Meet authors Dan Shortridge & Rachel Kipp, authors of Lost Delaware, Secret Delaware, and 100 Things To Do in Delaware Before You Die on Sunday, February 1st at 11am!
About Dan and Rachel:
Rachel Kipp and Dan Shortridge are former journalists, explorers of the First State, and the authors of multiple books about Delaware life and history. Together, they have written Lost Delaware, Secret Delaware, and 100 Things To Do in Delaware Before You Die, and Dan separately wrote Joe Biden’s Delaware. Rachel is director of communications and marketing for the Philadelphia Bar Association and Dan is a writer for the University of Pennsylvania. They live in Philadelphia with their two children.
Secret Delaware
Delaware may be known primarily for that iconic Wayne’s World scene, for tax-free shopping, and for President Joe Biden. Secret Delaware: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure pulls back the curtain on the First State’s historic happenings and modern institutions, showcasing the people, places, and artifacts that make Delaware what it is. Learn the stories of people like the Black ballplayer who had an astounding career in the Negro Leagues and the newspaper reporter who discovered an unknown shipwreck while she was strolling on the beach. Dive deep into Delaware history, from the standing stones that make up the border with Maryland to the site where the United States flag is said to have first flown in battle. You’ll read about how a children’s book author created the modern image of the buccaneer, how a quarantine center for immigrants is now a tremendously popular state park, and how a lab experiment led to a decades-long economic boom for one small town. Secret Delaware: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure will help guide you on adventures to discover the secret of eternal life, the story behind a world-famous LGBTQ destination, and the resting place of British Royal Navy sailors who died in 1798. Local authors and former reporters Rachel Kipp and Dan Shortridge will take you on a whirlwind, behind-the-scenes tour of Delaware’s oddities, irregularities, and strange stuff.
Lost Delaware
Former Delaware journalists Rachel Kipp and Dan Shortridge document the past, present, and sometimes the future of Delaware's landmarks and legends. Originally part of Pennsylvania and called "the three lower counties on the Delaware," the First State's present has been shaped by both colonial culture and modern industry. Many landmarks of its past, including the Greenbaum Cannery, the Rosedale Beach Hotel, the Nanticoke Queen restaurant, the Ross Point School and the Kahunaville nightclub now live solely in memory. The tales of airplanes and auto plants, breweries and bridges, cows and churches provide insight into the state's many communities, including its Black heritage. Read about fallen hospitals, long-ago lighthouses, crumbling mansions, demolished prisons and theaters that no longer hold shows.