Ruins

Progress takes its toll in many forms, in 1979 a local real estate developer purchased land the farmhouse resided on and built a massive housing development.

Unfortunately the commercial greed of this developer blinded him to the historical importance of that building.

When we first moved into the farmhouse I visited the Historical Society of Delaware, were I was able to find this farmhouse on maps that dated back to 1702. This structure with its hand dug field stones and 2 1/2 foot thick walls was standing in one form or fashion for over 275 years. This building was in existence at least 70 years before our Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia.

Instead of restoring a historically important building those bastards bulldozed the farm into a pile of rubble and put a double wide mobile home sales office on it’s grave.

At some point they moved on and now a Montessori school operates there.

I have walked the grounds & on the last picture you will find a close-up of the school, along the tree line by the school, you can still find a small wall or two from the ancient stone barn that existed next to the farmhouse.

If I ever win the lottery I will buy the building, excavate the site and restore the farmhouse to it’s historical importance!

One interesting aspect of the farm was it’s dirt floor cellar,  in one corner of the cellar were the walls came together was a small gap, just enough for a human body to fit into a larger round space that could hold at least 10 human bodies. I always felt this excavated area was a hiding place.

I remember talking with many people, who agreed the farm house was likely used  as a way station for underground railroad.

Who knows, perhaps the statute of limitation for destroying America’s heritage never runs out…