Delaware’s tall ship Kalmar Nyckel will be the subject of a history lecture at the Milford Public Library.

Ahoy, buddy.

It is a replica of the Swedish ship that brought the state’s first European settlers to the shores of Delaware. The replica was built in the 1990s and launched into the waters of the Christina River in 1998.

In fact, no one knows exactly what the ship looked like, and Delaware’s version is based on studies of similar ships. It was sunk in 1652 in battle against the British.

Bill Hutchinson

Hutchison’s talk at the Milford Public Library on Saturday, September 14, at 1 p.m. is part of the Milford Museum’s American History Series.

The sight of the Kalmar Nycklel along the Wilmington Riverfront is always a fascinating sight for those who watch it pass by from the riverbank.

Hutchinson, a former social studies teacher and assistant principal in the Capital School District, served as interim director of education, education coordinator and is now senior educator emeritus at Kalmar Nyckel.

In his lecture he will tell the story of both ships.

The newer ship has been in service for 26 years and serves as a living memorial to the founding of the colony of New Sweden and the legacy of the early Swedish and Finnish colonists in America.

Thousands of schoolchildren and citizens had the opportunity to experience history by taking a trip on the Kalmar Nyckel, which often requires a bit of hands-on work.

The museum’s monthly history programs focus on various topics in local, state and national history.

This month’s program is sponsored by a generous donation from the Milford Rotary Club.

Betsy Price is a Wilmington-based freelance writer with 40 years of experience, including 15 at the News Journal of Delaware.

Post views: 0