The Iron Hill Museum cut the ribbon on a new walking trail that tells the story of the Black community that lived there in the early 1930’s, and still have roots in the area today.
The project was funded by a grant from DNREC’s Community Environmental Protection Fund. Delaware Academy of Science President Robin Broomall says it paid for research and signage installation, eradicating invasive plants along the trail and installing a pollinator garden that serves as a way station for monarch butterflies using hugelkultur, a German method that involves raised garden beds.
“The trail itself doesn’t have any spots that say ‘look at this,'" Broomall says. "It’s more an opportunity to just observe nature, be out in nature, and learn a little bit of the history of the families that lived in this area.”
Broomall adds this is the 100th anniversary of the Iron Hill School, built in 1923.
Shirley Earl is a Newark resident who went to the school in the late 1950’s for 1st through 4th grade. As she walks the trail, she recalls memories from her childhood, and says without the trail and the museum, their stories would be lost.
“I feel good about the situation, I feel good," Early says. "It’s time that our story was told. It’s important to me because I want my grandchildren and my great grandchildren to know where I come from.”
DNREC Deputy Secretary Lisa Ogden says environmental justice is a big part of the project too.
“This trail, just to make sure that there’s somewhere to walk, somewhere to see, that gets people out into the community and in areas that are underserved, this is really incredibly important and this is an area that we really hope to do more,” Ogden says.
The school is now a museum run by the Delaware Academy of Science and holds artifacts from local African and Native American history.
