Delaware Society for the Preservation of Antiquities is a nonprofit organization organized to protect, preserve and promote the buildings and grounds of the historic Hale Byrnes House, and to provide related educational programs for families and fishermen, students and scholars..

This is an 18th century Quaker house that served as the site of George Washington's Council of War prior to marching to Battle of Brandywine.

offering educational public programming for adults and families. Hale Byrnes House is the southern anchor site of the federally designated Wild & Scenic White Clay Creek and we participate in a variety of related environmental programs including Christiana River clean-up and White Clay Creek Fest.

Our goal in the next few years is to repair and restore serious water damage caused by flooding and drainage issues . so that we can continue to grow our public programming and outreach efforts.

Our curator in residence (pays rent and all utilities to live here and does not get paid) is a Cooperstown Museum Graduate and also has an MPA in Agency Management. from the College of Urban Affairs, UD. As volunteers, she and her husband are the resident eyes & ears on the land.

The house is operated as a 501c-3 nonprofit, staffed entirely by volunteers.

We have recently an independent accountant's review of our finances and are launching a major membership drive.

We have an excellent reputation among the scholars of the American Revolution, including such noted figures as Tom Fleming, Todd Andrlik and Don Hagist, and network extensively to make this both a community-based location and a nationally recognized historic site.

Our volunteers are drawn from the local community and are well-educated, dedicated, and hard-working people.

Our executive director is an Advisor Emeritus of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, former Board Chairman of the Delaware Humanities Forum, and has masters degrees in both Agency Management and in Museum Studies. Our current Board Chairman is retired from Artesian Water Company.

Visitation has grown from 171 people in 2014 to 671 visitors by December 30, 2014.

We measure our preservation progress in terms of safety and authenticity. Side steps, doors and windows have all been carefully restored and we are currently working with the state to replace an aging septic system and leach field, and to repair the attic floor.

Our short-term goal for the next year is to get the spalling south wall bricks repaired, replaced, repointed and to deal with the serious drainage issues that are undermining the steps and sidewalk leading up from the parking lot.

State is now stepping in to repair the attic floor, recently added a wooden handrail to downstairs cellar, and is working to get the 50 year old septic syystem & leach field repaired! We count that as a major success!