Explore Our Property

Corbit-Sharp House Entrance

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 19th-century architecture. Chief among these are the five properties that make up the Historic Odessa Foundation.

Historic Delaware Period Homes

The Corbit-Sharp House, furnished for the late 18th century period, is a historic house museum that is owned and operated by the Foundation. Other properties managed by the organization include the 1769 Wilson-Warner House, 1700 Collins-Sharp House, 1822 Cantwell's Tavern, and 1853 Odessa Bank.

Tours are given from March through December.

Historic Odessa is open to the public March through December, Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM and, Sunday 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM. Tours 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM.

The property is closed January and February, Easter, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Guidelines for Visiting Historic Odessa

For the safety of our visitors and properties:

  • Our Gardens are smoke free.
  • While dogs are permitted on the grounds, they must be curbed and leashed at all times. Dogs are not permitted within the buildings.
  • Please respect our plants, trees and shrubs and remain on paths.
  • Visitors are welcomed to take photographs but should not interfere with the enjoyment of other guests.
  • All professional photographers must be HOF members at the $125 Contributor level and must check in at the Visitor Center.
  • Tours of our historic buildings take a  minimum of 90 minutes and include steps to entries and multiple staircases within buildings; we recommend wearing sturdy walking shoes.
  • Small handheld music devices with earphones are permitted on the grounds only, large radios with speakers are not permitted.
  • Picnicking on the grounds is permitted, picnickers are required to remove all trash; shade tents, charcoal or gas grills and bonfires are not permitted.
  • Children are required to be accompanied by an adult.
  • Children may not climb in trees, hang from branches, or jump from carriage blocks, steps, brick walls or fences.
  • Please treat all living things with respect. Please do not feed the wildlife.
  • Firearms are prohibited.
John DIckinson quote about Appoquinimink
Overhead showing Historic Odessa Properties

The Historic Houses

Discover the charm and history of Historic Odessa through our beautifully preserved 18th-century properties.
Beauty abounds at Historic Odessa

The Grounds & Gardens

The grounds of the Historic Odessa Foundation encompass approximately 30 acres of property in the historic center of town. The Corbit-Sharp House Colonial Revival garden was designed by H. Rodney Sharp with the assistance of well-known landscape architect, Marian Cruger Coffin.
Wilson-Warner Teller Room

Museum Collection

Within the museum buildings, the Historic Odessa Foundation's collection of over 7,000 objects spans an interpretive period in regional decorative arts from 1760 through 1850.
A Storied Past stack of books with one open

A Storied Past

Using rich archival and genealogical sources, author Philip D. Zimmerman, Ph.D., brings to light an extraordinary array of 100 decorative and fine arts from the Foundation’s collections.
Wilson-Warner House Dining Room setting

Historic Odessa Facts

Explore information about original furnishings, the c.1780 wood pump, the c.1868 Pomeroy and Beers atlas, and many other Historic Odessa facts.

Explore Our Property

From the Collection

1959.4168 bowl

Bowl

Historic Odessa Foundation, gift of H. Rodney Sharp
1845-1875
Search our Collection
mutule blocks is a Georgian feature borrowed from Greek Doric architecture

Cornice with Mutule Blocks

The interior cornice in the Corbit-Sharp House with mutule blocks is a Georgian feature borrowed from Greek Doric architecture. Mutule blocks can also be seen in Philadelphia’s Independence Hall.
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