The Morning herald., 1876-09-21
WILMINGTON DEL. THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER 2, 1876
AN OLD HOUSE.

AN OLD HOUSE.
sONEEHING FOE ANTI0UARLlNS.
The Old House on French Htrest-WAo u
scas BNtt Fbr-Hos0 Il Looks Issjss and
OUTLINE SpeeSsssNs Of WoslsssoNsAtp-
Raptdsy Gotn0 tnto Decay.
Wilmington contains many antiquities,
which are so closely associated with the
early settlement of the State, as to form net
only an important part of its history, but to
bear still greater local interest, and paint
to the mind, the realities of pioneer archi-
lecture In the primitive days of what has
now developed into the large aud prosper
ous city of Wilmington. IN the march of
improvement decay has had to give way to
life,. relics Of various specimens have been
pushed to one side, but If the reader Is q
close observer, he or she will have noticed
that buildings sometimes, like genuius, are
not born to die. Something protects them
from the destroying hand. an inscrutable
providence, perhaps they live on and are
monuments of the past, part of history,
| and proud heirloom from the parentage
of early architecture to the childhood of
the present schools.
Such structure has been preserved here,
but only by the durability of It's materials,
for the hand of man has done little to soften
the marks of decay, and embellish it's
aged appearance. But even as they say
gray head is Il crown of glory, building
covered with the signs of age is rendered
the more beautiful to the sppreciative mind.
!. So it is with the old building at the corner
Of French street and Spring Alley. A curl
| GUS specimen of architecture to this age,
with the massive brick front, relieved by
several black bricks in differentsplaces to add
finish and ornamentation; few see 1t In that
comparatively obscure part of the city, with.
out comment upon its peculiarities. 1t is
contended by many that the exact age of
this building is not known, but in the Remi-
niscences Of Wilmington 1t is recorded that
it was built by Rev. Petrus Tranberg, Rec
| tor of what was then known as Trinity
church, but now called the old Swedes'
Church, and said to be over an hundred
years of age. When built by the
minister 1t was noble mansion, and the
! workmanship was so superior that people
came from New York and Philadelphia to
| see 1t.
Another scrap of Wilmington history
refers to It somewhat after the following !:
| A grandson of the hot-headed old Swedish
Governor Printz, was travelling on the banks
of the Delaware, when this State had
become an English colony. He went back
10 Sweden and reported that he had found
in the new world colony speaking the
Swedish language and observing Swedish
customs and manners. He requested that
Swedish minister be sent out to them,
which was done, and it was for him that
this old mansion was built. A large stone
in front of the Old Swedes' Church, 1t is
said, covers the remains of the Rev. Mr..
Tranberg, and his descendants occupied
the old house until after the fifth genera
ton.
The building is now occupied by colored
families. and is rapidly passing into decay.
The plastering has fallen from the ceilings,
the roof has crushed away it's supports and
the floors are beginning to bag in the centre,
but Notwithstanding the long period Of
years that have passed over 1t, the walls
are as firm as they were the day they were
put in position, and while the joists are
worm eaten in places, they will last many
years longer, and even now show that the
building must have been erected with great
care to secure durability, as each one of
them is as large in circumference as the
body of q man. But the view from the
street only furnishes glance and simulta-
neous idea of its ancient architecture.
Upon the interior, though, the enlighten-
ment becomes still greater in what appears
like an ideal illustration of history. Every
thing bears the stamp of an ancient aris-
tocracy. Its large rooms, lighted by ample
windows, the sashes filled with panes of
glass not larger than the hand, seem pro-
famed, occupied by colored families, and
scented with the perfumes of aromatic onions
and boiling cabbage. The arched mould
ings, embellished by top pieces wrought
into limitations of punched flowers, seem
too markedly inconsistent with the present
uses of the house, to we'll preserve in the
mind the sacredness old buildings gener-
ally receive in the attentions of humanity.
The wide hall with q partially winding
stairway leading into the upper stories, the
oak flooring worn thin with age, the heavy
wainscoating all tell that at one day the
very elite In the early days of Wilmington
trod these boards, The high mantel pieces,
which very naturally lead to the inference
that people were very tall . century ago,
had fondness for tip too, or used chair
to reach to the top Of them, are seen, and
upon them is displayed workmanship in
carving that would bring credit to the
artist Of the chlsel and mallet Of the present
day. But, horrors, upon horrors, If the
author of this work, could see the appre-
ciatlon of his efforts. It has been white
washed, instead of painted, and close BY as
If to improve upon what he had done are
pasted the pictures of the most notorious
prize fighters and the gamiest Of game
| cocks.
In one room was found what no house of
ye ancient times is complete without, and
that was cupboard with glass doors.
The work upon this is In keeping with that