This Saturday, you are invited to celebrate area history as the borough holds its 19th Annual Delaware Water Gap Founders Day Celebration.
Honoring its founding more than 200 years ago, the borough’s founders day event will be celebrated on June 25, starting from 9 AM until 4 PM throughout the town. Activities include a Pancake Breakfast held by the Delaware Water Gap Fire Department from 8 AM until 11 AM, the Church of the Mountain’s Bake Sale from 9 AM to 3 PM, arts and crafts vendor shows held by the Town Firehouse, and outside along Delaware Avenue from 10 AM to 4 PM. Local performers will also be active from 10 AM until 2 PM. At noon the Pocono Wildlife Rehabilitation Center “Animal Ambassadors” will stop by to meet visitors with lunch at the Village Farmer & Bakery on Broad Street. Also at noon, the Antoine Dutot Museum & Art Gallery is scheduled to open.
Local performers will be on the Celebration of the Arts stage near the Castle Inn. There will be live music by the “Hot Takes Trio” at the church Gazebo and “Doc Papa and the Renegade Ramblers” across from Sycamore Grille. Attendees will also be able to attend a guided walking tour of the history of the Delaware Water Gap and the historic Castle Inn. Tours are scheduled for 1 PM, 2 PM, and 3 PM.
According to friendsofdelawarewatergap.org, the borough of Delaware Water Gap takes its name from the nearby famous geological formation. The National Recreation Area also takes its name from the same formation, but we stole the name first, fair and square. The borough had a different name when it was founded in 1793 by Antoine Dutot. He called it Dutotsburg after himself. Dutot had been a coffee plantation owner in the French colony of St. Dominque until a slave rebellion there sent him packing. Instead of going to France, where another revolution was going on, he traveled to Philadelphia and from there up the Delaware River. He purchased some land just north of the Water Gap and founded a small village.
A free booklet containing a map and information about Founders Day activities will be available on the day of the event at most downtown businesses and linked below.
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