114 E. State Street - Musgrave/Shippen House 1767, Kennett Hotel and J.J. Newberry’s department store.

Joseph Musgrave built a 2 1/2 story brick house on the left-hand side (LaVerona) of this site in 1767. In 1804, John Taylor (grandfather of Bayard Taylor) bought the building which housed a store, post office, and was a stagecoach stop. Taylor built another bay onto the original section around 1810.  Brig. General Robert Bloomfield used the building briefly as his men marched from Philadelphia to Wilmington during the War of 1812.  

Improvements and additions, including the third and fourth floors, and iron porches, were made between 1831 and 1897.  In the 1930's, owners of buildings with iron porches were ordered to remove the porches, due to safety concerns.  

The hotel underwent much needed improvements in 1950-1951. In August 1952, an electrical fire gutted it and for 2 years its’ fate was in limbo. Demolition couldn’t be avoided and a J.J. Newberry Company department store, was built. It opened in 1955 and served Kennett residents well for 40 years.

In the 1930's, owners of buildings with iron porches were ordered to remove them, due to safety concerns.  The hotel underwent much needed improvements in 1950-1951. In August 1952, an electrical fire gutted it and for 2 years its’ fate was in limbo. Demolition couldn’t be avoided and a department store, J.J. Newberry Company, opened in 1955 and served Kennett residents well for 40 years.

The building you see now is the old department store with a coat of paint hiding the Mid-Century classic yellow bricks.

The first photo is of a tavern in Christiana, Delaware where George Washington stayed during his pursuit of the British Army leading up to the Battle of Brandywine. Joseph Musgrave's 2 1/2 story brick "mansion" was most likely of similar design.

The second photo is how the Kennett Hotel looked on the day it burned.

*Col. Shippen was an uncle of Margaret Shippen, aka Peggy Shippen wife of Benedict Arnold.