Middletown Life Magazine Summer/Fall 2022 Middletown Life ASully'sEverettcelebratesHistoricalINSIDE:SocietytheTheaterIrishPub:Middletowntime capsule Volunteer Brewing Company: Five years of beer and service The Old Tyme Peach Festival returns to Middletown on August 20 - Page ASully'sEverettcelebratesHistoricalINSIDE:44SocietytheTheaterIrishPub:Middletowntime capsule Volunteer Brewing Company: Five years of beer and service The Old Tyme Peach Festival returns to Middletown on August 20 - Page 44
2 Middletown Life | Summer/Fall 2022 | www.middletownlifemagazine.com 260 South Reedy Point Road, Middletown, DE 302-445-8880 | events@thousandacrefarm.com | | www.thousandacrefarm.com THOUSAND ACRE FARM Your Dream Event Unique • Rustic • Waterfront • Secluded Weddings Corporate Events Festivals Fundraisers
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Middletown Life Middletown Life Summer/Fall 2022 8 Jay’s words, Reedy’s photos 16 Q & A with Brian Rickards, Old Tyme Peach Festival Committee Chairman 20 The science of picking, storing, freezing and cooking peaches 30 Middletown Area Chamber of Commerce’s new executive director 36 Sully’s Irish Pub at the Witherspoon: A Middletown Time Capsule 44 Photo essay: Fun at the Old Tyme Peach Festival 48 Volunteer Brewing Company celebrates five years 60 A ‘hoppy’ celebration of history and craft beer returns to Historic Odessa Table of Contents 6 Middletown Life | Summer/Fall 2022 | www.middletownlifemagazine.com 1636 48 20
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Letter from the Editor:
We also have a story about five years of beer and service at Volunteer Brewing Company, one of the Middletown area’s more distinctive businesses. This year, Volunteer is marking its fifth anniversary with a new home, expanded brewing equipment, and a very different brewing scene in Middletown. Where once Volunteer stood alone in offering innovative craft beers on a very limited scale, today there are four breweries in the immediate area – Crooked Hammock, JAKL and First State Brewing in addition to Volunteer. Middletown is now a destination for beer lovers from Delaware and well beyond. We also offer a look at a new exhibit presented by the Middletown Historical Society. Using a diary and a photo album compiled by two area teenagers a century ago as its compass, the Middletown Historical Society is introducing a new exhibit that will take visitors back to life in Middletown during the 1920s and celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Everett Theater. We hope that you enjoy the stories in this issue of Middletown Life, and we look forward to bringing you the next issue in the spring of 2023. As always, we welcome comments and suggestions for stories to highlight in a future issue of Middletown Life.
Middletown Life caught up with Brian Rickards, the Old Tyme Peach Festival Committee Chairman, to talk about the planning for all the events and activities that will take place at the festival on Aug. 20. A large and enthusiastic crowd will no doubt enjoy the festival’s return.
Middletown Life Summer/Fall 2022
The return of the Old Tyme Peach Festival will be a highlight of the summer in Middletown, and we wanted to highlight the efforts that are underway to reintroduce this popular tradition after two years lost to the pandemic.
In our photo essay, we feature some scenes from a previous Old Tyme Peach Festival. This issue also features a story about Sully’s Irish Pub at the Witherspoon, which is a Middletown time capsule. Writer Gene Pisasale looks at the history of the tavern that was originally constructed by David Witherspoon, including stays by not one but two future Presidents who found it a good place to visit. Thomas Jefferson lodged there on June 20, 1775 on his way up to a meeting of the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia. After he helped the colonies win the Revolutionary War, George Washington dined at the Witherspoon on April 30 and May 19, 1784, purportedly on his way to a meeting of the Order of the Cincinnati, of which he was President. Of course, those visits are only small parts of the storied history of the tavern. We also highlight the arrival of Michelle Hummel as the new executive director of Middletown Area Chamber of Commerce. Hummel brings almost 20 years of sales, marketing, technology, and management experience to the new position.
Sincerely, Randy Lieberman, Publisher randyl@chestercounty.com, 610-869-5553 Steve Hoffman, Editor editor@chestercounty.com, 610-869-5553, Ext. 13
Cover Design: Tricia Hoadley
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The 1928 diary of Jay Davis, Jr., then a high school junior, helps form the backdrop of that time period in Middletown. History|
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
Beginning in time for the Old Tyme Peach Festival on August 20, the Middletown Historical Society is unveiling its latest exhibition -- “Teens on the Town: Middletown in the 1920s” -- in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Everett Theater, as documented through the lives of Jay and Reedy and the words and photos they left behind.
Jay’s Reedy’swords,photos
Leading up to and including the decade of the 1920s, the fabric of America, tested constantly and often without warning, served as a landscape of progress, excess, disaster, invention and turbulence.
|Middletown
The Middletown Transcript’s announcement that a new theater was to be built on the site of the Middletown Opera House.
In between, a new theater was built in Middletown, and two local teenagers named Jay Davis. Jr. and Frances “Reedy” Reed lived through all of it.
In the step-down chronology of life in America one century ago, the country was still in the stages of grief and recovery from World War I, and just when it seemed safe again to resume normalcy, a worldwide pandemic known as the Spanish Flu took the lives of 50 million worldwide and the lives of over 650,000 Americans. As the decade slowly closed, a new battle began that ended with the passage of the 19th amendment in 1919 that gave women the right to vote. In 1920, a nationwide constitutional ban on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages led to a 13-year prohibition, and on October 29, 1929, the decade known as “The Roaring Twenties” came to a sudden end when the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined almost 13 percent and gave way to the Great Depression.
Using a diary and a photo album compiled by two area teenagers a century ago as its compass, the Middletown Historical Society is introducing a new exhibit that will take visitors back to life in Middletown during the 1920s and celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Everett Theater
The venue suffered a severe fire on April 2, 1922.
Born in Middletown in February 16, 1910, Davis grew up in a house owned by his father Jay Davis, Sr. on Green Street. In his diary, he writes about a play he participates in as a junior in high school, which was later performed at the Everett. He writes about a girl who captures his fancy, and whom he takes to a dance, much to the chagrin of his male rival. He writes about his sister Katherine’s blossoming romance with Ralph from Philadelphia, who will later become Ralph’s wife. Throughout the diary, however, another love affair begins to emerge. “I went to the movies,” reads one entry. “I went to the movies,” reads another, and a week later, “I went to the movies” appears again – a five-word passage that would give birth to the artistic life Davis would enjoy until his death in 1986.
