The Reed General Store was built in Woodside, Delaware (ca. 1873) by John and Jane Reed. The store represents the type and style of country stores found throughout the Peninsula during the late 19th century. At or about 1900, the Reed's turned over operation of the store to their daughter Mary Jane and son-in-1aw Phillip Jenkins.  Click on the button below for more information.

William Morris Carney and his wife, Sallie E. Carney were both of Native American ancestry.  The Carney's built their first house on five acres of land in Cheswold, Delaware in 1893.  In the years that followed, the Carney's had three children -- Thomas, Frazier, and Elizabeth.   

The Mill Lane School was a one-room schoolhouse constructed in Middletown, Delaware, around 1850.  Up to twenty-two children, ranging from first to tenth grade, were taught together in the school's 19 x 20 foot classroom. The Mill Lane School featured differentiated instruction, a mode of instruction where pupils received personalized direction from a single teacher. Click the button below for more information!

Woodside was one of a number of Delaware towns that owed its existence to the Delaware Railroad and to a large extent, a man by the name of Henry Cowgill.  According to local lore, the name "Woodside" was inspired by the piles of wood that were stacked near the station.  Farmers brought corn, wheat, milk and other commodities such as peaches, by wagon to the Woodside Train Station where they were transported by train powered by steam locomotive to urban markets in Wilmington, Philadelphia and New York City.  Click the button below for more information!

St. Thomas Methodist Episcopal Church (ca. 1857) was originally located in Shortly, Delaware.  The architecture is typical of 19th century rural churches on the Delmarva Peninsula.  At its original location, the church had a small cemetery to the east and west of the building and was located off the road in a heavily wooded area.  Click the button for more information!

The Johnson & Son Blacksmith and Wheelwright shop was originally located near Staytonsville (Cedar Creek Hundred) in Sussex County, Delaware. The building was used by three generations of the Johnson family and was known historically as "Johnson's Blacksmith Shop." The blacksmith shop portion was built by Alexander Johnson (ca.1807-1886) around 1850. Alexander was a farmer, but like most rural farmers he probably found that it was useful to be able to repair and make his own tools and shoe his own horses. Click the button below for more information.

Harnessing the power of water and wind to turn a wheel is one of humanity’s oldest mechanical energy sources.   Among a variety of other uses, these early "green energy" resources were used to power grist mills in rural areas of the country.  Click the button below for more information.

Gourley Barbershop was built in 1900 by Harry Gourley of Magnolia, Delaware. A one-chair operation, Mr. Gourley cut children and men's hair. Click the button below to find out more!