Delaware State Museum Buildings
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Delaware State Museum Buildings, also known as Old Presbyterian Church Complex, is a historic museum complex located in
Dover Dover ( ) is a town and major ferry port in Kent, southeast England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies southeast of Canterbury and east of Maidstone. ...
, Delaware. The complex consists of four buildings. They are the Old Presbyterian Church, brick chapel (1880), brick gas plant office building, and the Georgian-style Eldridge Reeves Johnson Memorial Building. The Old Presbyterian Church was built in 1790, and is a two-story, three bay square brick early Federal style meeting house. Buried in the adjacent cemetery are a number of prominent Delawareans including John M. Clayton (1796–1856) and John Haslet (c. 1727–1777). The Eldridge Reeves Johnson Memorial Building houses the Johnson Victrola Museum. and ' It was added to the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
in 1972.


Description

The Delaware State Museum is located on the designated Meeting House Square in Dover, which was originally established in 1717. It encompasses four buildings, each with its own unique history and architectural features. The first building, known as Building No. 1, is the Old Presbyterian Church. Built in 1790, the structure stands as a remarkable illustration of an early Federal brick meetinghouse. With a three-bay width and a nearly square shape, this two-story building also features an
attic An attic (sometimes referred to as a '' loft'') is a space found directly below the pitched roof of a house or other building. It is also known as a ''sky parlor'' or a garret. Because they fill the space between the ceiling of a building's t ...
and a belfry that houses an enclosed stairwell, which is an unusual characteristic. Although the octagonal
cupola In architecture, a cupola () is a relatively small, usually dome-like structure on top of a building often crowning a larger roof or dome. Cupolas often serve as a roof lantern to admit light and air or as a lookout. The word derives, via Ital ...
that once protected the bell was removed in the nineteenth century, leaving a truncated tower, it has since been restored. The exterior remains true to its original condition, while the interior boasts impressive paneling, the distinctive staircase mentioned earlier, and a spacious gallery with a railing. These original elements have been preserved and incorporated into the structure's adaptation as a
museum A museum is an institution dedicated to displaying or Preservation (library and archive), preserving culturally or scientifically significant objects. Many museums have exhibitions of these objects on public display, and some have private colle ...
. Additionally, a box pew from the past was discovered in storage and has been reinstalled as an exhibit. The Old Presbyterian Church still retains its well-maintained burial ground, adding to its historical significance. Building No. 2 is a brick
chapel A chapel (from , a diminutive of ''cappa'', meaning "little cape") is a Christianity, Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. First, smaller spaces inside a church that have their o ...
built in 1880. Its exterior and high Gothic ceiling have remained unaltered, representing a well-preserved architectural style. On the other hand, Building No. 3 does not belong to the church complex but rather served as the office for a gas plant that occupied half of the block during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This sturdy one-story brick building, also from the late nineteenth century, stands independently within the museum premises. Lastly, Building No. 4, named the Eldridge Reeves Johnson Memorial Building, is a recently constructed structure featuring an attractive Georgian design. The Delaware State Museum, along with its accompanying parking lot, now occupies the entire block bordered by Governors Avenue, Bank Lane, North Street, and New Street. The surrounding neighborhood, which was predominantly commercial and interspersed with deteriorating housing, has experienced a gradual revitalization since the demolition of the gas works in approximately 1955. The ongoing improvement is further accelerated by the construction of a well-designed city police headquarters in close proximity and the scheduled development of a Federal Building directly across the street. and '


Significance

The Old Presbyterian Church stands as a remarkable representation of religious architecture from the Federal period. For 134 years, it served as the first congregation of its denomination in Kent County, playing a vital role in the ethical and educational advancement of the town and county since 1714. The churchyard is the final resting place of distinguished individuals, including John M. Clayton (1796–1856), a renowned jurist, statesman, and former United States Secretary of State. Another notable figure buried here is Colonel John Haslet, who commanded the Delaware Battalion during the
Revolution In political science, a revolution (, 'a turn around') is a rapid, fundamental transformation of a society's class, state, ethnic or religious structures. According to sociologist Jack Goldstone, all revolutions contain "a common set of elements ...
until his demise at the Battle of Trenton in January 1777. During the pastorate of Rev. John Miller (d. 1791), the present Museum Building No. 1 was constructed, and it was later briefly succeeded by his son Rev. Samuel Miller, who went on to become a distinguished professor at Princeton. This building hosted a state constitutional convention in 1831, while an earlier convention in 1791–92, featuring the influential figure of
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, may have also taken place there. Moving on to Buildings No. 2 and 3, though they lack the architectural significance of the Church, they still serve as fine examples of a small town church edifice and a small industrial building from the later nineteenth century. Together, the three units house numerous exhibits that offer insight into various aspects of Delaware life and history, attracting several thousand visitors each year. Notably, the Johnson Building is dedicated to showcasing the history of sound recording as pioneered by the
Victor Talking Machine Company The Victor Talking Machine Company was an American recording company and phonograph manufacturer, incorporated in 1901. Victor was an independent enterprise until 1929 when it was purchased by the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) and became ...
. and '


See also

* Delaware lunar sample displays


References

Buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in Delaware Georgian architecture in Delaware Federal architecture in Delaware Churches completed in 1790 1790 establishments in Delaware National Register of Historic Places in Dover, Delaware 18th-century Presbyterian church buildings in the United States Museums in Dover, Delaware {{Delaware-NRHP-stub