Every film Jay Davis, Jr. saw at the Everett in 1928 was silent. While the start of Talkies began in 1927, the theater didn’t yet have the technology of recorded voices until 1929, but it didn’t matter to the teenager. This was a spectacular new medium and he wanted every part of it. From his seat, he would watch Clara Bow and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and John Barrymore and Mary Pickford and HaroldFurtherLloyd.research by the Society revealed that Davis continued to pursued a two-year degree program in theater and went on to work with several theatrical organizations like the Messrs. Shubert Traveling Company, while also directing and performing in shows like “Pygmalion” in the role of Col. Pickering. “In 1928, it was all about the movies for Jay,” Harting said. “His diary showcases the fact that he was in love with filmmaking and storytelling and theater and all of the panache and pizzazz that goes along with that. While his dream may not have earned him fame and fortune, he spent the rest of his life pursuing his dream. “In part, the Everett Theater informed the remainder of Jay’s life, and to be able to tell the story of the early days of the Everett through Jay’s words is remarkable.”
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The original concept for “Teens on the Town: Middletown in the 1920s” emerged three years ago, when the Society began to explore ideas to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the Everett, which opened in November of 1922 after a fire destroyed the Middletown Opera House earlier that year.
“We conducted community surveys, and with the 100th anniversary of the Everett coming up, we asked if they would be interested in seeing an exhibition about the 1920s,” said Abby Harting, the “Teens on the Town” exhibition designer who has been a member of the Society since 2019. “Their answer was an overwhelming ‘Yes,’ and once we knew that this was something that the public wanted to see, we took a look at our collections and asked, ‘Through what lens can we tell that story of that period?’”
The new exhibition follows “The Whole Shebang: Who and What They Fought For,” a retrospective of the Women’s Suffrage Movement that was a collaborative venture between the Society and the students of Appoquinimink High School’s National Art Honors Society.
The Jay Davis, Jr. Collection also includes play scripts, playbills and speeches he memorized during his career as an actor. ‘I went to the movies’
The answer was soon found in the Society’s archives – a contribution by a local resident that contained the one-year diary of teenager Jay Davis, Jr. written from January 1928 to December 1928, along with several play scripts and playbills from theater productions he later produced, directed and starred in.
Girl on a motorcycle
While the Historical Society now had Davis’ words to help tell the story of life in 1920s Middletown, they needed another prism – photographs – that would show the story. Several years ago, the Society received a collection of photographs collected in scrapbooks by Frances “Reedy” Reed duringGiven1929.tothe Society by one of Reed’s caregivers in her later years, the photographs formed a black-and-white lens into the life of Reed, who was born in 1912 to James and Viola Esther Reed. Pulled from an oral history James wrote in his later years, the Society learned that the Reeds lived together for several years, until Viola died of tuberculosis in 1915. After her mother’s death, Reedy was then sent to live with her grandparents in Townsend and graduated from Middletown High School in 1930 -- what was Meredith Middle School – one year after the start of the Great Depression. In 1934, she married Grover Grandon of Dover and they spent much of their lives together living in the Middletown area and traveling extensively. Reed eventually went to work as a security and intelligence officer at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland, and became president of several Delaware-based organizations. Her photographs in the collection – which will be showcased in the exhibition – track Reedy’s life from when she was a toddler to her teenage years and even include one snapshot of the teenager astride a motorcycle. Every photograph of Reed’s – together with Davis’ diary – foretells what Reedy, seen atop a motorcycle in the
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‘Dip into Jay’s shoes’
would soon become a transitional and traumatic period in American life that impacted the lives of Middletonians. “For a very long time, Middletown in the 1920s was a major center of commerce for the surrounding farms,” Harting said. “The trains allowed farmers to ship their produce off to Philadelphia, Baltimore and as far away as Boston.“While the peach was no longer the signature crop of Middletown, we began to see the rise of agriculture and in the 1920s that included Archival photos courtesy of the Middletown Historical Society In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Everett Theater, the Middletown Historical Society is introducing “Teens on the Town: Middletown in the 1920s.”
The exhibit will also be told through the photographs kept by Frances “Reedy” Reed, who lived in Townsend in the late 1920s and graduated from Middletown High School in dairy and produce farmers and by 1929, we began to see five repair garages that are also functioning as car dealerships in what was still essentially an agricultural community.”
12 Middletown Life | Summer/Fall 2022 | www.middletownlifemagazine.com StateLiquorsLine Four Generations Family Owned & Operated. Since 1937. See the Events page for Wine Tastings, Beer Tastings, Tap Socials & Special Finestatelineliquors.com/events-tastingsstatelineliquors.com/events-tastingsEventsWines•Liquors•Specialty Beers Gourmet Foods•Cheeses Growler Bar with 25 Taps Ranked #2 Best Beer Retailer in the USA by 1610 Elkton Rd., Elkton, MD statelineliquors.com1(800)446-WINE1(410)398-3838
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Throughout the entirety of the exhibit, “Teens on the Town: Middletown in the 1920s” will provide a narration of one decade of the town’s history, told through the delicate heirlooms of two 1920s teenagers and illuminated by
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Photo by Richard L. Gaw Abby Harting is serving as the exhibition designer for “Teens on the Town: Middletown in the 1920s.”
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the emergence of a new theater that is celebrating its 100th anniversary.“Likeanycollecting organization that produces an exhibition, sometimes you will have these stories, such as what we’re telling from Jay’s diary and from Frances’ scrapbook,” Harting said. “We’re also telling this story from the moments that the Everett has provided the people of Middletown, Odessa and Townsend and beyond. This old gem of a building has been able to allow young people to test their talents in a place that allows risk, in order to celebrate the good things that young people have been able to do in this community for so long.”
To learn more about the Middletown Historical Society, visit www.middletowndehistory.com.
To contact Staff Writer Richard L. Gaw, email rgaw@chestercounty.com.
Harding said that one of the most exciting elements of the exhibit will provide visitors with an interactive opportunity to engage in the life of the 1920s in Middletown – on a makeshift Everett Theater stage. “They will get to dip into a prop trunk and then reenact some of the plays that Jay was involved in,” Harting said. “They will be able to walk in that space and by doing that, they will be able to step into Jay’s shoes and just for a moment, step into his life.”
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16 Middletown Life | Summer/Fall 2022 | |Middletownwww.middletownlifemagazine.comLifeQ&A|
Brian Rickards: I think we’re going to see much of what we all enjoyed back in 2019. Right now, it’s been very challenging for all of us to get back on our feet again after two years of sitting. Perhaps our largest challenge has been finalizing work on the annual parade, given that its route has used the Meredith Middle School and the YMCA at Silver Lake, which are both currently being renovated. You’ve been the festival’s chairperson since 2006, but you first got involved the year before. What first got you interested in being a part of the Old Tyme Peach Festival?
