Two organizations dedicated to preserving regional history were recognized Sunday afternoon during the Sullivan County Historical Society’s Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner at the Rockland House, with the 2026 History Maker Award going to the Beaverkill Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and the History Preserver Award presented to Fort Delaware Museum of Colonial History.

Both awards reflect the society’s mission of preserving Sullivan County’s history for future generations. This year’s honorees were recognized for their efforts to keep the county’s Revolutionary War history and colonial heritage alive ahead of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

Fort Delaware was conceived by former Sullivan County Historian James W. Burbank and opened to the public in 1957 as a life-sized replica of a colonial stockaded fort. Situated along Route 97 in Narrowsburg, the museum hosts educational programs and demonstrations of 18th-century trades, offering visitors a glimpse into life on the colonial frontier.

Within the stockade are replica buildings where interpreters wearing period-appropriate attire demonstrate everyday activities of the time, including spinning, candle-making, weaving, blacksmithing and colonial cooking.

Thanking the historical society for the recognition, Sullivan County Historian and Delaware Company President John Conway discussed the museum’s development through its public-private partnership with Sullivan County. Conway said the organization had raised nearly $1 million over the past five years to support the fort, with most of the funding coming from outside the county.

“This is a real living history museum,” Conway said, urging residents to look beyond their childhood memories of the fort and experience its current educational programming.

During the 2026 season, more than 1,000 students visited Fort Delaware at no cost through its educational programs, learning about colonial life through interactive experiences and demonstrations. The museum also hosted a free six-week summer program attended by 26 children.

Next year, the fort will celebrate its 70th anniversary, with plans already underway to mark the milestone.

The Beaverkill Chapter of the DAR received the History Maker Award in recognition of more than a century of historic preservation, volunteer service and community involvement. Since its founding in 1917, the chapter has worked to promote genealogical research, identify and preserve Revolutionary War burial sites, support veterans, and encourage citizenship and historical education among local students.

Beaverkill Chapter member Lynn Priebe, who joined the organization in 2011, described its work as encompassing four main goals: patriotism, historical and citizenship education, history and community service.

One of the chapter’s early projects involved identifying Revolutionary War graves throughout Sullivan County. The effort led to the identification of more than 60 graves and a plaque dedication in 1927, though the work continues as researchers uncover additional information.

The chapter also participates in commemorative ceremonies, contributes to community projects and supports local schools through educational awards. As part of the nation’s semiquincentennial celebrations, members are once again working to locate and clean the graves of Revolutionary War veterans throughout the county.

Accepting the award on the chapter’s behalf, Regent Bambi Meadow thanked the historical society for recognizing its members’ continued efforts to preserve local heritage for future generations.

The awards dinner was part of the society’s annual business meeting, which included the election and re-election of officers and a report from President Suzanne Cecil on ongoing projects, including Borscht Belt historical marker installations, educational programs and museum improvements.

Among the society’s upcoming projects is a historical marker honoring former State Supreme Court Justice Lawrence Cook, scheduled to be unveiled in Monticello on Tuesday, Oct. 27.

The society continues to seek volunteers to help fulfill research requests, support museum programs, organize displays and maintain its collections.