This marker is located on one of the main streets of Milton and points out how this town came to…read morebe. It has the same text on both sides. The marker reads, "Located at the head of the Broadkill River, Milton became an important point for the shipping of agricultural products during the 18th century. A thriving shipbuilding industry supported the growth of the community, with large numbers of vessels being produced by local shipyards. Once known as Osborne's Landing and Head-of-the-Broadkill, the town was renamed Milton in 1807 and incorporated by the State Legislature on March 17, 1865." There is a lot of shipbuilding history in the city that is worth exploring. This marker is on a wide part of the street and there is room to stop to read it. [Review 18180 overall - 98 in Delaware - 1702 of 2022.]

There are a couple of lighthouses here in the Delaware Bay and this one is very definitely the…read moreHarbor of Refuge light. It is a cast-iron structure that was built in 1926 and is designed to handle even the most intense Atlantic weather. It is 76 feet tall and has a black base, a white conical tower and a black lantern level at the top. The light on the tower has been replaced a few times but it currently operated by solar power and includes a fog signal that is also powered by solar. I saw the lighthouse today from the Lewes-Cape May Ferry https://www.yelp.com/biz/cape-may-lewes-ferry-north-cape-may-4?hrid=eqhIEWJmJAJ_9Ndxpt223w but it can also be seen from the tip of Cape Henlopen State Park https://www.yelp.com/biz/cape-henlopen-state-park-lewes. The lighthouse is operated by the Delaware River and Bay Lighthouse Foundation. While the lighthouse is not accessible from land, there are boat tours that bring you to the lighthouse, if that's something that appeals to you. See https://www.yelp.com/biz/cape-water-tours-and-taxi-lewes-2. [Review 18215 overall - 127 in Delaware - 1737 of 2022.]

This marker is next to the Lewes Life-Saving Station & Museum and points out a spectacular weather…read moreevent. The marker is in need of some attention but is still quite legible. It reads, "Known as the "Great White Hurricane," the Blizzard of 1888 was one of the most devastating weather events in recorded history. Affecting coastal states from Virginia to Maine, this paralyzing storm resulted in widespread death and destruction. With its large stone Breakwater providing a buffer from heavy seas, the harbor at Lewes was considered to be one of the safest on the Atlantic seaboard at the time. For the ships that sought shelter here during the blizzard, it would be the scene of an unprecedented disaster. As signs of an approaching storm increased, approximately 50 vessels had come to anchor behind the seawall by the evening of March 11, 1888. A brief calm descended just before midnight, followed quickly by rapidly growing winds and decreasing temperatures. Soon a raging storm descended upon the harbor, bearing with it "flying hail and snow that cut like a lash...and salt spray that froze into a glassy coating the instant the water touched decks, spars, or rigging." By the morning of March 12, nearly every vessel in the harbor was sunken, sinking, or drifting powerless, crashing one upon another. Some sailors clung to the masts of ice-bound ships, where they endured the continuing effects of the storm. The crews of the Lewes and Cape Henlopen Life-Saving stations, aided by the citizens of Lewes, immediately launched efforts to save those in peril. As a result of their heroic deeds, many lucky souls were saved during the days that followed. The fact that only eight deaths were reported here was considered nothing less than miraculous for those who experienced the terrible fury of the Blizzard of 1888." The storm struck then entire East Coast from Chesapeake Bay to Maine. Recording snow falls range to as much as 58 inches in Saratoga Springs, New York. The storm began in earnest shortly after midnight on March 12 and continued unabated for a full day and a half. Drifts across the New York-New Haven rail line at Westport, Connecticut, took eight days to clear. Transportation gridlock as a result of the storm was partially responsible for the creation of the first underground subway system in the United States, which opened nine years later in Boston. This is marker SC-221 and it was erected in 2008 by the Delaware Public Archives. [Review 18206 overall - 120 in Delaware - 1728 of 2022.]

"And up there in the Heavens The explorers who've all…read moregathered Saw the world turn" (Coldplay) As we took a leisurely walk along the Rehoboth Boardwalk, we were struck by a double-sided stone monument with two rounded medallions where the boardwalk converges with Olive Ave & N 1st Street. What was it and why was it there? Well, turns out the monument honors the 1524 voyage of Italian Explorer Giovanni de Verrazzano, the first European explorer to chart portions of North America's east coast from Canada to the Carolina's a mere 500 years ago. One of his many stops was in what is now known as Delaware. An Inscription on the marker reads: "A native of Val Di Greve in the Tuscany region of Italy, he studied navigation as a young man and became a master mariner. He was engaged by the King of France to lead a voyage to North America in 1524. The purpose of Verrazzano's journey was to learn more about the continent. Traveling in a small ship known as the Dauphine, he explored coastal areas from the present-day State of North Carolina to Canada, observing the natural abundance of the land and the vibrant culture of its native peoples. His voyage is the earliest documented European exploration of this part of the Atlantic Coast. This monument rests upon stone from Castello di Verrazzano, the explorer's ancestral home." The Verrazano Monument was built in 2010 and sponsored by the Delaware Commission on Italian Heritage and Culture. It's a very cool piece of American history.

Finally free from work obligations I decided to take some me time and travel for myself a bit. In…read moreorder to do so I had to head south a bit. This brought me to the Charles W Cullen Bridge. This portion of Delaware is fairly flat and when you near the bridge it is a huge contrast of the landscape. Like out of nowhere you get this impressive looking bridge that adds to the beauty of the surrounding area. At the same time it doesn't take away from it either. I can't speak to the nighttime viewing of the bridge as I was only across it during the daylight hours. But I can only imagine. Not only is it a beautiful bridge, it serves the purpose of connecting the Rehoboth/Dewey area to the Bethany Beach area.

