You don't have to be in Delaware (particularly the Wilmington area) too long before you run into someone who has worked for DuPont or is a Du Pont. Yes, since E.I. du Pont came to America to escape the French Revolution and begin his gunpowder manufacturing company in 1802 the family has made an unparalleled impression on the First State. You know you've made your mark when there are three different ways of typing your surname depending on how it is being used. If you didn't know any better you would assume made a few typos in those first two sentences but they are actually 100% correct. Technically "DuPont" has three variant spellings depending on how you using it. Now, there is no jail time or hard labor for not adhering to the rules last we checked but it is certainly something to be aware of. So here is the definitive list:

1.       DuPont - spell the surname this way if using it in reference to the American Chemical Superpower
2.       Du Pont - Include the space between the "Du" and "Pont" if you are referring to the family as a whole
3.       du Pont - Drop that d down to a lowercase and keep the space when referring to a member a single member of the family (It is said that some in the family prefer the space to be eliminated but I think we've split enough hairs here)

So there you have it, you now know how to spell DuPont correctly. The Du Ponts certainly have played integral roles in shaping Greater Wilmington and the Brandywine Valley; physically, socially and politically. So, I guess we should spell their last name however they tell us to, as the old saying goes, "With great power comes great specificity," or something like that.

One of my favorite parts of my job is having the opportunity to share in the excitement of folks who have experienced our area and have walked away shaking their heads saying, "Greater Wilmington, DE & the Brandywine Valley?! Who knew?!"

As the Web Manager, I am privileged to be able to showcase our fabulous area using fantastic images, interactive maps, current news, upcoming events and more! People often call and say, "I love your website! I didn't realize how much there is to do!"

Often times, I prefer promoting our members by posting testimonials from satisfied visitors. I'm proud of Greater Wilmington & the Brandywine Valley. I'm fortunate to call it home. I also believe in third party endorsements and I find great pleasure in knowing others have enjoyed "my" backyard and the businesses that make it so wonderful! This particular testimonial is my new favorite:

Dear Esther,

The North Carolina Questers wish to thank you and all the wonderful people with whom we came in contact during our trip to the Brandywine Valley September 13 -- 16, 2010. Working with you ensured that our time in Delaware was used to the optimum so that our goals as Questers were best met. The program with the Delaware Express coach company allowed us to make the trip affordable for our group. It also lessened preparation time for the trip as we didn't have to worry about directions for the bus driver since he was local to your area and knew exactly where to go and what to do once we arrived. The tie-in with Delaware hotels, that helped defray the cost of bus transportation, was vital in making our trip possible.

Most of us traveling to Delaware had never visited your State before. Some of us had traveled through it or landed at the airport, but few of us had actually spent any time exploring and visiting the marvelous places your State has to offer. We all came away with a new appreciation of Delaware and the gorgeous Brandywine Valley! We all kept exclaiming to one another "Who knew?!!"

Just as impressive as all the various places in Delaware, were the wonderful people of your State! Everywhere we went we were greeted with smiles and warmth -- with residents, docents and business owners who wanted us to know about their State and feel welcome while we were there. We all came home to North Carolina as new "missionaries" for Delaware!

Our trip was a wonderful success and we appreciate your effort on our behalf to make it so. Please thank the Wrights for the tour of their fascinating home, Mike Connally and Susan Richman at Historic New Castle, the wonderful staff at Winterthur, Prince Johnson, Mike Majewski (Brandywine Prime), and most especially Gerry Frenz at Delaware Express and Amanda Amenti at the Doubletree Hotel for everything they did to work so easily and efficiently with us during the planning and execution of our trip. You all are quite a marvelous team!

Warmest regards,
Robin Gildersleeve
Vice President NC Questers

How sweet is that???!!!
Who knew?!!! I did. Do you?

by: James Julia, Marketing Assistant

This is my first installment in what I hope will become a series of blogs detailing extraordinary facts about Greater Wilmington DE and the Brandywine Valley that you may not have previously known. Why? Because, as CVB's go, sometimes we have a pretty tough job. Let's face it, Wilmington DE is not on the top of everyone's list of prospective vacation destinations. So, we certainly have to do a little more convincing than our friends in, say, the Philadelphia CVB because clearly  we're a bit obscure (Murray Kentucky CVB knows what we're talking about.) Still, we have so much more to offer than most tourists realize, and some of it will surprise you!  So here it is (drum-roll please) the first extraordinary fact about Greater Wilmington DE!

Did you know that the world's largest all-helicopter air show takes place in Greater Wilmington and the Brandywine Valley? (Everyone say it with me, "Really?! In Greater Wilmington DE?! You'll get the hang of this.)

Yes, It's true, the event is held at the American Helicopter Museum which is also home to the nation's largest collection of helicopters (Everyone?...Just kidding). The event draws hundreds each year and is a must-see if you're in the area this weekend. This year's main events will be the Army 82^nd Airborne All-American Free-fall Parachute Team as well as the Bell-Boeing MV-22 Osprey of the US Marine Corps, which is an absolute mammoth of a ‘copter and should be quite the spectacle (I'm intimidated just looking at the picture).  No matter what you're looking for, this festival has it all, from the single-engine Bell 47 to the infamous US Army Blackhawk. Oh, and did I mention you'll also be able to take a ride in one of these bad boys for $40?  The festival is this Saturday and Sunday from 10am - 3:45pm. Check out this website for more information and if you'd like a visual check out the You Tube video below! As always, if you go be sure to take some pictures and post them on our facebook page. Thanks for reading and we all hope you have a safe and enjoyable  weekend in Greater Wilmington and the Brandywine Valley!