Upcoming and Current Events

Freedom Seekers: The Odessa Story

In celebration of Black History month, the Historic Odessa Foundation invites visitors to explore the local history of the Underground Railroad and Odessa's role in the abolitionist movement. Nationally recognized as part of the United States National Park Service Network to Freedom and as a stop on the Harriet Tubman Byway, our freedom seekers exhibit allows guests to follow in the footsteps of Sam, a fugitive slave who is given refuge in Odessa after escaping from slavery in nearby Maryland. Discover how the camera obscura was used to create profile likenesses for posterity. Silhouettes have...

HOF Celebrates Harriet Tubman Day - By Reservation Only!

Celebrate Harriet Tubman Day by visiting our National Park Service Network to Freedom exhibit, “Freedom Seekers: the Odessa Story”. HOF celebrates the role of local underground railroad agents and the life of Harriet Tubman since her birth in Dorchester County, Maryland. “Freedom Seekers: the Odessa Story” will be free to the public but reservations are required. Tours will leave the Visitors Center on the hour at noon, 1pm and 2pm. Please contact Jennifer at 302-378-4119 or Jennifer.cabell@historicodessa.org 1pm - Reservations Available 2pm - Reservations Available ***Reservations must be...

Smyrna and Kent County Furniture:  A Collections Workshop

Reliable provenance and maker signatures help identify small groups of furniture made in Smyrna, Dover, and other locations in Kent County. These case pieces and tables (but no chairs) range in date from the mid-18th to the mid-19th centuries and help unravel some of the mysteries about Delaware furniture. Lessons learned from these exercises readily apply to furniture identification and history in general. Philip D. Zimmerman, a furniture historian and author of A Storied Past: Collections of Historic Odessa (2023) and several other publications on Delaware furniture, will lead a workshop to...

Spring Homeschool Day 2026

Homeschool families are invited to take a step back in time to explore the 18th century in historic Odessa. Our site offers a unique and well-documented picture of early American life in our interactive, hands-on educational workshops. Unique events for homeschoolers This spring, we will feature our The Corbits: A Genteel Quaker Family, Children: Chores and Leisure, Freedom Seekers and Indentured Servants workshops. Guided tours will leave from the Visitors Center at 9am and 1pm…..plan on approximately two hours for you visit. Cost is $8 per student and reservations are required. Please call...

Saturdays at the Hearth: Spring Treats

“Asparagus, Strawberries and other Spring Treats” Explore the Collins-Sharp House with your guide as our costumed interpreters capture the sights and flavors of authentic 18th century cooking. Savor the aromas of dishes cooked over an open fire using the tools, recipes and techniques commonly found in colonial Odessa. We focus our cooking today on dishes commonly served in the spring. Admission is included in the general tour.

Saturdays at the Hearth: Fresh From the Garden

“Fresh From the Garden” Explore the Collins-Sharp House and working kitchen garden with your guide as our costumed interpreters capture the sights and flavors of authentic 18th century cooking. Savor the aromas of dishes cooked over an open fire using the tools, recipes and techniques commonly found in colonial Odessa. We’ll focus our cooking today on crops growing in our kitchen garden. Admission is included in the general tour.

HOF Celebrates Juneteenth

Dating back to 1865, a full two and a half years after President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, it was June 19th when the Union Army landed in Galveston, Texas and spread the news that the Civil War had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Tours of the National Park Service Network to Freedom exhibit: “Freedom Seekers: the Odessa Story” will be offered free of charge; reservations are required.

Save the Date: 13th Annual Odessa Brewfest

The annual Odessa Brewfest comes to historic Odessa on Saturday, September 12th, 2026. All attendees have access to food & merchandise vendors, live bands, sponsor tables, and more. Your ticket to the Odessa Brewfest gets you unlimited sampling of beer during the full duration of the festival.

Saturdays at the Hearth: Harvest Time

“Harvest Time” Explore the Collins-Sharp House and working kitchen garden with your guide as our costumed interpreters capture the sights and flavors of authentic 18th century cooking. Savor the aromas of dishes cooked over and open fire using the tools, recipes and techniques commonly found in colonial Odessa. We’ll focus our cooking today on using preserved foods. Admission is included in the general tour.

2026 Storybook Trees Registration

The Historic Odessa Foundation celebrates classic children’s literature and a love of reading by showcasing holiday trees decorated by community and school groups.