Smyrna times., 1951-01-04
OLD CHURCH
STATE MUSEUM
Old Presbyterian Church at
Dover Opened as Museum
December 18th
COLORFUL EXHIBITS

Old Presbyterian Church which
opened December 18th have found
a variety of colorful exhibits. The
first thing they see upon entering,
is two period rooms with furni-
ture which belonged to Delaware
ancestors. Ticking selately in
dining room is a grandfather clock
made by one Richard Miller of
Duck Creek. Looking down upon
a teaparty scene is satin-clad Mrs.
Kensey Johns, ST., of New Castle,
in a portrait painted by the Eng
lish artist, John Wollaston. In the
other room Judge and Mrs. Thom-
as Irons, Quakers of East Dover
hundred, preside from their picture
frames. Among the Delaware Val
ley ladeer back chairs is a high
chair with splayed legs typical of
early times. The furnishings are
from the ]. Kenneth Dandy Col
lection and from that of Mrs. Hen
ry Ridgely Delaware Silversmiths
is a display presenting craftsmen
of this region. Lent by ]. Kenneth
Dandy, the collection contains hol-
low ware and f1atware of the 18th
and early 10th century silver
smiths: Johannis Nys, Joseph War
ner, John LeTelier, Bancroft Wood
cock, Hannah Robinson, James
Guthrie General James Wolf, Rich
ard Humphreys and James Kend-
all. The hills and plains of Del
aware are presented in relief
map made by Civilian Conserva-
tion Corpsmen connected with the
Mosquito Control Division of the
State Highway Department in the
193Os. The First Inhabitants of
Delaware are presented in an ex-
hibit. To explain the use of some
of the Indian stone tools and
weapons shown in drawers below,
/. a group of cast hands manipulate
ing these is to be seen. One pair
is grasping bone scraper and an
arrow head, another shows the
hammering method. These were
lent by the New York State Mu-
scum. The local Museum is in
favor of its visitors handling its
exhibits whenever possible, so a
stone corn grinder used by a long
ago squaw is out where visitors
may also make corn meal. In the
Nature alcove a marsh scene show
ing muskrats and their lodge DOM
mates. Nearby in the H. R Bak-
er Herbarium more than one thou
sand spediments of pressed plants
many found in Delaware, is seer
as a study collection. The Della
ware Department of Agriculture
Collection of insects is also here
One corner of the Museum pre-.
serves the box pews which have
been there since the church edifice
was erected in 1870. Two tir
candle sconces found hidden away
in the old church have been brought
from their hiding place and show
how the church was lighted in ear.
ly times. One may see from &
group of photographs the different
belfries that have crowned this
house of worship. This describe:
only the exhibits to be seen at this
time on the Museums first floor
Upstairs are sections for industry
agriculture, commerce and trans
portation and two special exhibi
tion rooms. There are displayed
for one more week the elaborate
silver service made by the Gorhan
Company in 1908 and presented b.
the citizens of Delaware to tht
Battleship Delaware, commissions
in 1910. Wool coverlets and equip
ment for their manufacture ar
presented until January 11th. Tn
Museums first industrial exhibi
was created by the DUPONT Com
pany and presents nylon's variou
uses and properties The agricul
ture section is devoted this frs
year. to Delaware's broiler indus
try. The Delaware Poultry I'm
provement Association erected
model, showing the steps from
hatchery to super-market, with
giant farmer who tells about
when the visitor pushes buttor
Audience participation is feature
also in one of the exhibits in tn
commerce section, wheheby the but
ton-pushing public may set a flee
of trucks carrying Delaware broil
ers off to Pittsburgh, Chicago an
New York. Wilmington's role a
a world port, and something abou
trade before Delaware became
state are to be seen in this frs
Continued on Page Four)