Orchard Street Gatehouse Historical Association

06/05/2026

Today was a long day with the 48 State Tour! We learned quite a bit from Jonathan Appell and Lady Taphos. We will post some more photos and videos soon but here are a few.

Thank you to everyone who came today!

06/02/2026

Today we realized that the year 2026 not only represents the semiquincentennial of the United States of America, but it also represents the dodransbicentennial or the demisemiseptcentennial (if you want to be highly technical) of the Orchard Street Cemetery. In layman’s terms, this year is the 175th anniversary of the recognized founding of the Orchard Street Cemetery in 1851. While not officially incorporated until 1854, it was founded 175 years ago this year!

We have been doing a lot this year. We had the Pathways of History tour and the Dover Walking Tour last month. This Friday, we have Jonathan Appel of Atlas Preservation making his second visit to the cemetery for a gravestone preservation and restoration seminar. We hope to see many of you there. If you can make it, please let us know and we look forward to seeing you!

There is much more happening throughout the year!

05/31/2026

Coming up this Friday. It would be great to see you there!

We are looking forward to this event and would love to see a lot of you there! Check out our events and let us know if you are coming. We will have a Porta John on site!

05/28/2026

We are looking forward to this event and would love to see a lot of you there! Check out our events and let us know if you are coming. We will have a Porta John on site!

05/25/2026

We were not there to see them, but we got the following pictures (thank you Patrick Fahy) of the William Hedges Baker Post 27 American Legion honoring their namesake today at the Orchard Street Cemetery. May he Rest in Peace and thank you for your service and sacrifice.

05/25/2026

In memory of the 12 men buried in the Orchard Street Cemetery who died in the service of their country. We also have one cenotaph for Sergeant James McDavit who died on May 15, 1863 and is buried in an unmarked grave.

We thank them for their sacrifice.

05/25/2026

The William J. Hocking Post 91 of the American Legion in Wharton has just completed their graveside service in the Orchard Street Cemetery in memory of Private William J. Hocking.

Private Hocking was killed by machine gun fire in the Argonne Forest in France during World War 1 and was returned to Dover for reburial in 1921.

05/23/2026

Many thanks to Dover Mayor James Dodd who joins us again as a Benefactor member! We appreciate your support as always.