Delaware Historical Society -Dollhouses, 2003

Escape the winter doldrums by visiting a world of miniatures. Beginning February 1 the Delaware History Museum will have a new exhibition entitled Delaware's Diminutive Dollhouses. On display will be incredible dollhouses, dollhouse furniture, and dolls from the Historical Society of Delaware's collections.

The most remarkable is the McComb House. It has recently undergone extensive conservation work to restore its original appearance. This house was created in 1864 to be raffled off at the Central Sanitary Fair in Philadelphia to raise money to aid Union soldiers. It was won by a Delaware family and eventually was donated to the Historical Society. Its size is an impressive six by five feet, and attention to detail is extraordinary.

Also on display is the Edgemoor House which was made by workers at the Edgemoor Iron Works as a Christmas present in 1898. A newer addition to the Society's collection is the Archibald Alexander House. This house is a labor of love that was completed in 1975 by Lit and Betty Patterson of New Castle. It is a faithful reproduction of their New Castle home dating from 1804.

In addition to the dollhouses, the exhibition also contains cases full of dollhouse furniture. The furniture ranges from fine hand-detailed Italian and German pieces to the more modern molded plastic pieces of the 1950s.

February 1 - April 26, 2003
Delaware History Museum
504 Market Street - Wilmington, Delaware 19801