Mike Dixon, Historian

08/27/2026

CECIL COUNTY REMEMBERS 9/11 -- LIBRARY PROGRAMS MARK PASSAGE OF 25 YEARS -- In honor of the 25th Anniversary of September 11th, the Cecil County Public Library is hosting an exhibit and two programs.

* On Thursday, September 10th at the North East Branch Library, the library will welcome The Hope and Peace Foundation who will present their 9/11 Rolling Memorial, created to honor and remember the 69 Marylanders who lost their lives that day. The Rolling Memorial will be available for viewing beginning at 3:00PM.

* At 6:30PM, the library will host a special screening of The Hope and Peace Foundation’s documentary, "We Remember: Voices of 9/11," sharing firsthand, powerful stories and the enduring legacy of those we remember.

* On Tuesday, September 15, at 6:30PM at the Perryville Branch Library, hear a panel discussion from local officials about the response to and impact on Cecil County and the surrounding areas.
For more information and to register: https://www.cecilcountylibrary.org/events/upcoming?keywords=9/11&age_groups%5B43%5D=43

In honor of the 25th Anniversary of September 11th, we are hosting an exhibit and 2 programs. On Thursday, September 10th at the North East Branch Library, we will welcome The Hope and Peace Foundation who will present their 9/11 Rolling Memorial, created to honor and remember the 69 Marylanders who lost their lives that day. The Rolling Memorial will be available for viewing beginning at 3:00PM.

At 6:30PM, we’ll host a special screening of The Hope and Peace Foundation’s documentary, "We Remember: Voices of 9/11," sharing firsthand, powerful stories and the enduring legacy of those we remember.

On Tuesday, September 15, at 6:30PM at the Perryville Branch Library, hear a panel discussion from local officials about the response to and impact on Cecil County and the surrounding areas.

For more information and to register: https://www.cecilcountylibrary.org/events/upcoming?keywords=9/11&age_groups%5B43%5D=43

08/22/2026

"James Payne was stumped. The Brooklyn, N.Y.-based rare-book seller saw orders surge earlier this year for titles that even he considered to be obscure. By unloading volumes like “Home Long-Term Oxygen Treatment in Italy” and “Marriage Litigation in Medieval England” on third-party marketplaces, he has roughly doubled his revenue from this point in 2025. Payne had no idea who was buying these books through Alibris, Biblio and Amazon.com—and he wasn’t alone. Sellers of used books worldwide have been swapping stories of curious sales patterns for months. ..."

continues on the Wall Street Journal

Sellers are enjoying booming sales but fretting over whether irreplaceable books are being “sent to the guillotine” to train large language models.

08/20/2026

"AI Companies Are Buying Antique Books, Ingesting Their Contents to Train Models, and Then Destroying Them at Incredible Scale."

From Futurism

AI companies are quietly obtaining rare books, ingesting their contents, and then destroying them -- even if they're exceedingly rare.

08/11/2026

FARNHURST--NEW CASTLE COUNTY ALMSHOUSE--"New Castle County Alms House (c. 1893) was on the grounds of the Delaware State Hospital, which was then a village called "Farnhurst."
The Alms House, which provided housing for the indigent, operated until 1933. By 1898, a stagecoach ran between Farnhurst & Wilmington, 3 times a week, for a .20 cents fare.

Photo and post from the Wilmington Public Library

New Castle County Alms House (c. 1893) was on the grounds of the Delaware State Hospital, which was then a village called "Farnhurst."

The Alms House, which provided housing for the indigent, operated until 1933. By 1898, a stage coach ran between Farnhurst & Wilmington, 3 times a week, for a .20 cents fare. Photo from a book in the Library's Delaware Collection.

(A big thank you to our library specialist Nancy who finds these beautiful historical photos for us to share with you.)

08/10/2026

TALES THE TOMBSTONES WHISPER: UNDERSTANDING THE HISTORY OF CEMETERIES
Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026 @ 6 pm
Woodlawn Library, Wilmington, DE
by: Mike Dixon

Cemeteries offer insight into the past, shedding light on local and family history. This program with Delaware Humanities speaker Mike Dixon explores the rich and complex cultural history of cemeteries as part of the American landscape by tracing the evolution of cemeteries, discussing changing funerary practices and customs, and considering the meaning of epitaphs and artwork found of tombstones. Practical guidance is provided for uncovering the stories of the stones and deepening historical understanding through visits to old cemeteries as we consider the tales the tombstones whisper.

Click this link for more information or to register
https://delawarelibraries.libcal.com/event/16968858

08/02/2026

CECIL COUNTY GOVERNMENT HOSTS--America 250 in Cecil County Celebration
Sunday, August 2, 2026
Exactly 250 years later, Cecil County invites you to join us as we commemorate this historic milestone during our America 250 in Cecil County Celebration.
Sunday, August 2, 2026
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Elk Room
Cecil County Administration Building
200 Chesapeake Blvd., Elkton, MD
Bring the whole family and experience historical displays, artifacts, and interactive exhibits that celebrate America's founding and Cecil County's rich history. This special event will offer something for all ages as we honor our past, celebrate our present, and look ahead to our future together.
We hope you'll join us for this once-in-a-generation celebration of America's 250th Anniversary.

County to mark the signing of Declaration of Independence