Milford chronicle., 1956-05-04
Dickinson Mansion
Open To Public
fContinued from page onel

fCOnLlnued from page on0D
southeast of Dover just off u. S.
Route 113 ON the Kjtts HHmmocS
Road.
The Mansion is one of the finer
eighteenth century houses suryiv-
ing in lower Delaware. The State,
on September II, 1852, received as
gift the brick structure on a
twelve-acre plot through the efforts
of the Historic Activities Commit
tee, National Society Of the Col
onial Danes of America in the
State of Delaware, with Mrs.
Charles Lee Reese, Jr., as their
Chairman. This Committee had
raised fund of $25, 10000 so the
State could purchase the property
and begin it's restoration. The drive
for funds brought in contributions
large and small from many Del
awareans and citizens of neighbor-
ing States VINO realized the historic
significance of the property. The
next year similar amount was ap-
propriated by the State Legislature
for the restoration work.
The two-story brick Mansion
faces to the south across broad,
fat fields to the distant st. Jones
River, main thoroughfare to the
plantation in the eighteenth CEN
tury. Samuel Dickinson built the
house and moved his family into it
in 1740 from another of his es
tates, "Crosia-dore" in Talbot
County, Maryland. Samuel's sons,
John and Philemon, spent their
boyhood here and John lived much
of his later life here when his pub
lie affairs permitted. Although
away from the family home for
long periods, Dickinson never for
got his home and devoted much
time and thought to it's Inainten-
ance. In 1904, when Dickinson was
living in his town house in Will
mington, a disastrous fire destroyed
the interior of the Mansion. There
after the house was repaired to be
used only by tenants.
A careful study for the restora-
ton was undertaken among manu-
script sources and on the site it
self. The building had suffered con-
siderably during the years and
careful research, documentary, ar
chitectural and archaeological, was
required before extensive reStora
tion could be undertaken. The res
toration of the house, now COM
pleted, was directed by Leon de-
Valinger, .Jr., State Archivist and
Director of the Delaware State
Museum.
An Advisory Committee of seven
members, Mrs. ]. Wheeler Camp
bell, Mrs. Lammot DUPONT Cope
land, Henry Francis dupont, Mrs.
J. Allen Frear, Jr., DR.. John A.
Munroe, Mrs. Charles Lee Reese,
Jr., and H. Rodney Sharp, greatly
assisted the Public Archives Com
mission in the restoration, furnish
ings and decorations. An organi-
zation consisting of those who con-
tributei to the original $25,000.00
fund and many additional new
members, known as The Friends
of the John Dickinson Mansion,
Inc, is continuing its active pro-
gram of publications and contribu-
tions toward the purchase of fur
nishings. Two OF the publications
are "The House On Jones Neck"
by John A. Powell, and "The John
Dickinson Mansion, by Leon de-
Valinger, Jr.
The John Dickinson Mansion is
open to the public Tuesdays
through Saturdays from 1000 a. m.
to 500 D. M. Sundays ! :O6 to 500
D. M, closed Mondays. Visitors are
escorted through the building. Ap
pointments in advance may be made
for groups by writing to P. 0. Box
TO, Dover. Delaware, or by tele-
phoning to Dover 9439.