I have five boys and four girls, and two of the boys were involved in the Cub Scouts at around that time. The year that my oldest son crossed over to the Boy Scouts, I was the chairman of the Boy Scout Troop 125, and we talked about the need for a trailer for our troop. We bought the Photo by Denise Allen Old Tyme Peach Festival Committee Chairman Brian Rickards, with two of his children.
Brian Rickards
Old Tyme Peach Festival Committee Chairman
The annual Old Tyme Peach Festival has become known for the variety of its many events and activities, its large and enthusiastic crowds, and the fact that Brian Rickards has served as the festival’s chairman since 2006. As he and his fellow committee members began to put the finishing touches on this year’s festival on August 20, Brian spoke with Middletown Life about reintroducing the tradition after two years lost to the pandemic, the impact the festival has had on the Middletown-OdessaTownsend community, and the rock star he would like to have dinner with.
Middletown Life: Welcome back! What can we look forward to seeing at this year’s Old Tyme Peach Festival?
www.middletownlifemagazine.com | Summer/Fall 2022 | Middletown Life 17 Continued on Page 18 trailer, and thought about conducting a fundraiser to help pay it off. I went to the Middletown Historical Society and asked if we could sell something at the Peach Festival to raise funding. They welcomed us, and as a result, we made $2,100 dollars simply by selling hot dogs. Given that I had experience organizing home shows at the Chase Center in Wilmington, I volunteered with the Historical Society to organize vendors and the food at the festival, and I became the chairman the following year.
Heading into the 2020 Old Tyme Peach Festival, it must have been a very difficult decision for you and your fellow committee members to have to cancel such a popular event. We begin to start planning the festival as early as January, because an event of this size truly needs the attention it deserves. We began early meetings, and at that point, we began to learn that it may not happen. As we headed into spring, I didn’t want to cancel anything just yet, because I was still optimistic that the pandemic would be gone in a fewTraditionally,months. we open the festival up to vendors in March, and of course, it sold out just as fast as we opened it up, but by June, the pandemic had grown, and I was forced to cancel the festival. You were forced to make that same decision in 2021. Last year, we geared up just the way we had done in years past, but I chose to hold the release date through March and April. In May, I had meetings with local and state officials and it wasn’t looking good, which forced us to have to cancel the festival again. Of the more than 30,000 people who attend the Old Tyme Peach Festival every year, there are likely some who take it for granted that it just magically appears every year. Take me into the wheels of the machine of what makes the festival run.
18 Middletown Life | Summer/Fall 2022 | www.middletownlifemagazine.com Brian Rickards Continued from Page 17 OUR MISSION: To provide exceptional patient care and customer service in a calm, welcoming environment. Kindness, compassion and grace above all else Hours: Mon Tues/Wed-8am-7pm,8am-5pm,Thurs-8am-6pm,Fri8am-5pm,Sat8am-3pm https://WillowGraceVeterinaryHospital.com302-378-9800 311 W. Main St.,Middletown, DE 19709 Call us today to schedule an appointment for your pet We are a “Fear-Free” trained clinic There are seven core members of the committee on board, and although I wish I had more, we work well together. In past years, I have had no problems meeting deadlines, but this year, I have had some struggles with maintaining all of them, but I simply kick myself in the rear and get it all done. Sometimes I look back to past festivals and think, ‘We are essentially putting on this entire festival with practically nobody,’ but several of my children and my wife chip in as well, and that helps to get this festival on every year.
What food or item can always be found in your family refrigerator? Ketchup. When you have nine kids, you need a lot of ketchup. - Richard L. Gaw
The Old Tyme Peach Festival began in 1993 to honor the role the peach-growing industry had on Middletown in the 1800s, but in many ways, it has come to mean so much more for the people of Middletown, Odessa and Townsend.
What are your most favorite moments of the festival?
This is a tough choice, but I would have to say The Texas Roadhouse off of Route 301. You host a dinner party and can invite anyone you wish. Who would you want to have around that table? A similar question came up to me a while ago. I would like to have an eat-and-greet with Ozzy Osbourne.
It’s about the largest component of our history, because the peaches are what made this area what it is today. Who we are now is because of the industry that made us.
What is your favorite spot in Middletown?
After the festival, I am able to ride that high for about the next two months and then I realize that I have seen too many people and I just want to be left alone.
My excitement starts at about three o’clock on Friday afternoon, when I begin to lay out the vendor booths. My boys will bring their friends and we’ll drive around the grounds on the golf carts to make sure we’re ready for the next day. As it gets closer to morning, it becomes a serious emotion of ‘My God, what did I just do?’ As the festival kicks off and I begin to see the people arrive, my emotions then change to ‘My God, I have done this.’
The Megan Aitken Team Phone: 302-688-SOLD | Cell: 302-528-9124 SOLD Keller Williams Realty | www.delawarelistings.com Follow us @MOTRealtor
By Richard L. Gaw Staff Writer
Peaches are temperamental, brilliant but moody, and they hide their real selves behind their fuzzy, protective exterior, but as the author Alice Walker once wrote, “Life is better than death, I believe, if only because it is less boring, and because it has fresh peaches in it.”
The science of picking, sto and cooking peaches
Let’s start with the time of the year when they are at their best – a tiny, come-and-gone presence that falls annually between mid-May and mid-August. Let’s continue with the yin-yang, push-pull of their interior and exterior – a gluttony of sweet texture encased in an outer skin that can both tickle and nag, and while the taste of a ripe peach is so delicious that it can stop time and recall moments from childhood visits to pastures, it falls somewhere between
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The science of picking, sto and cooking peaches
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Peaches are on the softer spectrum of fruits, so handle them with care. Ripe ones should be firm, but have some give. Look for ones with a gold skin tone, rather than greenish or red. In terms of shape, a definite cleft is an indication of a mature fruit.
grapes and pomegranates on the fruit-friendly food chain when you wish to cook it, because that food fuzz has to come off. We may not always understand them. We may not always be given access to them at their finest. Their skin is not always easy to remove, and yet, when we bite into one that’s freshly-plucked in season, or find them brilliantly pink and waiting for us at a roadside stand at the peak of their beauty, they are heaven in the hand. In this article are included some incredible recipes for peaches – both savory and sweet – but in order to best prepare them, it’s best to know how to pick them, store them, prepare them and freeze them.
