Dover

The Palmer home, built in 1907, has remained almost unchanged since its opening. It was a home for the elderly run by The Kings Daughters until 1987, then was added to the National Registry of Historic Places in 1988.

From the National Register of Historic Places:

The Palmer Home sits on a slightly elevated, neatly landscaped, six lot plot in what was formerly known as “Bradford City” in Dover, Delaware. Both on the exterior and interior, the building has been little altered since it was originally constructed in 1907. The only major alteration is the two-story brick wing to the south which was added in 1930.

The Palmer Home is an eight bay, two and one-half story, gable roofed, brick, Colonial Revival building having a molded cornice with returns at each end of the main section. Paired partially exterior, brick chimneys are located at each gable end of the main section. There is an exterior brick chimney on the rear wing’s gable end. The building is laid in seven-course common bond. It has four pedimented dormers with six over six, double-hung sash windows on the facade. The roof is covered with asbestos shingles. The remaining windows are primarily six over six double hung except for the palladian window over the main entrance which has a keyed arch. In the middle of the exterior gable end chimneys are double windows with rounded brick arches on the first and second story and a smaller round arched window with a keyed brick arch at the attic. The remaining windows all have flat brick arches. The front door which has fifteen lights at the top and a paneled bottom has side lights with a decorative lead design.

Across the front of the building is hip roofed porch with Doric columns and a square balustrade. A pedimented cross gable is located over the entrance. Originally there were five wood stairs leading to the porch; these have been replaced by brick stairs. The building also has a moulded brick water table, a four brick belt course, and brick quoins at the ends of the main building, the rear wing and the south addition.

 

The 1930, flat roofed, south addition repeats the exterior detail of the main section of the building and has a moulded cornice, brick quoins, water table and four brick belt course.