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Map of the historic buildings
A map view of the historic buildings in downtown Smyrna, Delaware. Click on an item to find out more about it. (Currently very incomplete).
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115 North Main Street
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The John G. Black Mansion built in 1845.
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A 3-story, brick house
- 39.301772 -75.607648
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- Historic building
- Related Items
- Main Street, North - 115 - The John Black Mansion
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Main Street, North - 107 - Alexander Griswold Cummins, Sr. Mansion
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Alexander Griswold Cummins, Sr. Mansion constructed in 1875, considered to be one of the finest examples of Carpenter Gothic Architecture in the state of Delaware.
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The pastor of Smyrna’s Protestant Episcopal Church, Alexander Cummins chose the Gothic Revival style when constructing his home in 1875. The pointed arch and lancet are recurring themes in this highly decorative style and can be found throughout the home’s exterior. Intricately detailed vergeboards accent the dwelling’s gables, window surrounds, and porch supports.
- 39.301696 -75.60753
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Main Street, North, 34 "The Delaware House"
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History
The Delaware House condominium began life as a double house for Henry Stevens' daughters in 1817.
- By 1830 Dr. Samuel Fisler had purchased both parts of the structure and, and in converted it to ...
- 1836, converted to "The Steamboat Hotel" ...
- 1856, enlarged to 3 stories and added an "L" on Mt. Vernon Street. It was renamed at this time to "The Delaware Hotel" and operated as such for 88 years.
- 1944, Mary Scott changed the name to "The Scott Nursing Home", serving the community until 1997.
- 2005, it was transformed into 5 condominiums and renamed "The Delaware House"
Current owners
James and Susan Wolfe.
The Wolfes, James a former history educator and Susan a historic house museum director, added period architectural features and use Federal, Empire and Victorian furniture to recreate the historic atmosphere in a portion of this important structure.
- 39.3011 -75.606739
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- Residential
- Historic building
- Related Items
- Main Street, North - 34, "The Delaware House"
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107 South Main Street - Smyrna Opera House
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Designed by Smyrna native R. Mitchell, the Old Town Hall was constructed in 1869. As with many civic buildings of the day, Smyrna’s Town Hall housed several different uses, including the town’s Opera House. Additions to the Hall in 1887 allowed space for a Fire Department, Police Department, jail, and fraternal lodge. In 1948, the Hall’s third story and clock tower were destroyed by a fire set inadvertently by Christmas lights. Renovations resulted in a two-story flat-roofed structure; the Old Town Hall would remain that way for 55 years. The Smyrna Clayton Heritage Association unveiled the reconstructed third story mansard roof and bell tower in 2003.
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Building History
From Town Hall to Education and Arts
The Old Town Hall was built between 1869 and 1879. The first floor housed the Town Office, the Smyrna Library, and the Police Station including the jail. In 1887, an addition was completed to add the Fire Department. The Smyrna Opera House was located on the second floor, and the third floor was used as a meeting room for various local lodges. Tragically, in 1948, a devastating fire broke out on Christmas Night destroying the bell tower, the entire third floor, and the balcony. Although the first floor occupants continued in the building, its usefulness was drastically curtailed.
Public Library
The Smyrna Public Library now occupies the entire first floor and basement of the combined Library and Opera House at 107 South Main Street. The Library provides free library services to the residents of the Smyrna School District encompassing an area of 125 square miles and a population of 17,100.
The library was founded in 1858 as a subscription library and was known at that time as the Smyrna Library Association. When organized in the “Old Town Hall,” from 1869 until 1977, the books and library business occupied a single room of some 600 square feet and was open only two evenings each week for a total of six hours. By the latter part of 1989, the library occupied entire first floor. The library is currently open at least part of each day except Sunday for an aggregate of 45 hours a week.
The varied library services include Children’s Story Times and a Summer Reading Program; Adult Programs including book discussion groups, seminars of topical interest, and free tutoring for functionally illiterate adults; loan programs including over 12,000 volumes of fiction and non-fiction, periodicals, local and national newspapers, equipment loan, and interlibrary loans. Adult and youth internet access is available. Call (302) 653-4579 for further information.
The Opera House
In 1887, the Opera House occupied the second floor of the “Old Town Hall” when an enlargement program added the current stage and expanded the usability of the building. Until the 1920’s when the second floor was converted into a “picture palace,” the Opera House presented a wide variety of entertainments, musical evenings, dances, fund-raising dinners, teachers’ institutes, lectures, graduations, debates, and other community activities. Among the notables who appeared there were Frederick Douglass, William Jennings Bryan, Olive Logan, Lucy Stoner, and General Tom Thumb.
Exhibiting the most popular films of the era, first as silent films and then as “talkies,” the Roxy provided enjoyment to two generations of area residents until the 1948 Christmas fire.
A current schedule of performances and events can be found at The Smyrna Opera House web site.
- 39.300757 -75.60628
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- Historic building
- Related Items
- Main Street, South - 107, The Smyrna Opera House
