Volunteer Spotlight on Scott Lackman

Born and bred in Springfield, Massachusetts, Scott Lackman is well accustomed to cold winter months. His family moved to Pennsylvania in his senior year of high school and he made PA his home for the next 49 years, getting married and having three sons to make a family of his own. Scott’s love of history was inspired in no small part by his grandmother’s stories of her great-uncle, William Tecumseh Sherman. Using personal documents and artifacts of the great Civil War hero she made the history of Scott’s ancestor come to life. Other members of Scott’s family also played important roles in the history of the United States. So it was no surprise that, when his sons had grown and moved away, Scott and his wife relocated to Lewes and he dove straight into an active role in Lewes Historical Society’s volunteer program.

His first role as an interpreter was at the annual Booze and Brews event, where he portrayed James Patriot Wilson, a Lewes man who tried to kill his brother’s murderer, but failed when his gun misfired. Scott is insistent that he conveys real (verifiable) history, without embellishment, when interacting with LHS guests. In James Patriot Wilson’s case, he was tried and eventually exonerated but the episode ruined his life, losing his wife and family, his job, and his social position.

Scott has also acted in roles in the LHS Tavern Talks, his latest as Captain Beresford of the Royal Navy in the war of 1812, and the bombardment of Lewes. His major role now is as a docent for the Cannonball House which provides him with a wealth of history to share with its visitors. Guests to the museum ask a wide range of questions spanning topics including the war of 1812, the pilot’s association, the breakwater construction, the quarantine station, the menhaden fishing industry and the lighthouses, to name just a few. However, his favorite activity takes place in the back garden of the Cannonball House on Saturdays throughout the summer, where he demonstrates rope making, knot tying and other historic naval occupations to children (and their parents) who are all fascinated and want to try their hand at using the rope-walk, especially when they get to take a piece of it home with them!

Scott enjoys meeting and talking with people, and learning something new every day, not only from the LHS but also from the visitors who often have their own stories to tell. He is a regular tour guide for Lewes Legends, being careful to distinguish facts from speculation while retaining the mystery of the town’s past. He appreciates the family atmosphere of the Society and its staff, Trustees and volunteers, where everyone works together to bring history to life.