Carolyn Roland-Your Delaware and Chester County Historic Homes Specialist

The August First Friday Art Stroll in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, turned into a murder mystery with the help of the KATS (Kennett Area Theatrical Society). A popular place to meet in town, under the clock at the corner of State and Union at the Genesis Walkway was mobbed with amateur sleuths trying to deduce the culprit from the clues given by a cast of characters. The rules were that the innocent always tell the truth (if they know it) and the guilty will lie.

The story was that there was a circus (unusual though it was) at Anson Nixon Park, and the ringmaster, Galloping Gunty, met his demise at 6:30 in the Genesis Walkway.

You could buy clues from the clue sellers with the yellow hats as they wandered around town. The word was on the street that one of the Mendip sisters clobbered Gunty--these girls are plate twirlers and carried around a VERY big plate. Some thought that Unner Fredricksdotter, the Icelandic singer with the sequined sheath and silver eyelashes was suspicious, in that she always carried around a heavy microphone. But then many suspects had canes, lassos, a rifle, or a heavy wine bottle nearby.

We enjoyed visiting the galleries and shops, which each had a cast character waiting to be asked for clues. After all the strolling and sampling goodies in the shops, we gave up and didn't go for the prizes for finding the culprit and instead cut out for Manny Hattans for a great dinner. Some times it's just too taxing to use the "little grey cells." Scenes from the beginning of the event are below.

As part of the Town Tours and Village Walks series on summer Thursday nights, we were invited to share the history of Historic Yellow Springs in Chester Springs, Pennsylvania last night.

The Lenape Indians first discovered the springs thousands of years ago, using the healing powers of their iron rich waters. In the 18^th century, Yellow Springs was a fashionable spa village that attracted visitors who sought healing waters and social interaction. An early innkeper welcomed visitors to the site.

We also got a glimpse of life in 1787, when a Pennsylvania surgeon suggested to Gen. Washington that sick soldiers be brought here to recover from fevers and illnesses. All that remains of this early hospital are stone walls. After this period, it returned to function as a spa and vacation area.

From 1868 to 1912, the site became the home to Chester Springs Soldiers' Orphan School for children of Civil War soldiers. From 1916 to 1952, it was a country school for students of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine arts.

From 1952 until 1974 the village was the headquarters of Good News Productions, a film studio in Yellow Springs that created over 400 films including the sci-fi original The Blob.

Since 1974 it has been the home of Historic Yellow Springs, a group of volunteers with a mission of preserving the area.In the scenes below, they re-enact the history of Yellow Springs.

The Fourth of July was a grand night at Tubman-Garrett Park on the Wilmington waterfront with thousands of onlookers enjoying the Delaware Symphony led by Maestro David Amado and the Delaware Valley Chorale with patriotic music, lively marches, and emotional tunes from Victory at Sea and Saving Private Ryan. The riverfront restaurants had plenty of outdoor tables filled with partygoers, the paddlewheel boat and the riverfront taxi were cruising around, and the Wilmington Fire Department fireboat put on a display of water spraying high into the air. There were lots of families and small children who had been entertained earlier in the day with the All-American Baby Contest and the Brandywine Barbershop Chorus. A good time was had by all! Join us next year!

Last week Wilmington played host to the 21st Annual Clifford Brown Jazz Festival on Rodney Square, in the center of downtown. There were a variety of styles featured, from Ivan Neville's Funk, to the Latin sounds of Pete Escovedo's Orchestra, to the more straight ahead jazz of Jazz Attack, The Bad Plus, Jason Moran, and last but not least, the wild and energetic 79 year old Roy Haynes and his Band. There is always a chance of rain (which we had several periods of) but there was also a chance to hear some great jazz at the largest FREE outdoor jazz festival on the east coast. It concluded Sunday night with a free performance of Duke Ellington's Sacred Music Concert at the Grand Opera House, a restored late 19th C performance space, featuring a great band, the Wilmington Chorus, the Wilmington Children's Chorus, and the Pieces of a Dream dance troupe. If you love jazz, look for the 22nd Annual Festival next June!

This is a heads up to anyone interested in finding out how historic home owners in Delaware can qualify for tax credits for work on their historic house.

There will be a workshop June 11 at 7 PM at the Middletown DE town council chambers at 19 West Green St. It will be led by Joan Larrivee of the Division of Historical and Culturan Affairs in Dover.

Enacted in 2001, this program assists in preserving and rehabilitating historic buildings throughout the State by providing tax credit equal to a percentage of the cost of the rehabilitation, subject to certain requirements. Since its inception, the program has generated over $480 million in private investment to rehabilitate over 25 historic buildings. (Below) The Historic Hawthorne Farmhouse in Brandywide Hundred, currently a pending sale, after a week on the market with Carolyn Roland.