Page 143 - MOT18

6 MUSEUMS & HISTORIC SITES
2019
The MOT Area offers a variety of settings, which document
its Rich Culture and History.
Historic Houses of Odessa 302-378-4119 www.historicodessa.org
Main St, Odessa
The Historic Houses of Odessa is an enclave of 18th- and early 19th-century buildings, which includes the Corbit-Sharp House (c. 1774); Wilson-Warner House (c. 1769); Collins-Sharp House (c. 1700); Cantwell’s Tavern (c. 1822); and Odessa Bank (c.1853). Within the houses, the Historic Odessa Foundation’s collection
Old Drawyers Presbyterian Church
302-378-7466
Rt 13 South, Odessa
The history of this congregation can be
traced to the 1670s. The first building was erected in 1711 and another in 1773. Regular services were discontinued following the congregation’s move to a new church in Odessa in 1861. In 1895, the Friends of Old Drawyers was organized to preserve the church and grounds. Many prominent colonial and state leaders are interred in the adjoining Old Drawyers cemetery.
Wilson-Warner House (c. 1769)
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of over 4,000 regional decorative art objects spans a period from 1760 to 1850.
With its frame construction and relatively large size, the Collins-Sharp House was quite fashionable for its time. Gardening and related activities are demonstrated in the kitchen garden.
The Wilson-Warner House, built by prosperous merchant David Wilson in 1769, exemplifies Delaware-Georgian architecture. Its furnishings reflect those recorded in the 1829 family bankruptcy List of Sales.
The Odessa Bank was built in 1855 as the First National Bank of Odessa and served the Odessa community as a bank until 2000.
The Cantwell Tavern, built in 1822, has now been restored as a changing exhibitions gallery in 1981. In 2012, the Tavern was opened as a casual restaurant with a relaxed atmosphere.
The Pump House, was built by William Corbit around 1780 to house his tannery employees, and was reputed that the south side of the house served as the town jail in the 18th- century. The wooden water pump in front
of the house named for its indicative of the public nature of the center of town. The pump was a necessity for thirsty travelers who otherwise would have had to beg a drink from a resident or purchased it at a livery stable.
William Corbit, who operated a tannery on the banks of the Appoquinimink Creek, was the town’s leading citizen when he built his handsome Philadelphia-style Georgian house in 1774. It remained in the Corbit family until 1938, when H. Rodney Sharp acquired it.
ibrary
302-378-8838
www.corbitlibrary.org
115 High St (Corner of High and 2nd), Odessa
In 1847 a young physician, Dr. James Corbit, who died later that year, willed $950 to the trustees of the school district to endow a public library. Although libraries had existed
in Delaware as early as 1754, usage had been restricted to subscribing members. The public library opened its doors to its first four patrons at 1pm on Saturday, May 20, 1848.
Port Penn Interpretive Center
302-836-2533
www.destateparks.com
Rt 9 and Rt 2, Port Penn, PO Box 170, Delaware City
Located on Route 9 about four miles south of Delaware City, the Center offers displays and programs, which explain the folk life of the historic wetland communities along the shores of the Delaware.
Port Penn Interpretive Center
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MUSEUMS & HISTORIC SITES