Publications and Written Histories
The Council Oak of Brandywine Springs - 2008
The history of the Council Oak at the Brandywine Springs Resort and Amusement Park.
Delaware Creates a Park at Brandywine Springs - 2015
The transformation of Brandywine Springs into one of Delaware’s first state parks.
The Artists of Brandywine Springs - 2005
The architecture of the original mineral springs resort at Brandywine Springs in Wilmington, Delaware.
Wilmington: Preservation and Progress
The Complete History of Westwood Manor - 1998
The history of the Westwood Manor neighborhood in north Wilmington and the legacy of builder James Conley.
The Story of Allenville - 2023
The history of Allenville, a small farm in north Wilmington descended from the Forwood family, that fell into controversy when efforts were made to develop it as an apartment complex. It is being renovated into the Forwood Preserve County Park.
Forwood School Demolition - 2015
The demolition of the Forwood School, one of north Wilmington’s first schoolhouses, and the controversial conversion of the property by the Forwood family for housing and retail.
A History of Sharpley - 2015
The history of the Sharpley neighborhood in Wilmington, Delaware.
A History of “The Flats” Neighborhood - 2022
An online lecture on YouTube that I presented about the history of the Flats and William Bancroft, recorded at the 2022 annual conference of Preservation Delaware, Inc.
Research: Iron, Cotton, Cows and Wawa Coffee - 2016
Wawa: Family and Employee Owned - 2016
A series of histories of Wawa Food Markets and their evolution from a dairy farm to a major convenience store network. Written for the library newsletter published by Hagley Museum and Library in Delaware.
The Father of ROI: Donaldson Brown - 2015
The DuPont Company’s Chart Room - 2016
The history of return on investment (ROI), a financial metric developed by the DuPont Company in 1914, and the story of the elaborate chart room that they created for presenting and tracking the ROI of their businesses.
The Flats: An Experiment in Affordable Housing - 2022
The history of the Flats neighborhood in Wilmington, Delaware, one of the country’s first affordable living communities. The Flats was the inspiration of William P. Bancroft, who was a visionary in controlled development and preservation of park land. Written for the library newsletter published by Hagley Museum and Library in Delaware.
The History of the Flats in Wilmington - 2022
An in-depth history of the Flats neighborhood developed for Delaware’s State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and the Delaware State Housing Authority which documents the creation of the Flats by William P. Bancroft, its unique architecture and the cultural landscape around it. The Flats began a ten year renovation starting in 2015 in which most of the original units were replaced with modern designs. This document was used to create three historic storyboards in the Flats that tell the story of William Bancroft and his idea for affordable housing.
William P. Bancroft’s Contributions to Education and Libraries - 2024
William Bancroft’s contributions to education and libraries in the City of Wilmington. This paper was used to develop a section of the history wall in the new Maurice A. Pritchett Sr. Academy, which opened in August 2024 and replaced the 100 year old William P. Bancroft School.
Delaware Art Museum – Bancroft Family - 2024
A lecture on the history of the Bancroft textile mills and the Bancroft family given at the Delaware Art Museum as part of a symposium on the philanthropy of William and Samuel Bancroft.
Wilmington: Preservation and Progress
This book takes you on an architectural walking tour of Wilmington, Delaware that begins in the 1980s and concludes nearly thirty years later.
Wilmington had been a city bursting with optimism, anxious to reinvent itself from a 19th century manufacturing capital into a 20th century financial center. Progress had its challenges but much of the dream was eventually realized. Although many of the buildings from that era met the wrecking ball and were replaced with modern office towers, others survived with tasteful preservation.
Revisit Wilmington’s architectural heritage through original photographs taken by the me. This book is an attractive “then and now” work featuring black and white images from the past paired with color images of the present. Carefully researched vignettes about each location make this book an addition to your Delaware history collection and a nostalgic conversation piece for friends and family.