An exceptionally pretty bridge that at night is lit up with a beautiful blue color that can be seen…read morefor miles. Even if you're not crossing It, it is beautiful to view. They chose blue for lights because this was a color That didn't upset the ecological balance and sensibilities of wildlife in the area- namely ocean fish life and birds. Now you're probably thinking I'm crazy because I got so excited about a bridge but consider this - the lanes that cross this bridge are totally free of any bumps or cracks you see in some other bridges in the tri-state area. The grading is slight and it's pleasant to drive. TIP: When you're coming northbound slow down at the top of the bridge if you can and look right if you safely can. You will be ecstatic at the view of the Atlantic Ocean and it's waves crashing onto the beach. It's a postcard!

I know very little about organizations like the Masons and such, so it was interesting to read up…read moreon the Independent Order of Odd Fellows thanks to this historical marker that is located in front of their building that is around the corner from Dogfish https://www.yelp.com/biz/dogfish-head-craft-brewery-milton?hrid=X-MiPl97jcYPhE-1WEEPOg. The marker reads, "The origins of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows can be traced to the creation of beneficial trade societies in England. Composed of craftsmen who practiced a variety of different or "odd" occupations, the purpose of these organizations was to support the needs of members and improve the communities in which they lived. The I.O.O.F. was formally established in this country in 1819. In 1834, the Odd Fellows of North America separated from the English Order. Some years later a group of Milton residents organized for the purpose of establishing a local lodge. On September 15, 1848, a charter was granted for Golden Rule Lodge #17. In 1853, members voted to buy a suitable piece of land on which to erect a Lodge Hall. The first meeting was held here on January 3, 1855. In later years the Odd Fellows' women's organization, the Rebekahs, also met here. Like many such facilities, this structure was designed to include space for business and community use on the first floor, with a lodge room above. From 1920 until 1980 this was the location of the town's library. Since its organization, Golden Rule Lodge #17 has continued to emphasize the principals of "Friendship, Love, and Truth" through its services to the citizens of Milton." The Independent Order of Odd Fellows is a non-political and non-sectarian organization. Notable Odd Fellows include jurist Hugo Black, Senator Robert C. Byrd, actor Charlie Chaplin, cattle Baron John Simpson Chisum https://www.yelp.com/biz/john-simpson-chisum-equestrian-statue-roswell?hrid=yVrjloSOxJbYIMq_B3VMfQ, United States Presidents Ulysses S. Grant and Warren Harding and Rutherford Hayes and Franklin D. Roosevelt, Charles Lindbergh, and Supreme Court Chief Justice Earn Warren. This is marker number SC-216 and was erected in 2007 by the Delaware Public Archives. [Review 18185 overall - 102 in Delaware - 1707 of 2022.]

This marker is somewhat faded, standing quite high on its post. It points out some of the 18th…read morecentury religious history of the area. There is space at the side of the road to stop. It reads, "Organized in 1838, a Methodist Society then called the "Coolspring Methodist Episcopal Meeting House" began holding meetings in a schoolhouse situated on a nearby farm owned by Mrs. Jane Warrington. Trustees were elected and incorporated "to build White's Chapel" named for Reverend Henry White, a presiding Elder who served the preaching circuit continuously until 1842. A quarter acre of land for the church site was donated by Samuel Paynter in 1839, and a meeting house measuring 18 x 24 feet was constructed later that same year. After this first structure was destroyed by fire circa 1871, additional adjacent land was purchased from Alfred C. Warrington in 1872 and a new church measuring 30 x 45 feet was constructed within the present-day church. The present church was constructed and dedicated in 1921 by District Superintendent W.R. Mowbray. Together with Conley's United Methodist Church, Zion United Methodist Church, and three other now-defunct churches, White's Chapel comprised of Nassau Circuit which operated until the early 1930s. As a member of the Peninsula-Delaware Conference, White's Chapel continues to serve the spiritual needs of its surrounding community." With the marker is a beautiful, if small, chapel. Beside it is a cemetery that is in excellent condition. It is marker number SC-235 and it was erected in 2014 by the Delaware Public Archives. [Review 18188 overall - 105 in Delaware - 1710 of 2022.]

Delaware does a good job with their markers. Many of them are located quite close to the actual…read moresite and unlike some states, they have plenty of text on the sign to let you know what's going on. However, I do think my home state of North Carolina does better with the essays on the website that provide way more detail. This marker points out a local citizen who graduated from West Point and led much of the Union Army during the Civil War. The marker has the same text on both sides, though one is rather corroded. It reads, "Born in Georgetown on July 1, 1833, Torbert attended local schools prior to his appointment to the West Point Class of 1855. After the outbreak of the Civil War he rose rapidly in rank, serving as a regimental and brigade commander of New Jersey troops, then as Commander of the 1st Cavalry Division of the Army of the Potomac, and finally as Commander of Cavalry, Army of the Shenandoah. He was breveted as Major-General for his meritorious service. In 1869 Torbert was appointed by President Grant as Minister to San Salvador. He later served as Consul to Cuba and France. A shipwreck off the coast of Florida led to his death in 1880." This is marker number SC-96 and was erected in 1993 by the Delaware State Archives. There is parking along the street to view the marker. [Review 18174 overall - 94 in Delaware - 1696 of 2022.]