Port Penn Area Historical Society

05/18/2026

What a wonderful afternoon in Port Penn! The weather could not have been better, and it was heartening to see such a strong turnout for the Waterman dedication and Interpretive Center celebration.

The remarks shared by Wes Jones, Jake Miller of Delaware Parks, Dr. David Orr, and artist Matt Harris were both informative and moving tributes to the waterman, the Port Penn community, and the generations of people whose lives and traditions shaped this unique place along the Delaware River.

Thank you to everyone who attended, supported, and helped make this special event possible. Your presence and enthusiasm continue to help preserve and share the history of Port Penn for future generations.

05/16/2026

Tomorrow looks like a beautiful day to visit historic Port Penn! ☀️

Join the Port Penn Area Historical Society and Delaware State Parks on Saturday, May 17 for the dedication of the new Waterman sculpture and the preliminary reopening of the Port Penn Interpretive Center.

📅 Saturday, May 17
🕐 1:00–3:00 PM
📍 Port Penn Interpretive Center

Enjoy an afternoon celebrating the history, heritage, and traditions of the Delaware River marsh communities, with great weather, beautiful scenery, and a chance to explore one of Delaware’s historic treasures.

Rain or shine...but tomorrow is shaping up to be a perfect spring day in Port Penn!

05/06/2026

As we prepare for the upcoming Waterman Statue Dedication and Soft Reopening of the Port Penn Interpretive Center on May 17, we’re reminded of the generations of watermen, farmers, and families who shaped life along the Delaware River.

Port Penn’s history is rooted in hard work, community, and a close connection to the marshes and waterways that sustained the village for centuries. The new Waterman sculpture by artist Matt Harris honors that enduring tradition and the people who helped define this place.

Please join the Port Penn Area Historical Society and the Delaware Division of Parks and Recreation for this special community gathering.

📍 Port Penn Interpretive Center
📅 Sunday, May 17, 2026
🕐 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

We hope you’ll come celebrate Port Penn’s past, present, and future with us.

05/04/2026

A nice spring day along the Port Penn Wetlands Trail...quiet, green, and just right for a walk.

05/02/2026

An amusing story from long-time Port Penn resident Betty Blansfield:

"That's what I majored in...when I went to Beacom, was accounting....Because they would send you on your interview, and they sent me out on my first interview when it was time to graduate and they sent me to Atlas Powder that time. When I went, they sent me to a place where it was going to be all shorthand. Shorthand was not my thing, mainly because I could never spell. I thought I'd be in college for a year before I learned to spell Chattanooga. But that was really why I could take the shorthand but then when I 'd have to transcribe it, I wasn't good at spelling, you know.

And I can remember going back to Beacom and I said, 'Don't you ever send me to an office where I've got to take shorthand again.' So they sent me back. It was an accounting job and I really had a nice boss, he was really nice and he hired me and all. And I was there about a week and he said, 'Betty, I understand you can take shorthand...my secretary's away...'"

From an interview conducted by Linda Orr and Emily Irwin on October 11, 2012. Photograph shows Betty's parents, Birdie and Connor Dyer. Courtesy of the Port Penn Area Historical Society.

Excerpt edited for clarity

04/30/2026

Today's history excerpt comes from Julie Sidwell, who, with her husband Bill, had a major hand in acquiring the Port Penn Schoolhouse to set up as a museum. This excerpt comes from an interview between Julie and Bill with Mike Miller on October 27, 1997.

"MM: Do you remember who had the original idea for the museum? If anyone.

JS: Yes, I think I can tell you. We were having a meeting one night, a very, very early on meeting and we were meeting in Thelma Bendler's house and there was quite a group there. And Barbara Eaton said, "Wouldn't it be nice if we could get the schoolhouse and make it into a museum?" and she got laughed down....You know, it looked like an impossible dream but I said, "Well, now, don't knock it. There's nothing that's impossible if you put your mind to it." So they said, "Well, you know." They took that into consideration so that was a goal. That was a goal."

Excerpt edited slightly for clarity. Photo courtesy of the Port Penn Area Historical Society (portpenn.org.)

04/26/2026

02/05/2026

Images are a great source of information for historians!

Check out the below photograph featuring the staff of the Port Penn Cannery, from the early 1900s. What stands out to you about it?