Historic Odessa

Travel around the grounds of the Historic Houses of Odessa and visit our five historic houses and the adjacent properties. As a visitor, you are offered a glimpse backward to what life was like in Cantwell's Bridge, Del. in the 18th century.

Art and history on display

Our town features an enclave of 18th and early 19th century buildings which includes the Corbit-Sharp House (c.1774); Wilson-Warner House (c. 1769); Collins-Sharp House (c. 1700); Cantwell's Tavern (c. 1822); and Odessa Bank (c.1853). Within the houses, the Historic Odessa Foundation's collection of over 4,000 objects spans an interpretive period in regional decorative arts from 1760 through 1850.

In addition to many pieces of original family furniture made by prominent Delaware cabinetmakers of the 18th century, the collection includes major works of regional paintings, prints, textiles, silver, pewter, and other metals. The Foundation's collection is steeped in Delaware history and rich in the finest examples of mid-Atlantic craftsmanship.