The Old State House

At the beginning of the month, I attended "First Saturday in the First State." The event, held in Dover, DE, is designed to educate and entertain attendee about historical events in Delaware's history. There are many different things for visitors to choose from and participate in. One event that I attended was held in Delaware's Old State House.

The state house was built from 1787 to 1791. It housed the Delaware state court, state senate and house, in addition to the Kent County governing body. 

As I was given a tour of the building, I noticed a few interesting and somewhat odd points of interest. One of the first things I spotted when entering the building were the fireplaces. They weren't anything special. The thing that caught my eye, however, was the number of fire places. 

At this point, I should mention the layout of the Old State House. The main floor housed the courtroom. Congress met on the second floor. Meeting rooms were also located upstairs that was used by both congress and the county. The basement met the rest of the state and county needs. (The basement is currently home to historical park staff and is off limits to visitors.) Visitors enter and exit the building via the courtroom.

The fireplaces were located on each side of the courtroom. When I first noticed this, I wondered why two first places were necessary. However, when I went upstairs, it began to make more sense. The upstairs was split into two halves. One side was the senate and one meeting room. The other was the house and another meeting room. The first places were placed so each room received benefit from them. Pretty logically for a building that didn't have central heating.

The next thing I noticed was the staircase, or should I say, staircases. The staircases were located at the back of the courtroom, on either side of the entrance.bases started close to the walls. They formed a half spiral at the base and met three quarters of the way up to the second floor, just over the doorway. A single staircase then continued up the few remaining steps. During my tour of the building, I was told that the stairs were self-supporting. As I examined them for myself, I was surprised to find it so. I was also struck with the width of the staircases. They were wide enough for two people to walk side by side.

The other thing I noticed about the Old State House were the plain, unpainted, wood floors. Their appearance conjured up images of dust laden work and riding boots stomping and scuffling into the courtroom to watch the latest trial.

As I continue to ponder the Old State House, I imagine farmers and tradesmen ascending the staircases, discussing the latest bill before them in the senate or house. I can almost see horse outside, tied to a hitching post, swishing at flies with their tails. I imagine congressmen passionately debating a bill. I can hear the judge pound his gavel, calling the courtroom to order. I imagine the Old State House as it might have possibly been.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

For more information of the Old Delaware State House, visit...

delaware.gov

delawarebeautiful.com

visitdelaware.com

The Nostalgia of Old Buildings

Old buildings have always had a special appeal. There is something about them that conjures up questions and stories about who might have lived or worked there, what events might have happened, and what the walls would say if they could talk. Old buildings appeal to one's imagination and curiosity.

Growing up in Central Washington state, most of the old - I should say historic - buildings I saw that were in good condition were the ones found in museums or were government offices. Central Washington is farm country. Most of the houses, mainly farmhouses, built between the 1850's and early 1930's, when Washington became a state and settlers began to move in to the area, have been left to decay. There are not a lot of historic houses and buildings for schoolchildren, history lovers, and dreamers to tour outside of the local museum.
  
Recently, I moved to the East Coast, where old, historic buildings appear to be, well, everywhere. The center of each town is home to several blocks of buildings that appear to date back at least one hundred years. Many buildings have signs in front of them telling the history and significance of the building.

One building in my town with such a sign provokes questions and fanciful stories every time I pass it. The yellow, three-story, brick building was built as an academy. Over the years, the building has served many different purposes.

While I don't know any more about the building than the information on the sign, I can't help making up my  own stories about the building. I imagine that it was once a girls boarding school with mischievous youngsters who liked to play tricks on their spectacle-wearing, spinster, school marms. (I probably have a preteen book to thank for that image.) I also see a shy, scared, little first-grader who is huddled with her bunny in the corner, wishing she was at home with her parents. I can visualize girls running about the grounds, laughing and playing games.

As the years progress, I can see the girls being sent home because funds for the school have run out. Their faces are long, as they wave a sad farewell to each other. I imagine the school sitting empty for many years, accumulating dust and cobwebs. Occasionally, local pranksters sneak into the building to look for ghosts or break a window. Finally, the community takes notice of the old, forgotten building. They clean it up, give it several new layers of paint, and open it up as a community center and recreational hangout. Today, it is the historical center for town.

Now, is that what really happened in the old academy? Most likely not. In fact, if one of the city historians knew what I imagine about the building, they would probably be appalled at the tale I conjured up. Never-the-less, it is still fun to imagine what might have happened in the old, historic building. Now, if only the walls could talk.