DELAWARE -The John Dickinson Plantation will debut its new permanent exhibit, “One Land Many Voices,” on Saturday, Oct. 10, as part of the opening of its expanded Visitor Center.
The Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. at the Visitor Center, 250 Kitts Hummock Road. Gov. Matt Meyer (D) has proclaimed Oct. 10 as One Land Many Voices Day in Delaware, according to HCA.
The exhibit uses historic images and documents, artifacts, narrative text and visual media to explore the people and communities who lived and worked on the 450-acre property.
John Dickinson, known as the Penman of the Revolution, enslaved people for much of his adult life. In 1786, he unconditionally freed all 59 people he enslaved on the property, according to HCA.
“Delaware’s colonial history is a complex one. By honoring all who once lived here, we give voice to those whose work and sacrifice contributed to the legacy of this historic site,” Secretary of State Charuni Patibanda-Sanchez said.
“Delaware’s history belongs to all of us, and telling it honestly means telling the stories of everyone who shaped it,” Meyer said. “One Land Many Voices reflects a simple truth: the only way we can learn from our past is by refusing to hide from it, including the chapters that are difficult to confront.”
HCA said the Visitor Center is intended to provide more context about the lives of people who inhabited and labored at the plantation while expanding space for tours, educational programs and research.
“This expanded Visitor Center represents an important step forward in how we share Delaware’s history, allowing us to provide deeper context and a more meaningful experience for every visitor,” HCA Director Suzanne Savery said. “After months of planning and investment to develop the expanded 14,000-square-foot building that holds exhibition, education and meeting spaces, we are pleased to present the complete story of the area’s inhabitants and of Delaware’s own founding father.’”
The 14,000-square-foot Visitor Center is part of a $14.5 million capital investment project. It includes exhibition, educational and meeting spaces designed to increase visitor capacity and accommodate school groups, researchers and heritage tourists.
The facility also includes a 1,400-square-foot screened pavilion for school groups, programs for children and adults, community meetings and other activities.