How to Pick a Peach
oring, freezingoring, freezing
Peach Science
Removing the Pit
Peaches generally hold up for four days, and perhaps a few days longer if they’re refrigerated in a plastic bag. Peaches will oxidize when cut and exposed to air, but a squeeze of lemon juice will stop them from turning brown.
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Toss the juice of one lemon for every 8-10 peaches and ½ teaspoon of sugar for each peach added to your recipe. The lemon juice will help prevent browning and the sugar will release juices from the peaches, helping prevent air pockets when freezing.
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Storing and PeachesPreparing
Freezing Peaches
Removing Peach Skin
It’s best to store peaches at room temperature, and wash them just before you want to eat or use them.
To properly remove a peach pit from the center of the fruit, cut into the peach near the top until the tip of the knife hits the stone, then cut lengthwise around the stone. Gently hold both halves of the peach, twist in opposite directions and pull it apart. Put one side down and then loosen the stone from the peach flesh with a knife or your finger.
Washing peaches will remove most of the fuzz. Although the fuzzy skin is perfectly edible, it becomes tough when cooked. To remove the peach skin, blanch in boiling water for one minute and then immediately plunge into cold water to cease the cooking process. The skin should easily slip off. Do not let the peaches soak in the water.
• 3 cups sliced fresh peaches, peeled or skins left on • 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar or Stevia (in a prepared form like Truvia, it measures same as sugar; if you use another form, you’ll need do your own conversion)or Splenda, if you prefer, (sucralose)
• 1 cup all purpose flour (white, mixed grain or whole wheat works fine)
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
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• 3/4 cup milk (low-fat or non-fat are fine)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon Options You can add 1/2 cup chopped pecans to your recipe. You can also add other fruits: blueberries and blackberries are particularly good in combinations with peaches. Just add 1 cup of either to this recipe in step 6. Directions Preheat oven to 350°F (175 C). Wash, peel and slice the peaches to whatever thickness you prefer. Tip: By dunking peaches into boiling water for 45 seconds, and then into ice water, the skins will usually fall right off. Melt the stick of butter in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat until it bubbles and turns goldenbrown. Be careful: it will burn quickly and easily. Pour the butter into an 8-inch square baking dish. In a medium bowl, stir together the 1 cup sugar (or Stevia (in a prepared form like Truvia, it measures the same as sugar; if you use another form, you’ll need do your own conversion) - or Splenda, the 1 cup flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 3/4 cup milk. Pour the batter on top of the melted butter. Do not stir. Without mixing, arrange the peaches evenly on top of theEvenlybatter.sprinkle the brown sugar over the cobbler. Bake the cobbler for 40 to 45 minutes at 350° F (175 C), until the top turns golden brown.
Peach Cobbler Ingredients
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Peach Recipes
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• Pinch of dried red chili flakes
• 1 tablespoon butter Directions Season the pork chops generously with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat until lightly smoking. Add the pork chops and cook until first side is nicely browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until the internal temperature registers 145°F on an instant read thermometer, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil. Do not wipe out skillet. Lower heat to medium low and add the peaches, lemon zest, sugar, salt, and dried chili flakes. Stir gently until the peaches begin to soften but don’t lose their shape, 2 to 3
26 Middletown Life | Summer/Fall 2022 | www.middletownlifemagazine.com Wye River Upper School is an 410-758-2922 www.wyeriverupperschool.org ... because not all great minds think alike . ENROLLING NOW! Peach Recipes Continued from Page 24 Continued on page 28 Pork Chops with Peaches
Ingredients • 2 bone-in rib or center-cut chops (4 to 6 oz. each)
• 1 teaspoon sugar • 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups fresh raw baby spinach
Stir in half of basil. Divide the peaches between the two plates and then pour the pan juices on top and sprinkle with remaining basil. Serve immediately.
• 2 tablespoon olive oil • 3 peaches, pits removed, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 2 tsp. zest and 2 Tbsp. fresh juice from 1 lemon
Divideminutes.the spinach between two plates and put the pork chops on top. Pour any juices from the plate back into the skillet and add butter and lemon juice. Cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan and swirling pan until butter is melted and incorporated into the Seasonsauce.totaste with salt and pepper.
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28 Middletown Life | Summer/Fall 2022 | www.middletownlifemagazine.com Peach Recipes Continued from Page 26 Pretty Peach Tart Ingredients • 1/4 cup butter, softened • 3 tablespoons sugar • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg • 1 cup all-purpose flour FILLING • 2 pounds peaches (about 7 medium), peeled and sliced • 1/3 cup sugar • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon • 1/8 teaspoon almond extract • 1/4 cup sliced almonds • Whipped cream, optional Directions Preheat oven to 375°. Cream butter, sugar and nutmeg until light and fluffy. Beat in flour until blended (mixture will be dry). Press firmly onto bottom and up sides of an ungreased 9-in. fluted tart pan with removable bottom. Place on a baking sheet. Bake on a middle oven rack until lightly browned, 10-12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. In a large bowl, toss peaches with sugar, flour, cinnamon and extract; add to crust. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake tart on a lower oven rack until crust is golden brown and peaches are tender, 40-45 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. If desired, serve with whipped cream.
Peach Festival MapPeach Festival Map www.middletownlifemagazine.com | Summer/Fall 2022 | Middletown Life 29
30 Middletown Life | Summer/Fall 2022 | |Middletownwww.middletownlifemagazine.comBusiness|Hummel named new executive director of Middletown Area Chamber of Commerce
The Board of Directors considered Hummel to be the ideal candidate for this role.
“This is an exciting time for the chamber, and I am extremely pleased to have someone with Michelle’s experience and passion leading the organization into our next phase of growth and member services,” said MACC Board President Bruce Rushton. Hummel has served as the interim executive director and director of membership sales & engagement for the Middletown Family YMCA. Her operational oversight has provided for successes in membership, programming, and community impact. Courtesy photo Michelle Hummel has been named the new executive director of the Middletown Area Chamber of Commerce.
The Middletown Area Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors announced the appointment of Michelle Hummel as the organization’s new executive director. Hummel brings almost 20 years of sales, marketing, technology, and management experience to the new position with the Middletown Area Chamber of Commerce (MACC).
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As a computer science graduate with experience in network administration, computer design, data management, and software development, Hummel has a solid foundation rooted in technology that will be a tremendous asset as the Middletown Area Chamber of Commerce enters the next chapter.Hummel is an active member of the Middletown community, raising her two sons in the Appoquinimink School District and loyally attending each of their seasonal sports activities. On Saturdays, you often can find her cheering from the sidelines and celebrating successes over ice cream inHerMiddletown.hobbiesinclude photography, biking, and DIY home improvement projects. She has been involved with her neighborhood board, local fitness and health initiatives, food and clothing drives, and a variety of community fundraising events. Hummel brings a strong focus on quality and community impact to the executive director role. More information is available at www.maccde.com.
