Mike Dixon, Historian

10/16/2026

SHADOW OF THE GALLOWS: A HISTORY OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
Thur., Oct. 22, 2026 @ 4 pm
Milton Public Library
By: Mike Dixon

The historical, legal, and ethical evolution of capital punishment in the United States is complex. This program examines the history of public ex*****ons—particularly in Delaware and the Mid-Atlantic—from the era when the sheriff was the county ex*****oner to the modern era, highlighting key reforms as the nation debated the abolition of the death penalty and sought more humane methods of ex*****on. Throughout, it analyzes the shifting historical, cultural, legal, and ethical factors that influenced the nation’s approach to capital punishment.

To register for the program or for more information, click the link in the comments
Join Speaker Mike Dixon for this talk. This event is sponsored by Delaware Humanities.

10/11/2026

EARLY MARYLAND & DELAWARE SETTLEMENT PATTERNS -- For a project I'm working on, I've been examining the evolution of settlement patterns along the Chesapeake Bay. Several sources can provide this information, and the Maryland Geological Survey Maps are particularly valuable because they are visually rich and informative. Here are some of these maps spanning the period from Maryland's early English settlement to 1776.

Source: Maryland Geological Survey Vol. VI, 1906 (personal collection).

10/08/2026

DISASTER ON THE LINE: RAILROAD ACCIDENTS ON DELMARVA
THUR., OCT. 15, 2026 @ 2 pm
SELBYVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
BY MIKE DIXON

Explore some of the most dramatic moments in Delmarva’s railroading past. During the golden era of rail travel, the Peninsula was a major north–south corridor for fast trains between New York, Philadelphia, and Norfolk, bringing both opportunity and risk to the Peninsula. Historian Mike Dixon highlights the region’s worst railroad disasters, including the catastrophic Delmar accident, the Red Sox Train Wreck in Wyoming, and violent crashes in Laurel, Fruitland, and other communities shaken by headline‑making tragedies. Through rare photographs, gripping newspaper accounts, and official investigative records, Dixon shows how these wrecks unfolded, how towns rallied in the aftermath, and how repeated failures pushed major changes in rail safety. This program looks at the patterns, dangers, and human stories behind Delmarva’s most devastating railroad wrecks.

To register for this free program, see the link in the comments section

10/08/2026

MARSHALLTOWN, (SALEM COUNTY) NJ -- In 2023, after attending the Salem County Historical Society’s annual John S. Rock Memorial Lecture, where Janet Sheridan discussed Marshalltown, a free Black community in Mannington Township, I stopped by the village.

At its peak, the community had two churches, two cemeteries, a school, a fraternal lodge, a store, and about 33 homes. It was named for Thomas Marshall, a free African American who purchased several acres of land as early as 1830 and subdivided lots for other families.

At the edge of rich Salem County farmland and Mannington Meadows, it thrived until the mid-twentieth century, then began to decline.
Today, remnants of this once-vibrant settlement include the Mt. Zion African Union Protestant Church and the old school.

After this engaging lecture, I made a brief visit to the quiet, rural corner of Salem County before heading back across the Delaware Memorial Bridge.

Here are a few photos from that October 2023 visit. I’ve also added links to more information about this historic corner of South Jersey alongside the photos.

Janet is a cultural landscape
historian specializing in recording buildings, National Register listings, and cultural resource surveys.

10/07/2026

HARFORD COUNTY (MD)--A hexagonal fieldstone schoolhouse built c. 1850 by local stonemason Joshua W. Stevens. It served grades one through eight until 1930. According to the Maryland Historical Trust marker, these types of structures "were promoted in the mid 19th-century for their economical construction, thermal efficiency, and natural light."

Photo Date: October 7, 2014

10/07/2026

THE GREENWOOD (DE) TRAIN STATION--On this Tuesday evening in early October, the old Greenwood Train Station was quiet.

I was in town to talk with patrons at the Greenwood Public Library about the Day Greenwood Exploded. On December 2, 1903, a 30- to 40-car southbound freight train carrying naphtha and explosives collided with an engine that had slipped out onto the main line. The resulting fire and massive explosion devastated Greenwood, making it one of the most dramatic events in the town’s history.

The audience added to the evening by sharing their own memories and knowledge of the town, including stories of other railroad tragedies that occurred in and around Greenwood.

Tonight, though, nearly a century and a quarter later, the old station was quiet.

10/07/2026

The Cultural and Historical Affairs Committee welcomes the return of cultural evenings next Tuesday, October 13th! We kick things off with Mike Dixon and his presentation on Tales the Tombstones Whisper: Understanding the History of Cemeteries. 🪦
This a lecture/discussion program co-sponsored by the Delaware Humanities. This event is free and takes place at Town Hall. Seating can be limited based on audience size, so please plan accordingly.

How about a little Halloween spirit to welcome in October?! The Cultural and Historical Affairs Committee welcomes the return of cultural evenings next Tuesday, October 13th! We kick things off with Mike Dixon and his presentation on Tales the Tombstones Whisper: Understanding the History of Cemeteries. 🪦

This a lecture/discussion program co-sponsored by the Delaware Humanities. To find out more, visit dehumanities.org.

This event is free and takes place at Town Hall. Seating can be limited based on audience size, so please plan accordingly.
Delaware Humanities

10/06/2026

TOWN CRIER COMPETITION--Town Criers from across America gathered in Fair Lawn, NJ for the International Town Crier Competition. "David Rose, the official town crier of Cambridge, Maryland, was the winner, edging out Daniel Gómez Llata, the town crier of Provincetown, Massachusetts. Veronica Stephens of Hampton Township in Sussex County finished third....."

Continues on the Daily Record

Child and adult town criers rang bells and delivered rousing oratory as the International Town Crier Competition came to New Jersey on Oct. 4.

10/05/2026

Greenwood Public Library
Tuesday, October 6th at 5 PM!

Historian and College Professor Mike Dixon will share with us how in 1903, Greenwood, Delaware experienced one of the most horrifying rail disasters on the Peninsula.

The talk examines major accidents, including Greenwood's tragedy, as well as community responses and the safety reforms these events helped drive.

⚫⚫ Join us at Greenwood Public Library for an engaging historical presentation on Tuesday October 6th at 5 PM!

📍 Historian and College Professor, Mike Dixon, will share with us how in 1903, Greenwood Delaware experienced one of the most horrifying rail disasters on the Peninsula.

🔽🔽 Drawing on newspaper accounts, photographs, and official investigations, the talk examines major accidents, including Greenwood's tragedy, along with community responses and the safety reforms these events helped drive.