Delaware Seashore State Park seeks photos for 50th anniversary scrapbook

Delaware Seashore State Park is already making big plans for the year ahead. 2017 marks 50 years since Delaware Seashore became a state park, and park staff are excited to celebrate this milestone with a series of celebrations, as well as the creation of a new Delaware Seashore State Park Family Scrapbook.

"I'm very excited to celebrate 50 years of outdoor recreation at Delaware Seashore," says park Superintendent Doug Long. "The park has been the site of countless, treasured family memories from visitors from all corners of the earth! Like many other park staff, I have worked at the park for over 20 years but have also been a visitor myself for over 30 years, surfing or enjoying the pristine beaches."

The celebrations will kick off with a Celebrate Fishing event in conjunction with Old Inlet Bait and Tackle's Spring Surf Fishing Tournament set for Friday and Saturday, May 12 and 13. At both the Friday registration table and the Saturday awards ceremony, park staff will have a park history exhibit on display for tournament participants and park visitors. "We will be there to talk about the park's history, answer questions about how we became a state park, and hopefully get to hear some great memories and stories from those people that have been fishing in our park for generations," said Laura Scharle, Interpretive Programs manager. "We also encourage visitors to bring their own family photos of spending time in the park to share with us. We absolutely love seeing vintage photos of the park!"

In conjunction with the annual sandcastle contest Saturday, July 8, park staff will be hosting a Celebrate the Beach event. A Celebrate the Bay paddling event is set Saturday, Aug. 26. A Celebrate the Inlet event is set Saturday, Sept. 23, complete with a beach bonfire, guided night hikes of the bridges and an exclusive opportunity to camp directly on the beach.

Also, park staff will be compiling a scrapbook. Scharle says, "This is where we need the help from our visitors. We're asking anyone that has old family photos of the park to share them with us. We know there are some real gems sitting in a shoebox in someone's attic right now, and we'd love to see them. We're not looking for professional photos or pictures you snapped last week. We are seeking pictures from decades ago."

Submitted photos will be compiled in a digital family scrapbook that will be featured online toward the end of the year. Some of the photos may be used for future park history exhibits and presentations. To submit photos, go to www.destateparks.com/DSSP50th or send a private message through the park's Facebook page.

For more information, call 302-227-6991.