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Executive Director Continued from Page 31
Hummel said, “It is an honor to continue serving our Middletown community as the executive director for the chamber. I have been fortunate to witness first-hand the value membership brings to our local businesses, and I am grateful to have the ability to be a part of this businessfocused organization.”
The Middletown Area Chamber of Commerce was founded in 1972 by Will Kirkwood and is a 501(c)(6) non-profit organization dedicated to the economic development of the Southern New Castle County area. The Chamber provides advocacy, leadership, and networking in the business community and serves as a catalyst for the promotion of our members as well as an information resource center for the MOT (Middletown, Odessa & Townsend) community. About the Middletown Area Chamber of Commerce
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Thousand Acre Farm is pleased to announce the opening of our High Density Apple Orchard Starting after Labor Day, the orchard will be open for Pick Your Own Apples!
Goldrush: One of the best keeping apples ever! Keeps in the refrigerator until June of the year following ripening apples are exceptional for fresh eating—and out of this world for pies and cider! Pink Lady: Known for their bright pink skin and very tart and crisp quickly becoming a favorite snack-
Jonamac: A red and green apple that is a cross between a Jonathan and a McIntosh that is aromatic, juicy, and Gala: One of the most popular snacking apples for its very sweet, characteristic striped skin that is alHoneycrisp: America’s favorite snacking apple due to the exceptionally crisp and juicy texture as beautiful reddish-pink and gold color and is the most popular apple at Fuji: One of the most popular late-season apples, they are very baking as well and is delicious in Crimson Crisp: A beautiful bright red apple over a yellow background variety is sure to become a favorite
Golden Delicious: A classic favorite that is perfect for snacking and that is sweet and crisp with a bright Shizuka: Perfect for apple salad, eatwith and it’s slow to brown when acidity, and is the better choice if you
U-Pick Apples Schedule 2022 Apple Season: Late August/Early September: Jonamac, Gala Mid-September: Honeycrisp, Crimson Crisp
Late September: Golden Delicious
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Early October: Shizuka Mid-late October: Goldrush, Pink Lady, Fuji Our orchard consists of dwarf trees which allows the fruit to be easily reached from the ground for easy picking! We have a vast variety of apples which consist of:
By Gene ContributingPisasaleWriter
36 Middletown Life | Summer/Fall 2022 | www.middletownlifemagazine.com
When an Irish immigrant wanted to help those people going through Delaware, he came up with a good idea: build a place which could be a convenient resting stop for weary travelers. In 1761, David Witherspoon constructed the Witherspoon Tavern. It soon became a popular layover point for those venturing throughout the region. Two future Presidents found it a good place to visit. Thomas Jefferson lodged there on June 20, 1775 on his way up to a meeting of the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia. The following year, Jefferson would liberate our nation and change the world- with his immortal Declaration of Independence. After he helped the colonies win the Revolutionary War, George Washington dined at the Witherspoon on April 30 and May 19, 1784, purportedly on his way to a meeting of the Order of the Cincinnati, of which he was President. Although the building was later remodeled and made into a Victorian-style inn, the structure has endured for more than two centuries and is now considered the oldest tavern in the state. The land on which the Tavern sat had roots deep in Delaware history. The Delaware Public Archives has a blue and gold historical marker out front which mentions that in the 1690s, Adam Peterson purchased several tracts of land in the area. One of them was officially surveyed in 1733 and given the name Middletown, believed to relate to its location at the midpoint of a road that led from the headwaters of the Bohemia River to the edge of Appoquinimink Creek. Intersecting this road was the highly traveled King’s Highway; the crossroads became a desired stopping point. The tavern which operated here was an early “anchor tenant” and soon a small village developed around it. Middletown grew rapidly after the railroad arrived in 1855. Located in close proximity to some of Delaware’s most productive farmlands, it became an important nexus for shipping a variety of agricultural products. Witherspoon Tavern historical marker in Middletown, Delaware.
|Middletown Life| Jump Continued from Page 36 |Middletown Spotlight| Continued on Page 38
Wrap-around bar inside Sully’s Irish Pub at Witherspoon.the Photos courtesy of Sully’s Irish Pub at the Witherspoon. The Witherspoon Tavern, circa 1761-1844. Middletown Hotel 1844-1946.Middletown Hotel damaged by the Valentine’s Day Fire in 1946. www.middletownlifemagazine.com | Summer/Fall 2022 | Middletown Life 37
Continued from Page 36
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Sully’s Irish Pub
The Witherspoon has seen a few changes over the years. Robert Cochran saw a business opportunity and in 1844, purchased the Tavern, subsequently refurbishing the building to create the Middletown Hotel. The hotel served guests traveling through to various points, including Philadelphia and towns in the lower portion of the state. Sadly, part of the hotel was destroyed by fire on Valentine’s Day in 1946. It was later turned into Witherspoon Bar and Package. After running Sully’s Irish Pub in Warren, Ohio for a decade, Charles Robert “Sully” Sullivan, Jr. returned to his roots in New Jersey, ready for a new business to pursue. Visiting sites in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland, he came to the Witherspoon in 2008. At the time, he was not impressed, but upon a second look, he found it quite intriguing. He purchased the bar that same year and got to work refur-
Sully’s Irish Pub at the Witherspoon in July 2022. bishing the building. The brick walls date from the original structure in 1761. They can still be seen around the tavern, which is decorated with numerous historic artifacts, Americana, military and other memorabilia. Stressing its place in history, Sully has framed the ledger descriptions of
Continued on Page 40
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Continued on Page 40 40 Middletown Life | Summer/Fall 2022 | www.middletownlifemagazine.com Continued on Page 42
Chuck “Sully” Sullivan at his pub.
