Photographing Architectural History: Preserving the Structure of the Past
By David Cardillo, Digital Initiatives and Preservation
Art historian W. Barksdale Maynard recently submitted a collection of photographs to the Library, Museums and Press that relates to architectural history, or the study of the trends, aesthetics, technology and importance of buildings in the past.
The W. Barksdale Maynard Photographs of Delaware Collection, now digitized for easier access, features color slides and digital images of buildings, structures and more from all three counties in Delaware (with more images on the way).
The buildings featured in the collection span centuries. One of the significantly older buildings photographed is the Cooch House, built in 1760. Expanded in 1822, the house remains a historical site today as it is connected to the Battle of Cooch’s Bridge, the only battle of the Revolutionary War to be fought in Delaware.
Cooch House, 2018.
Another popular historic house featured within the collection is the Charles I. du Pont House. This house in particular, built around 1823, was associated with the Henry Clay Village, which was an industrial center in the 1800s and featured a good number and variety of mills. Located along Brandywine Creek, the house is a typical example of 19th century home architecture.
Charles I. du Pont House, 2020.
Churches and other houses of worship are also common examples in the discussion of architectural history. Here are just a few of the churches throughout Delaware that you will find within this collection of photographs.
 Christ Church, 2023. |
 Christ Episcopal Church, 2023. |
While “old” buildings provide insights, modern buildings – along with their improvements, renovations and additions – are also important to the study of architectural history.
There are many photographs in the collection of buildings built in the early-to-mid-1900s that may have also had significant renovations.
While Wilmington Charter School and Cab Calloway School for the Arts building is half a century old, it is relatively new compared to colonial buildings and churches.
Likewise, the Christiana Mall was initially constructed in the 1970s, but has undergone several expansions and renovations, especially as a commerce building that wants to draw people in and showcase the wares of the individual stores.
Christiana Mall, 2023.
The architecture of historical structures can inform the architecture of current structures. What’s more, the photographs of both historical and more modern structures – which are now more readily available and digitized through collections like this one – can help inform the architecture of the future.
Maynard isn’t the only person who has photographs of historical architecture within our collections. Stay tuned for another historical architecture collection in June!
The W. Barksdale Maynard Photographs of Delaware Collection features more than 800 color slides and digital images of buildings, signs, structures and locations throughout the state, primarily documenting Delaware’s architectural history. Materials within the collection have been digitized for easier access. This collection might be of particular use to those interested in architecture, photography and Delaware history. It is especially relevant for students and faculty associated with UD’s architectural studies minor as well as the Center for Historic Architecture and Design.