Mission
The
Rehoboth Art League, with the
people of Delaware and its
visitors, encourages artists
and arts education, and sponsors
exhibits and programs that
reflect the diversity of the
community in an historic setting
and in partnership with other
organizations.
History
The
Rehoboth
Art
League
(RAL)
was
founded
in
1938
by
Louise
Chambers
Corkran
to
encourage
interest
and
participation
in
cultural
and
artistic
activities.
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In
1978,
the
Homestead
property
and
building
adjacent
to
the
League
grounds
were
acquired.
The
Homestead,
constructed
in
1743
by
Peter
Marsh,
became
the
home
of
Colonel
and
Mrs.
Corkran
in
the
thirties,
and
is
on
the
National
Register
of
Historic
Places.
It
is
one
of
the
oldest
houses
in
Rehoboth
Beach
and
has
been
restored
to
provide
additional
gallery
space.
To celebrate
our 70th
Anniversary
the Rehoboth
Art League
has opened
its archives
of photographs
and placed
a few of
them in
this catalog.
We hope
you enjoy
taking
a look
back at
our history,
as well
as the
artwork
of our
current
instructors
placed
throughout
the catalog.
Located
on three-and-a-half
acres in
one of
the most
beautiful
sections
of Rehoboth
Beach,
the RAL
has excellent
exhibition
and studio
space.
RAL holds
a permanent
collection
of works
of art
and reaches
out into
the community
to teach
art.
The RAL
is a non-profit,
tax-exempt
organization.
It is supported
by membership
dues, contributions,
fundraising
events,
gifts,
investments,
and grants,
including
funds from
the Delaware
Division
of the
Arts, the
Sussex
County
Council,
and the
Delaware
Humanities
Forum.
Your support,
in addition
to membership
dues and
tuition,
is welcome.
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History
of the Homestead
The
Homestead was built in 1743 and
stands on land originally patented
in 1675 as Young’s Hope Plantation
- 300 acres. Peter Marsh bought
half of Young’s Hope, the area
with is now Henlopen Acres. The
old deed mentions “half a plantation
house with out-buildings”, and
it is possible the one-story
kitchen wing is the “half house”.
In
1871 the Marsh family sold
the property to the Dodd family,
who rented it to tenant farmers.
There were no modern improvements.
Fortunately, Col. Corkran was
an architect with great respect
for, and interest in colonial
heritage. He preserved the
original as much as possible,
removing the “two-family” additions,
built the wing now known as
“the apartment” and added the
porches. The garage is now
the Children’s Art Studio and
there is a small music studio
in the area that was Col. Corkran’s
workshop.
As
you enter the front walkway,
notice the salt pot. Mrs. Corkran
used it as a fish pond until
it began to leak. The well on
the front lawn was the only source
of water to a pump in the kitchen,
until the Colonel installed indoor
plumbing.
The
entrance hall divides the parlor
and kitchen. The plaster was
removed in this area to expose
the black walnut beams. The house
is timbered by oak and walnut
with brick noggings in interior
and exterior walls, up to the
second story windowsills. The
floors are original. |
The
kitchen,
to the
right,
has the
exposed
beams,
and a fireplace
rebuilt
on the
foundation
of the
original.
The paneling
on the
fireplace
wall is
from an
old colonial
in Morristown,
New Jersey,
retrieved
by the
Colonel.
The
small room
behind
the kitchen
was the
original
pump room.
The small
hallway
was left
unfinished
to show
construction.
The pump
room now
serves
as a gift
shop and
gallery.
The
parlor,
to the
left, has
the only
original
stairway,
but it
is not
used. Both
parlor
and dining
room have
corner
fireplaces
with shelfless
chimney
paneling
and chair
rails.
The reconstructed
stairway
leads from
the dining
room up
to the
two bedrooms.
They too
have corner
paneled
fireplaces
and chair
rails.
The
gardens
were designed
by Louise
Corkran.
She received
slips of
boxwood
from boxwood
originally
grown in
the Caesar
Rodney
gardens
in Dover.
There are
5 units:
Tea Terrace,
Crown Garden,
Herb Garden,
Chain Garden
and Criss
Cross Garden
enclosed
in a boxwood
labyrinth.
Original
etchings
and reproduction
prints
of the
Homestead
are available
for sale
as well
as the
book, The
Homestead-Peter
Marsh’s
House,
by Robert
B. Wright.
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