Kalmar Nyckel tall ship is museum program topic Sept. 14

The Milford Museum will continue its American History Series at 1 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 14, at Milford Public Library, 11 S.E. Front St., Milford.

Guest speaker Bill Hutchison will present “The Kalmar Nyckel: A Story of Two Ships.”

One ship, the Kalmar Nyckel, left Sweden in 1637 to establish the first permanent European colony in the Delaware Valley, the present site of Wilmington. The original ship made eight crossings of the Atlantic, more than any other colonizing ship. Its demise at the hands of the British in 1652 ended the story of this vessel, but its legacy led to another.

In 1998, the second ship of this story slid into the waters of the Christina River. It sails today as the official Tall Ship of Delaware. This replica, also named the Kalmar Nyckel, has been sailing for 26 years to tell the story of the New Sweden colony’s founding, and the heritage of the early Swedish and Finnish colonists in America. Because of this second ship, thousands of schoolchildren and the public have had the opportunity to live history by sailing on the Kalmar Nyckel.

Hutchison began teaching social studies for the Capital School District in Dover in 1969, became an associate principal in 1999 and retired in 2004. He also taught adjunct classes at Delaware State University, Wilmington University and the University of Delaware.

Upon retiring, he worked for Prestwick House Publishing, creating social studies teaching materials. Since 2003, he has volunteered with the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation, crewing and serving as interim education director and education coordinator. He is currently the lead educator emeritus.

Sponsored by the Milford Museum, these monthly programs focus on a variety of topics concerning local, state and national history.

For more information, contact the museum at 302-424-1080 or info@milforddemuseum.org. Programs are offered through a generous grant from the Delaware Heritage Commission.