Sully’s Irish Pub Continued from Page 38
Thomas Jefferson’s stay and George Washington’s visit, both hanging on the wall below 18th-century portraits of the two patriots. Sully is a genuine history buff- and he has done his homework. To make sure the descriptions were authentic, he contacted Jefferson’s home at Monticello and the Middletown Historical Society, which gathered information from Washington’s Mount Vernon. These establishments provided certified documentation confirming that Jefferson and Washington had indeed dined there. Remembering its former life as a place of lodging, Sully has an oversized mirror from the old Middletown Hotel inside the bar, now engraved with “1761- 250 Years- 2011.” The mirror hung inside the hotel roughly 150 years ago. Rejuvenating a 250-year old tavern is not easy; this one was in poor shape. Sullivan put in a new floor made from boards previously used at the 19th century Jim Beam Distillery in Kentucky, appropriate for a drinking establishment. He removed the low eight-foot ceiling, raising it to give the place a more spacious
www.middletownlifemagazine.com | Summer/Fall 2022 | Middletown Life 41 TELEVISION & APPLIANCES 348 Churchmans Rd. (Rt 58E), New Castle • 302-322-7600 WE MATCHPRICEDAILY SHOP & CHOOSEHOOSE SINCE 1972 | VETERAN OWNED & OPERATED VOTED #1 IN DELAWARE www.cbjoe.comNOSALESTAXWE PRICESSTORENATIONALBEAT &APPLIANCETVSALE
Middletown Hotel sign, courtesy Sully’s Irish Pub at the Witherspoon. An old Everett Theater sign hangs inside the tavern.
Continued from 40 look. Sully put in a beautiful new wooden, wrap-around bar and did much of the construction himself to conserve funds needed to operate the establishment. His love of history is evident everywhere around the tavern. He has a tribute to his grandfather, who fought in World War I, as well as one honoring firefighters. An original Everett Theater sign hangs on the wall. The Everett Theater across the street dates back to 1922. It is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. The Everett was also part of film history: scenes from the movie “Dead Poet’s Society” (1989) were filmed there. W.D. Hutton fought in World War II in the Pacific Theater and came home to Delaware where he opened “W.D. Hutton Watch, Clock and Jewelry Repair” across the street, running it for 70 years from 1948 to 2018, when he passed away. A W.D. Hutton sign in the bar area is Sully’s tribute to his old friend.
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Sully’s Irish Pub
Page
“Forgotten Founding Fathers: Pennsylvania and Delaware in the American Revolution.” His books are available through his website at www.GenePisasale.com and on www.Amazon.com. Gene can be reached via e-mail at Gene@GenePisasale.com.
Being of Irish descent, Sully said that it is appropriate that he has rejuvenated a tavern that was started 260 ago by an Irishman. Taking his own place in local history, Sully states that it is up to all of us to preserve our heritage. Looking around inside his fine establishment, it is clear he has done a great job. Gene Pisasale is an historian, author and lecturer based in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. His ten books focus on the history of the Chester County/ mid-Atlantic region. His latest book is Left: Ledger descriptions of Thomas Jefferson’s and George Washington’s visits along with portraits.
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A visit to Sully’s Pub at the Witherspoon is a visit to more than just a tavern; it is a Middletown time capsule. Sully provided a private tour, with descriptions and explanations of all the artifacts and memorabilia, which remind guests that the building- and the area- are steeped in history.
Right: W.D. Hatton sign.
Peach Festival Fu |Middletown Life Photo Essay| Peach Festival Fu 44 Middletown Life | Summer/Fall 2022 | www.middletownlifemagazine.com The annual Old Tyme Peach Festival r
un From The Past Continued on Page 46 un From The Past www.middletownlifemagazine.com | Summer/Fall 2022 | Middletown Life 45 returns to Middletown on August 20
Peach Festival Continued from Page 45 46 Middletown Life | Summer/Fall 2022 | www.middletownlifemagazine.com
www.middletownlifemagazine.com | Summer/Fall 2022 | Middletown Life 47 *Cannot be combined with any other offer. Previous sales excluded. Good at initial presentation only. Discounts cannotbe combined with any other offer. Additional work is extra and optional. Financing available for qualified buyers. NO PRICE QUOTES WILL BE GIVEN VIA PHONE. 13 Mount Pleasant Drive Aston, Pennsylvania 19014. $0 DOWN 0% APR NO PAYMENTS FOR 18 MONTHS 888-711-3298CALL NOW Home Smart Industries- Bathtub, Shower and Walk-In Bath Tub Specialists Must call this number for discounts HomeSmartind.com NEW! Walk-In Bath + Shower Package! Bathe safe & remain independent in your own home. Home Smart can replace your dangerous bathtub or shower with a safe Kohler Walk-In Bath or safety shower in as little as ONE day at a price you can afford. To schedule your FREE in-home Design & Safety Consultation & estimate, call now. SAFETY & ACCESSIBILITYBATHS & SHOWERSBY HOME SMART INDUSTRIES Bathtubs Showers Kohler Walk-In Baths Project time: 1-2 DAYSweeks!
All through the two years of discussions with Middletown officials and the public, and the many hurdles for licensing
From the beginning, the emphasis of the business was giving back to the community. It’s reflected in the name, and in the charitable philosophy of the Schatz family.
Five years ago, Kevin and Dawn Schatz were scrambling to get their first, precious batches of beer ready for Middletown’s Peach Festival. Having gotten state approval for their brand-new business just two days before the festival, they weren’t sure what to expect. But, less than two hours after putting their first two beers on sale, they were sold out. There were sighs of relief, and a realization that Volunteer Brewing was going to succeed. This year, Volunteer is marking its fifth anniversary with a new home, expanded brewing equipment, and a very different brewing scene in Middletown. Where once Volunteer stood alone in offering innovative craft beers on a very limited scale, today there are four breweries in the immediate area – Crooked Hammock, JAKL and First State Brewing in addition to Volunteer. Middletown is now a destination for beer lovers from Delaware and well beyond. But it all started with a home-brew kit. “I’m to blame,” Dawn said, smiling. “I bought him a kit for Christmas. I just thought he’d enjoy it. I had no idea.” That was 12 years ago. “It was a lot of fun,” Kevin said. “I thought, ‘Maybe I could go a little bigger at home.’ And then I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if there was something like this in Middletown?’ We started looking at locations to rent. Back then, I was doing 10-gallon batches, which was not a Afterlot.”considering other garage spaces, the couple eventually found a garage tucked away between Main Street and the firehouse, behind Wellbeing on Main, where there was
|Around Middletown|
By John ContributingChamblessWriter
just enough room to move in some small-batch brewing equipment and maybe a few guests. “We put a mention on social media and I was in the garage, working,” Kevin said. “I was getting all these notifications on my phone, and then some guy came to the door and said, ‘Is this the brewery I saw“We’donline?’”tellpeople, ‘Look for us in the alley behind the fire hall,” Dawn said. Everything had to fit into the building –equipment, taps, a few tables and whoever turned up to sample the new brews. In the early days, Dawn and Kevin knew pretty much everyone who came through their door. Due to the size of the building, conversation was practically mandatory, so discussions were sparked and word of mouth fueled the business.
