CHAPTER 449
STATE OF DELAWARE
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT
PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS, the New Sweden Company sent an expedition in the two ships "Kalmar Nyckel" and the "Fogel Grip.... to establish a colony in the Delaware River Valley and on or about March 29, 1638, the ships moored at "Rocks" in the river named Christina in honor of the then Queen of Sweden; and
WHEREAS, the expedition under the command of Peter Minuit established a colony and built a fortification at this location named Fort Christina, which exercised authority along much of the west side of the Delaware River; and
WHEREAS, Fort Christina was the first settlement of the Colony of New Sweden and the first permanent settlement in the Delaware River Valley, as well as the first permanent settlement in the State of Delaware, which marked the introduction of government, religion, education, legal procedures, agriculture, commerce and industry in our State; and
WHEREAS, the three hundredth anniversary was fittingly observed in 1938 by state, national and international participation including the dedication of Fort Christina State Park and the presentation of the notable monument by Carl Mines as a gift from the People of Sweden to the People of the United States of America to commemorate the significant settlement in the Delaware River Valley and State of Delaware; and
WHEREAS, Friday, March 29, 1963, will mark the three hundred and twenty-fifth anniversary of the settlement of New Sweden at Fort Christina in 1638 and the first permanent settlement in the State of Delaware, as well as the twenty-fifth anniversary of the dedication of Fort Christina Monument with suitable commemorative exercises in 1938 at which H. R. H. Prince Bertil of Sweden represented his Country;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, ELBERT N. CARVEL, Governor of the State of Delaware, do hereby proclaim Friday, March 29, 1963, as
DELAWARE SWEDISH COLONIAL DAY
and request citizens, Members of the Legislature, public officials, schools, churches, patriotic and historical societies, and other organizations to participate in the rededication exercises at Fort Christina and join with the City of Wilmington to welcome our distinguished visitors, including the Vice President of the United States and Prince Bertil of Sweden, to view the special exhibits displayed at the Delaware Art Center for this occasion, and that State, county, city and town governments display on that day the flags of the United States, the State of Delaware, and the City of Wilmington, and that the flags of the United States and the Kingdom of Sweden be flown at Fort Christina Monument.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I, Elbert N. Carvel, Governor of the State of Delaware, have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the said State to be hereunto affixed at Dover this eighteenth day of March in the year of our Lord, one thousand nine hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America, the one hundred and eighty-seventh.
(GREAT SEAL)
ELBERT N. CARVEL, Governor
ELISHA C. DUKES, Secretary of State