Redden Forest Education Center
Encyclopedia
The Redden Forest Complex is located in Redden State Forest, Sussex County, Delaware
. Now known as the Redden Forest Education Center, the complex includes three Shingle style buildings built in 1900-1902 as a hunting retreat for Pennsylvania Railroad
heir Frank Graham Thompson. The complex was served by a specially-built railroad siding in Redden Crossroads. The camp fell into disuse during the Great Depression
and was acquired by the state of Delaware
in the 1930s. It saw use by the Civilian Conservation Corps
, then the complex and the surrounding property were designated Redden State Forest in 1937.
house. The lodge retains its original Mission style furnishings, although the south wings was reconstructed following fire damage from a 1970 lightning strike. Cedar shingles replaced the cypress in the reconstruction.
The stable is T-shaped. The front of the stable is a projecting porch under a deeply-hooded hipped roof, with a large arched doorway leading into a carriage house. On either side wings extend under the extended roof with additional storage on the north side and a tack room on the south side. Stabling was to the rear, with the original eight stalls now removed. The attic space over the entry is finished. An octagonal cupola tops the center of the roof. A matching kennel formerly stood to the rear of the stable, but was demolished after 1937.
The forester's house differs from the stable and the lodge, with Colonial Revival detailing added to the shingle style. The house has a gambrel roof with three dormers on each side and a full basement. A porch extends across the central portion of the rear of the house, accessed by two French doors The interior comprises a living room, dining room, hallway and kitchen on the first floor, with six bedrooms on the second floor. A nearby garage matches the house.
The Redden complex was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
on November 25, 1980.
Sussex County, Delaware
Sussex County is a county located in the southern part of the U.S. state of Delaware. As of 2010 the population was 197,145, an increase of 25.9% over the previous decade. The county seat is Georgetown. The Seaford Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Sussex County.Sussex County is...
. Now known as the Redden Forest Education Center, the complex includes three Shingle style buildings built in 1900-1902 as a hunting retreat for Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
heir Frank Graham Thompson. The complex was served by a specially-built railroad siding in Redden Crossroads. The camp fell into disuse during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
and was acquired by the state of Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
in the 1930s. It saw use by the Civilian Conservation Corps
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
, then the complex and the surrounding property were designated Redden State Forest in 1937.
Description
The present complex comprises three buildings, all of wood frame construction using cypress timber frames. The stable and forester's house are at the entrance to the property. The lodge is about 1400 feet (426.7 m) to the east, about 800 feet (243.8 m) from the rail line. The lodge is a shallow V-shape in plan, of 1-1/2 stories on a brick foundation with no basement, with cypress shingle siding. The roof, originally covered with wood shingles, is now covered in asphalt shingles, with broad overhanging eaves. The central portion is seven bays wide, flanked by wings of seven bays each. The center portion contains a large lobby with exposed roof structure and two large brick fireplaces. This space is flanked by a dining room and a smaller gun room. The dining room contains wood paneling reputedly taken from an 18th century Long IslandLong Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
house. The lodge retains its original Mission style furnishings, although the south wings was reconstructed following fire damage from a 1970 lightning strike. Cedar shingles replaced the cypress in the reconstruction.
The stable is T-shaped. The front of the stable is a projecting porch under a deeply-hooded hipped roof, with a large arched doorway leading into a carriage house. On either side wings extend under the extended roof with additional storage on the north side and a tack room on the south side. Stabling was to the rear, with the original eight stalls now removed. The attic space over the entry is finished. An octagonal cupola tops the center of the roof. A matching kennel formerly stood to the rear of the stable, but was demolished after 1937.
The forester's house differs from the stable and the lodge, with Colonial Revival detailing added to the shingle style. The house has a gambrel roof with three dormers on each side and a full basement. A porch extends across the central portion of the rear of the house, accessed by two French doors The interior comprises a living room, dining room, hallway and kitchen on the first floor, with six bedrooms on the second floor. A nearby garage matches the house.
Present use
The Redden Forest Education Center houses displays and classroom space for school activities and tours. It is managed by the Delaware Department of Agriculture Forestry division.The Redden complex was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on November 25, 1980.