The D&L Blog

By Daphne Mayer, Director of Museum & Education

There’s no doubt that 2020 has been a tough year. We at the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor and the National Canal Museum have faced a variety of challenges. However, these challenges have also presented opportunities. Earlier this year, the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor (DLNHC), and its signature program the National Canal Museum, were awarded grant dollars from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).

The NEH grant dollars defray the cost of operations and support the digitization of museum collections. In alignment with these efforts, the DLNHC welcomes Emily Rose Clayton as a part-time, temporary Digital Collections and Engagement Specialist. In this role, Clayton works to digitize DLNHC and NCM collections. Additionally, she investigates new and innovative ways to share that information virtually.

Emily is a public historian with a performing arts background and extensive archival experience. She holds a Master of Arts in Archives and Public History from New York University. Moreover, Clayton earned a dual Bachelor of Science degree in History and Dramatic Arts. This she completed at Martin Methodist College in Pulaski, TN– her homestate. Her capstone project examined the relationship between the military and universities in the New York City area. As an undergraduate member of Omicron Delta Kappa and Phi Alpha Theta, she presented original research on Civil War prison camps at national conferences. She has a strong interest in military history and digital outreach to improve historical engagement in rural areas.

“The collections here at the National Canal Museum are filled with incredible, unique items that shape the story of the industrial history of this area”, said Emily. “I am very excited to begin featuring those collections in new digital formats in order to help visitors and researchers connect with the people who lived and worked in the D&L Corridor in the past.”

Emily is already making her mark at the museum. She is completing an assessment of our archival collections, enabling us to offer a more complete listing digital directory of the contents of our collection online. To that effect, Emily will also contribute more collections-related content to the museum’s Facebook page (@NationalCanalMuseum). She will also develop virtual tours on the D&L’s forthcoming app.

Thanks to the help of Emily and the NEH, we look forward to sharing our nationally significant history and collections in new and innovative ways.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES
Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy, and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at: www.neh.gov.