Smyrna times., 1922-05-24
RESTORING BELMONT HALL"
Historic Residence near Smyrna, Own
ed by Cummins E. Speakman, Ris-
ing From Ashes of Recent Fire

historic Residence near Smyrna, Own
ed by Cummins f. Speakman, Ris-
ing From Ashes of Recent Fire
Lovers of historical Delaware will
be delighted to learn that the cele-
brated Belmont Hail. at edge of
Smyrna, which was gutted by fire on
January 2 last, is being rapidly re-
stored by its owner, Cummins E.
Speakman, whose local offices are in
the du POnt Building, to its original
classic lines, and that the whole work
will be completed about August /.
The work is now nearly two-thirds
finished. Belmont Hail." which is
one of the oldest and most interesting
Colonial homes in Delaware from the
standpoint of historical associations as
we'll as beauty of architecture, was
swept by disastrous fire last winter,
and the upper floors destroyed. Ow-
ing to the difficulty in effecting a COM
plete restoration, which involved
matching of various parts, and the use
of some of the old pillars and framing
1t was some time before the work
could be initiated. Not only does Mr..
Speakman contemplate the restoration
of the famous old building, but he IS
seeking to restore all the original
lines of the building as it appeared in
Colonial times. The front porch
which was placed on the building in
the middle of the last century, will not
be restored as it will conflict with the
Colonial design. Instead, the porch
will be placed on the side.
Famous CupOla is Being Restored
Perhaps the most interesting por-
tiOn of the original building before the
fire was the carved and SCARED sides
of the cupola on top of the building.
Here for a century, Delawareans by
the thousands had carved their names.
All were destroyed in the fire. From
a sentimental standpoint, it is Mr..
Speakman's plan to make history re-
peat itself, and ample wall space will
be provided in the new cupola for the
inscribing of the names of visitors.
These will not be permitted to be
carved, it was learned, but pencils of
indelible ink will be provided. An
other portion of the work which has
required considerable care in reStoraz
tiOn is the famous spot on the balcony
where a Continental sentinel was shot
by British sharpshooter during the
Revolutionary War. The sentinel was
standing on the balcony when shot,
and fell to the floor below, where the
bloodstains were visible prior to the
fire. A tablet commemorating the oc-
currence is to be laid in the wall.
Belmont Hall Rich in Memories
Belmont Hall was the home of Gov
ernOr Thomas Collins, of Delaware.
The original building was constructed
in 1884, that is, the rear portion, while
the front was built in 1853 by Cover
nor Collins. The greatest historical
celebrity of Belmont Hall comes from
the fact that a session of the Della
ware Legislature was held in the build
ing. Some controversy exists as to
whether this was a meeting of the leg
islature or a meeting of the Privy
Council, but it was an assemblage Of
note, perhaps the latter. Walter
Joseph, graduate of Delaware Col
lege, who has been for the last two
years in Paris, having won the travel
ing scholarship of the Pennsylvania
Academy of Fine Arts, will paint a
picture three feet by six, which will
show the meeting at the hall, and will
contain historically correct represen-
tatiOns of the persons present. Mr..
Joseph is now in Paris, but will return
to his home in Philadelphia in June.
Belmont Hall is one of the finest ex-
amples of the simple Colonial archi-
tectuls in Delaware, and for years has
been recognized by the d. A. R. and
others as one of the most beautiful
country homes in the State. The to-
tai cost of the repairs will likely run
to $4,000 or more.