Indian Mission School Commemorated With Historic Marker

MILLSBORO, De - The Indian Mission School educated students of the Nanticoke Tribe for approximately 40 years. On Monday, it became a permanent part of Delaware history as a marker was unveiled at the site of the former school. 

"It was a school for the Native American children and for the Nanticoke community," Nanticoke Indian Chief Natosha Norwood Carmine said. "They could come together, they could learn together, and instill the culture.

The original one-room school building was built in the 1920's and served students grades 1-8. That structure was destroyed in a fire and rebuilt at the current location in 1948. The school operated until the end of the 1961-62 academic year. When the school closed it was converted into the present day Nanticoke Indian Tribal Center. The students were integrated into the Indian River School District. Several of the ceremonies participants were former students at the school including the Chair of the Nanticoke Commemorative Commission Dr. Bonnie Hall. "Everyone knew everyone and we looked out for one another.," Hall said. "We were relatives, we were family, we were community."

The building was added to the National Registry of Historic Places in 1979 and becomes the 283  marker dedicated in Sussex County.