Photo by Joe Del Tufo
Recently in Delaware, Dolly Parton hosted an Imagination Library event in Wilmington, and the Delaware History Trail got an upgrade.
Hello, Dolly!
By Joe Del Tufo
On May 5, the Wilmington Public Library hosted a secret event for special fans of country singer Dolly Parton, who was there to celebrate her Imagination Library program, which gives children one curated book every month until age 5—an initiative Delaware was the first to implement statewide.
The event was organized by First Lady Tracey Carney and Gov. John Carney, who also interviewed Parton for the event. She answered questions and connected with some of the children and choir school performers in the gathering of 250 in the library’s performance space.
“At some point this year, we will reach 200 million books that we’ve sent out, and that’s a lot of books in the hands of a lot of children,” Parton said. “And I take a lot of pride in that.”
Parton put on her “Coat of Many Colors” guitar and played a surprise solo performance of the song of the same name, followed by her classic “Try”—all to the delight of one lucky crowd.
Visit the Revamped Delaware History Trail
By Pam George
Planes, trains, ships and automobiles are attractions on the revamped Delaware History Trail, which the state unveiled during National Travel and Tourism Week in the spring.
The self-guided trail has been trimmed from the original 51 sites to a manageable 29 that tell Delaware’s story and offer a memorable experience at the same time, said Delaware Tourism Director Liz Keller at the kickoff.
For instance, at the Air Mobility Command Museum on the Dover Air Force Base, visitors can explore more than 30 aircraft, including World War II propeller planes, Air Force Two and a Douglas C-133 large enough to hold three buses.
The Wilmington & Western Railroad is also on the revamped list. So is Auburn Valley State Park in Yorklyn, home to the Marshall Steam Museum, which houses 15 shiny, steam-operated vehicles and two 1930s-era Packards.
New to the tour is the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation and shipyard campus, headquarters for the replica of the tall ship that brought Swedish and Finnish settlers to present-day Wilmington.
Also new are the Nanticoke Indian Museum, the Milton Historical Society and Tubman–Garrett Riverfront Park.
“If you put in the effort, you can really engage in what is a complex and interesting history in the First State,” says Gov. John Carney.
There’s another incentive: Upload photos from your visits to win a 100-piece Delaware-themed puzzle.
For information, visit visitdelaware.com/delaware-history-trail.
Related: Retracing Harriet Tubman’s Steps to freedom Across Delaware