On the Island: Narrative Stewardship at the Lewis Fishery

STOCKTON – The relationships between water and land, nature and people, create sense of place along the non-tidal Delaware River, forming the setting for lives throughout seasons and over decades. This illustrated talk focuses on one place and traditional activity, traditional haul seine fishing on Lewis Island in Lambertville, N.J. There, a system of different story types enables the island’s family, fishing crew, customers, and visitors to preserve and protect community resources such as the shad, the river, local traditions, and community itself. Please join folklorist and professor, Dr. Charlie Groth on Sunday March 24th at 3 PM at Prallsville Mills to learn more about the history of Lewis island and fishing along the Delaware. Dr. Charlie Groth holds a PhD in Folklore and Folklife from the University of Pennsylvania, where she began researching the Lewis Fishery in 1996. A Professor at Bucks County Community College, she teaches cultural anthropology and research writing. Born and raised in the Delaware River Valley, Groth lives in Lambertville, where she and her family are members of the Lewis Fishery crew. Her book on the subject, Another Haul: Narrative Stewardship and Cultural Sustainability at the Lewis Family Fishery, will be released by the University Press of Mississippi in February, 2019.
The Prallsville Mills complex in Stockton, NJ, is considered a significant example of early American industrial architecture that was included on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. Today, the Mill proudly features cultural and historic events for the entire community. You can find the Mills online at www.prallsvillemills.org.