“What I didn’t know about Kevin when we got married in 2001 was what a great memory he has for people,” Dawn said. “People would come in the door and he would know their names and things about them.”
Volunteer Brewing Company: Five years of beer and service
“When we were starting out, we kept saying we wanted this to be community focused, about making connections, giving back,” Dawn said. “There have been many tie-ins with local charities, benefits and community events in the last five years. It also helped that patrons could honestly tell their family, ‘I’m going to Volunteer,’ and get no judgment. “People would tell them, ‘Wow! You volunteer a lot! On Friday nights, too!’”
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When Volunteer started, it was basically a one-man operation. Kevin had a day job and brewed at night. Today, there are 15 people on staff, with two brewers. Kevin is now full-time at Volunteer, although he’s not there every day. He and Dawn – who is still a therapist in the building next door to Volunteer – are busy with their three children and their activities. After getting up and running, it became clear that the garage limited growth. Kevin sometimes had to move the brewing equipment aside when a batch was finished so he had room for people to come in and sample it. The business needed to grow, but where?“Sixmonths after we opened, we were contacted by the owner of the house next door,” Kevin said. Jack and Tammy Pickett had lived in their home almost 50 years but were ready to move, and they wondered if Volunteer would be interested in their circa-1830s house, which had a large rear yard and two floors of“Jackspace.is a retired teacher, so when we opened in the garage, he went and got his server’s license, come over and help serve beer with us,” Dawn said. “He helped set the yard up. We have a picture of him and his daughter planting the tree that’s in the back yard now. They were all so supportive.”
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Photo by John Chambless Kevin and Dawn Schatz behind the bar at the recently expanded Volunteer Brewing.Continued on Page 50 and the initial opening, “the town has been great,” Kevin said. “They initially weren’t quite sure what to do with breweries. They had never had one, so they didn’t know what it meant for them.”
Volunteer Brewing Company Continued from Page 49
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“We were getting close in January 2020, and then COVID-19 hit,” Kevin said. With a large mortgage and no possibility of opening for business, he and Dawn just put their heads down and kept working. After a full year of construction, the new site opened just as Covid restrictions were beginning to“Thisease.is better than we expected,” Kevin said of the inviting yard, which has a large shade tree. There are café tables, benches, a fire pit area, and room for entertainers. Inside, there’s a large bar with sofas and chairs for guests, as well as an upstairs that provides overflow seating and can be rented for special events. “We wanted to retain the house feel,” Dawn said. “That was part of choosing the materials for the bar area, the white tile. We wanted it to look open and kitchen-like. Not dark, like a bar. We wanted people to come and play games and hang out.” The new space opened last July. Kevin laughed and promised that there would, at last, be a sign on the front of the building facing Main Street by the time the 2022 Peach Festival arrives. People have simply gotten used to coming around to Courtesy photo Local artists, such as A.J. Love, regularly perform at Volunteer.
In late 2018, Kevin and Dawn bought the home and set about designing their dream facility. There was over a year of gutting the old building while maintaining its original beams and fireplaces.
the back of the building. Volunteer is still open only on the weekends, but “we want to do more events
The garage will now be used just for brewing, not for patrons.“We’re still small,” he said. “Brewing takes about the same amount of time to do 50 gallons as it does to brew 150 gallons, so we want to make more of each variety we offer.”
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For more information and updates, visit www.facebook. com/VolunteerBrewing, or www.volunteerbrewing.com.
“We started with two taps in the garage, and then gradually worked up to seven,” Dawn said. “Here we have 11 taps, with four upstairs and four outside.”
Newly purchased equipment will allow Volunteer to sell three times what they could sell before. “It will go up to maybe 150 barrels. But we’ll ease into it. It’s a big upgrade,” Kevin said. “It’s our last upgrade, I’d say, because we’ve pretty much maxed out the garage space.”
“We want it to be like hanging out in a friend’s backyard,” Kevin said of the relaxed outdoor space. We’re known for the yard. Kids can run around, there’s a fire pit, nice shade.” Above all, officially marking five successful years –despite the upheaval of COVID-19 lockdowns and a huge Courtesy photo
It was a long process, but Volunteer finally opened its new facility in 2021. construction project – will be a relief. Volunteer will have a food truck on site, with a party scheduled after the festival wraps up. “It’s a long day,” Dawn said of the Peach Festival. “But we haven’t had the festival in two years. We’ve got some celebrating to do!”
during the week,” Kevin said. “We’ve talked about it. Maybe some themed Thursday nights?”
Courtesy photo A fireplace adds warmth on cooler nights.
Volunteer Brewing
Sat. Oct. 1: From 7-11 p.m. a 1990s party. Following the enthusiasm at the summer 1980s party, now they are revisiting 1990s music, fashion and fun.
Sat. Oct. 15: Third annual MOT VOLUNTEER Resource Fair. Come meet representatives from local non-profit organizations and learn about volunteer opportunities.
Sat. Oct. 29: 5th annual “Boos & Brews” event from from 7 to 11 p.m. Halloween costume party and contest with live music by Middle 8.
Company Continued from Page 51
Weekly Sunday jam sessions: Musicians of all levels are invited during open hours to bring their instruments and grab a spot in the Taphouse, on the front porch or in the yard to connect with others and jam. No purchase necessary.
Upcoming events at Volunteer Brewing
Sat. Aug. 20: Opening at 9 a.m. for the Peach Festival with the Out of the Ordinary Mobile Food Truck. Volunteer Brewing’s 5th birthday celebration from 5 to 10 p.m. with live music from Middle 8, food by Koi on the Go, birthday cake, contests and more.
Sun. Sept. 11: 6 p.m. premiere of “The Canfather,” an independent local film at The Everett Theatre followed by post-screening party at Volunteer Brewing.
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Sun. Oct. 30: 2nd Annual “Howl-o-ween Paw-ty” from noon to 5 p.m. Dogs and their humans can have some costume fun and enter a costume contest. Opportunities to support local rescue groups and meet adoptable dogs.
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Historic Odessa will soon unveil its fall exhibition, “Love Stories: Photos by Brittany Lauren,” which is on display from Aug. 30 to Oct. 30. The exhibit of intimate portraits of couples in love by the Milford, Del. photographer will be on display in the Historic Odessa Visitor’s Center Gallery.
