Activities and Resources of the W3R-DE 

Activities in 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 For events after 2008 see Previous Events of the W3R-US Examples of Resources: Education: Scout Historic Trail Commemoration: Revolutionary Weekend Tourism: Wayfinding Signs / Interactive Kiosk

Providing Educational Resources  Scout Historic Trail Booklet:  In 2005 the Nentego Lodge, Order of the Arrow, with guidance from Ed Wedman and information from Ralph Nelson wrote and secured approval from the DelMarVa Council BSA for an historical trail booklet based on the W3R in Delaware. Scouts who read the booklet, follow the trail, and answer questions related to the history will receive a patch indicating their achievement. In 2003   Dr. Robert Selig completed his Research Report on Delaware. This included a list of "deactivated" legionnaires -- those members of Lauzun's Legion who remained in the United States due to death, desertion, or discharge (completion of enlistment).

Developing Heritage Tours  Heritage Brochures: (1) A one-page black & white historical brochure describing the W3R in Delaware (a PDF file). (2) A one-page color brochure (funded by the New Castle County Council) with a description of the W3R and the route through Delawar was distributed to local organizations, tourist sites, and hotels to inform them about the W3R and for use by heritage tourists. Signage: This is essential for auto, bicycle, and walk / march / hike tourism. We have developed Tours: We have developed several recommendations for tours of the area that include the W3R route and related sites.

Organizing Commemorations  2003-4 The New Castle County Council passed a resolution in support of designating the W3R as a historic trail, provided partial funding for a commemoration of the 225th anniversary of the signing of the two France-U.S. treaties in 1778, and funded the production of a brochure to advertise the W3R in Delaware to tourists and to people who live along the route. The Delaware Legislature passed a resolution declaring 2003 Feb 8 to be French Alliance Day in Delaware (PDF file) 2005-6 $4,850 Delaware Tourism Office: for a W3R-DE Website to be created by Talisman Interactive. $2,500 New Castle County Council; Councilman Bob Weiner, Sponsor: for paid advertising. $25,000 Delaware General Assembly: for Pilot Project interactive kiosk to be produced by Talisman Interactive. $2,000 Sanofi-Aventis: for re-enactors of the French Line. $5,000 Foster Friess: for Premier of Billy Lee’s George Washington. 2006-7 $500 from Delaware Society SAR for Billy Lee's Washington $500 from Caesar Rodney DAR for Billy Lee's Washington $12,500 Delaware Division of the Arts for Billy Lee's Washington

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W3R-DE Activities in 2003  2003 Feb 08: The Robinson House in Claymont DE was filled to capacity to meet living historians of the times, to hear "General Lafayette" speak about his life as a young soldier in George Washington's army, to hear Dr. Robert Selig speak on the development and fate of the French Alliance, and to hear French and American period music. 2003 Apr 26 and May 5: Dr. Robert Selig presented public lectures summarizing his state & SAR-sponsored research that discovered and documented many interesting aspects of the French army presence in Delaware that have never before been published. 2004 Oct 03:. W3R-DE and East Coast Greenway (ECG) co-sponsored “Hike the Pike,” a 10-mile discovery tour of the first leg of Delaware’s portion of the W3R. Eighteenth-century historic house and museum staffers from across the state gathered at the Cauffiel Estate to present activities for children. Hikers walked 10 miles from Robinson House to the Riverfront. ECG bicyclists rode their bikes twenty miles from Robinson House to Riverfront, following the Delaware Greenways system. Special programs were offered at Robinson House, Claymont Stone School, Cauffiel Estate, Penny Hill, Brandywine Village, Riverfront. W3R-DE Activities in 2004  2004 April: W3R-DE hosted the W3R-USA national leadership meeting. Friday’s session was a signage workshop led by the National Park Service. Gala Dinner at Greenville Country Club. Kurt Zwickle, a Greenways expert was guest speaker. Saturday’s session was national business meeting, panel presentation on “Care & Feeding of Re-enactors” and an afternoon strategic thinking session on fund-raising led by Ursula Reed. W3R-DE Activities in 2005  The W3R-DE placed an interpretive sign (funded by the SAR and DAR) next to the Grand Opera House im Wilmington, Delaware, to commemorate the stay of Lauzun's Legion (French Army) of 550 soldiers, who were posted in nearby buildings for a five-month period in 1782-3. The dedication ceremony was held during the 2005 April 22 annual meeting of the W3R-US. Sign text and graphics [PDF file] Kim Burdick, President of W3R-DE, and Ralph Nelson, Vice President, have made numerous presentations on W3R history to the Alliance Francaise, SAR, DAR, Youth History camp, and other clubs and organizations. Several Delaware citizens who have studied Lafayette, the W3R, and other aspects of the French influence on the American Revolution have made presentations to American heritage organizations.

W3R-DE Activities in 2006  20006-02-11: The A. Phillip Randolph Institute of Delaware and the W3R-US co-sponsored a three-part program on "Black Patriots in the American Revolution" See the photo-report Summer:  The W3R-DE proposed placing wayfinding signs to identify the W3R route through Delaware. Attractive designs were developed by the Delaware Department of Transportation ("DelDot"), which installed roughly 40 signs in the summer of 2006. See signage 2006-07-04:  An interactive kiosk developed by the W3R-DE under a grant from the Delaware Bureau of Tourism was installed at the Amtrak station in Wilmington DE. See photo-report. 2006--09-28 to 30: A Revolutionary Weekend in Delaware  See the photo-report In 2006 October the Delaware Department of Transportation made and installed about 40 wayfinding signs along the 26 miles of W3R in Delaware. W3R-DE Activities in 2007  Oct 13: The W3R-DE and the Alliance Française of Delaware commemorated Lafayette's contributions to liberty in the U.S. and in France. with a luncheon and 250th anniversary birthday cake. Joining the celebration were a Lafayette re-enactor and Alan Hoffman, who surveyed the highlights of his recently-published translation of the notes of Lafayette's private secretary describing the daily activities during Lafayette's tour of the United States in 1824-25 -- fifty years after the end of the American Revolution.

W3R-DE Activities in 2008  April 26: The W3R-DE joined the Alliance Française of Delaware in commemorating the 225th anniversary of the signing of the three peace treaties that ended the American Revolution and related conflicts involving our ally, France, and France's ally, Spain. M. Roland Celette, Attaché Culturel a l’Ambassade de France à Washington, described cultural exchanges that he and his staff have facilitated between France and other nations recent years. June 03: The W3R-DE commemorated the 225th anniversary of the five-month encampment of Lauzun's Legion in Wilmington, Delaware, with a parade, an exhibit, a reception, and a lecture by Dr. Robert Selig on the encampment.

July 4: The W3R-DE joined the SAR, DAR, CAR, and other lineage organizations at Immanuel Episcopal Church in New Castle for a memorial service for the patriots buried in the church and churchyard. Ralph Nelson (in Continental uniform) led a tour of the gravesites, describing the service of each patriot. Sept 06: The W3R-DE joined the Alliance Française of Delaware in commemorating the 251st anniversary of the birthday of Lafayette with a talk on Lafayette's lifelong efforts to emancipate slaves. The speaker was Alan Hoffman (see notes for 2007 Oct 13 above) Oct 04: At the annual meeting of the W3R-DE Delaware Chuck Fithian, Curator of Archaeology for the State of Delaware, gave a talk, "Who Were the Delaware Continentals?", describing his research on the age, occupations, etc., of the men in this unit. Following lunch the members participated in a two-hour workshop on developing W3R resources for classroom education, heritage tourism, and collaborative commemoration.

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