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Welcome to the
historic village of Odessa, Delaware. Known in the
18th-century as Cantwell’s Bridge, Odessa played a
vital role in commercial life along the Delaware
River as a busy grain shipping port. Today, you can
stroll along tree-lined streets and admire examples
of 18th and 19thcentury architecture. Chief among
these are the five properties that make up the
Historic Houses of Odessa.
William Corbit, who operated a
tannery on the banks of the Appoquinimink Creek, was
the town’s leading citizen when he built his
handsome Philadelphia-style Georgian house in 1774.
It remained in the Corbit family until 1938, when H.
Rodney Sharp acquired it. Sharp restored the house
as well as several other historically significant
buildings in the town and is generally considered
responsible for the first efforts at historic
preservation in Odessa. Today the Corbit-Sharp House
is furnished to reflect the region’s lifestyle in
the late 18th-century.
The Wilson-Warner House, built
by prosperous merchant David Wilson in 1769,
exemplifies Delaware-Georgian architecture. Its
furnishings reflect those recorded in the 1829
family bankruptcy List of Sales.
The Brick Hotel, built in
1822, welcomed merchants, ship captains and visitors
to the busy port town of Cantwell’s Bridge. Guests
would have found comfort in the accommodations
offered at this fine establishment. The Hotel was
restored for adaptive reuse as a changing
exhibitions gallery in 1981.
The Collins-Sharp House, one
of Delaware’s oldest houses, dates to 1700. This
picturesque log and frame building is the site’s
center for educational programming. Activities
include cooking demonstrations using original
recipes from late 18th and early 19th-century
sources. Gardening and other related duties of the
colonial housekeeper are also demonstrated.
The Bank was built in 1853 as
the First National Bank of Odessa and served the
Odessa community as a bank until 2000. This stately
public building, designed by Philadelphia architect
Samuel Sloan, included a well appointed two-story
apartment upstairs that served as a residence for
the bank president. Today the Bank houses our
visitor’s center and the offices for the Historic
Odessa Foundation.
For reservations, events or membership call
302.378.4119 or fax 302.378.4050
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