characters in period attire will introduce themselves to the audience over the weeks, ranging from a British Navy deserter to a local lighthouse keeper. Each character portrayed will be an actual person from Lewes’ past.

The first historic figure introduced will be Gilbert McCracken, played by volunteer actor Bill Hicks. Historically, McCracken was a Delaware River and Bay pilot who served as a sailor during the American Revolution and consequently in the Militia of Pilots to defend Lewes during the War of 1812. The variety of personalities represented throughout the series depict the different viewpoints that were held during this pivotal time in American history.

Each segment will be filmed at the volunteer actor or staff member’s home and passed on to the society’s staff for editing and distribution. The talking points and script for the videos will be based on the Lewes Historical Society’s popular Tavern Talks program and will be a segue into the society’s new exhibition, Breaking Britannia’s Grasp: Lewes, the Royal Navy, and the Legacy of 1812, which is due to open as soon as possible.

The Lewes Legends & Landmarks videos will also be brought to the public by characters in era-appropriate garb, highlighting Lewes historic sites and buildings. Society staff and volunteers will share the history of local structures and entertain the audience with notable facts and stories. Their solo performances intend to bring Lewes’ significant past to those who literally cannot walk the streets of Lewes at this time.

The Lewes Historical Society team thanks the dedicated volunteers for their incredible enthusiasm, time and talent put forth into this project. Thoughts and wishes for safety and good health are extended to everyone.

To view historic videos, go to www.historiclewes.org or find Lewes Historical Society on Facebook.

 

Subscribe to the CapeGazette.com Daily Newsletter