Brittany Lauren Telling love stories with a camera
Portraits of love by Delaware photographer Brittany Lauren
According to Brittany Lauren, photographing couples in love is what sets her soul on fire. The young and talented photographer has become well known for her creative photography compositions of engagements and weddings in only a few short years.Aphotographer’s reception will take place on Thursday, September 15, from 6 to 8 p.m. The public is invited to meet and greet the photographer that day, and she will be on hand to take questions. The reception is free to Historic Odessa Foundation members, invited guests, and theLightpublic.refreshments will be served. For reservations, contact Jennifer Cabell Kostik at 302-378-4119, or Jennifer. cabell@historicodessa.org.Formoreinformationabout
the exhibition Love Stories, as well as the Historic Odessa Foundation’s 2022 season tours, special exhibits, events, and Living History Education Program, visit www.historicodessa.org, or call 302-378-4119.
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|Odessa Arts|
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|Middletown Life| 58 Middletown Life | Summer/Fall 2022 | www.middletownlifemagazine.com Phone (302) 378-4301 FAX # (302) 378-7323 106 Patriot Drive Middletown, DE 19709 Wallis CollisionRepairCenter About the Historic Odessa Foundation Established in 2005, the Historic Odessa Foundation owns and operates The Historic Houses of Odessa, a 72-acre enclave of 18th and 19th century structures located in the town of Odessa, just two miles from DE 1 and just off U.S. Route 13 in southern New Castle County, Del. The historic buildings and gardens along with a well-documented collection of more than 7000 objects and furnishings offer a unique picture of Delaware’s colonial period in a rural village that played a vital part in America’s commercial history. The town of Odessa, originally known as Cantwell’s Bridge, has retained much of its 18th century charm and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and home to a National Historic Landmark, and two National Park Service Network to Freedom sites. www. historicodessa.org. Brittany Lauren Continued from Page 56 AT A GLANCE WHAT: Love Stories: Photos by Brittany Lauren WHEN: August 30 through October 30, 2022 Photographer’s Reception, Thursday September 15, 6 to 8 p.m. WHERE: HOF Visitor Center Gallery, 201 Main Street, Odessa, Delaware
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The Historic Odessa Brewfest, a “hoppy” celebration of history and craft beer, returns to the bucolic grounds of the 253-year-old Wilson-Warner House on Saturday, Sept. 10.
The ninth annual event will feature more than 50 local, regional and national craft brewers, live music, artisan vendors, lawn games, and locally sourced food provided by Cantwell’s Tavern, Odessa’s popular farm-to-table gastropub located in HOF’s historic Brick Hotel, and the Ashby Hospitality Group from Newark, Del. Tickets for the ninth annual Odessa Brewfest, which is the Historic Odessa Foundation’s signature fundraising event of the year, are now on sale, and all proceeds support the preservation and education mission of the foundation. HOF owns and operates Historic Odessa and its museum properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places and are home to a National Historic Landmark, and National Park Service Network to Freedom site.
A ‘hoppy’ celebration of history and craft beer returns to Historic Odessa
In addition to enjoying the Odessa Brewfest’s sprawling pastoral setting featuring a colonial revival garden and shaded seating areas, attendees will have the opportunity to stroll and sample some of the best craft beers by more than 50 brewers and will receive a complimentary souvenir 2-ounce tasting mug upon admittance for unlimited craft beer sampling privileges for the duration of the day. The list of participating breweries is being updated regularly, and for the current list, visit www.odessabrewfest.com/breweries.
|Around the Area| Continued on Page 62
The popular Brewfest, which is presented by the Historic Odessa Foundation (HOF) and Cantwell’s Tavern, will take place from 1 to 5 p.m.
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The day is a celebration of the area’s history and craft beer. The Historic Odessa Brewfest is a fundraising event for the Historic Odessa Foundation, a nonprofit organization which has a mission Continued on Page 64
Historic Odessa Brewfest from Page 60 open at 1 p.m. for ticket holders. There are also $15 designated driver tickets for access to food, music and vendors, and this includes free soft drinks. Designated Driver tickets are only available at the gate on the day of the event. To purchase general admission tickets online, at www. odessabrewfest.com, or call 302-378-4119.
Photos courtesy the Historic Odessa Foundation Live music will once again be a part of the fun.
This year’s live musical entertainment will be presented on two stages. Main stage bands are funk/blues/jazz ensemble The Bickel Brothers Band, who will perform from noon to 2:30 p.m., and perennial favorite, reggae evangelists Spokey Speaky, from 2:30 to 5 p.m. Taking the garden stage and new to the Odessa Brewfest will be acoustic performer and Wilmington native Ryan Bacher performing from 12 to 2:30 p.m., and solo performer Tony Mowen, who takes the garden stage from 2:30 to 5 p.m.
Tickets are on sale for $60 for general admission ($70 at the gate). The gates
Continued
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is to ensure the legacy of the Historic Houses of Odessa for future generations, through commitment to the preservation of Odessa’s unique historic, architectural and cultural heritage. From their earliest days at the beginning of the 17th century, avid beer makers populated European settlements along both sides Odessa Brewfest of the Delaware River. Making your own beer was as important a domestic craft as hearth cooking, tending a kitchen garden or spinning yarn. As drinking water was avoided like the plague, beer was a major dietary staple in the colonies, consumed by everyone from cradle to grave. So it stands to reason that Historic Odessa, a once-bustling colonial grain shipping port and vital Mid-Atlantic transportation hub of the 18th and early 19th centuries, should be the site of a
Continued on Page 66
There will be plenty of food and fun at the ninth annual Odessa Brewfest. The Historic Odessa Brewfest, a “hoppy” celebration of history and craft beer, returns to the bucolic grounds of the 253-year-old Wilson-Warner House on Saturday, Sept. 10.
Historic
The day is a celebration of the area’s history and craft beer.
Continued from Page 62
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66 Middletown Life | Summer/Fall 2022 | www.middletownlifemagazine.com craft beer festival in which today’s beer enthusiasts can step back more than 250 years to a pastoral setting befitting a celebration of grain, hops, fruits, herbs and time-honored brewing methods. The 2022 Odessa Brewfest sponsors include the following: National HVAC – Main Stage Wilmington Trust – Event ATR Electric – Shade Tent ShureLine Electrical – Designated Driver Insurance Associates – Garden Stage Dave Watlington – Music In the Garden David Iobst – Koozies Sponsorship opportunities are still available and interested parties should contact the Historic Odessa Foundation for more information.Therearealso volunteer opportunities still to be filled. Since not every brewery will be able to send a representative to pour beer, and help will be needed to keep the historic site clean, HOF and Cantwell’s Tavern are looking for volunteers for the day’s festivities. Prospective volunteers can call Cantwell’s at 302-376-0600. Historic Odessa Brewfest Continued from Page 64 The ninth annual Odessa Brewfest will feature more than 50 local, regional and national craft brewers,
