FMHA’s Museum Happenings is published monthly and more frequently as needed to keep you up to date on events at Fort Miles Museum.
V-J DAY CELEBRATION
The annual V-J Day ceremony will take place from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Sept. 2 under the Big Gun at Fort Miles Museum.
Program participants will read the names of 50 Delawareans who made the ultimate sacrifice for the United States in World War II. Each year, names are read to honor the nearly 800 Delawareans who gave their lives for their country.
This year’s program will feature a salute to the committee members who guided the acquisition of the Big Gun in 2012 and Fort Miles Historical Association volunteers who worked tirelessly to launch this exhibit after the USS Missouri artillery barrel reached Fort Miles.
BATTERY 519 TOURS AND MUSEUM HOURS
Construction of Battery 519 began in 1941 as the United States was under threat of war. Tour the battery to learn about the threats that loomed and what role Battery 519 played in defend-ing against them.
This month, indoor tours of Battery 519 are offered:
11 a.m. and 2 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays.
Sundays: 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. (if demand warrants, additional tours may be offered).
Note: Battery 519 opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 4 p.m. each Tuesday through Saturday. Tours are offered for ages 7 and older with a paying adult ($5 per person). For those not wishing to join a guided tour, limited access to Fort Miles Museum exhibits is available.
Reservations are recommended for all tours conducted by Delaware State Parks. Visit destate-parks.com/programs and click on Fort Miles Historical Area under Choose A Park. For “day of” reservations only: 302-644-5007.
On Sundays, Fort Miles Museum opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 2:30 p.m. Reservations are not required (nor accepted) for Sunday tours conducted by docents from Fort Miles Historical Asso-ciation. The tour charge is $5 per person (no fee for veterans and active-duty service person-nel).
MORE FORT MILES-RELATED PROGRAMS FOR AUGUST
Reservations are recommended for these programs and tours. Reservations can be made at destateparks.com/programs. For “day of” reservations only or other information: 302-644-5007.
ARTILLERY DEMONSTRATION
12:30 p.m., Thursdays, August 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31
Join Delaware State Parks historic interpreters as they demonstrate the basics of loading and firing an artillery piece. Meet at the Fort Miles Orientation Building at the base of the lower parking area. Free.
SOUND POUNDERS: COAST GUARD BEACH PATROL
6 p.m., Thursday, August 24
A Delaware State Parks interpreter will portray a member of the Coast Guard Beach Patrol. These patrols guarded against potential saboteurs landing at Fort Miles and rescued survivors of German U-boat attacks. For ages 7 and older accompanied by an adult. This program starts at the Orientation Building at the base of the lower parking area. $5 per person.
OUR FRIENDS AT THE MILFORD MUSEUM ARE OFFERING …
… The du Pont Family: A Brief Introduction
Milford Museum will continue its American History Series at Milford Public Library with The du Pont Family: A Brief Introduction at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12. Presented by historian Lucas R. Clawson, the program will focus on how the du Pont family has been closely tied to Delaware history from 1802 to the present. Many people, however, don’t know about the du Ponts, their arrival in Delaware and their legacy running one of the nation’s most prominent chemical com-panies.
Milford Museum offers programs focusing on local, state and national history at 1 p.m. the second Saturday of each month, at Milford Public Library, 11 S.E. Front St. Information: Tom Summers at Milford Museum, 302-424-1080, Tom@milforddemuseum.org. These pro-grams are offered through a grant from the Delaware Heritage Commission.