This website is based on the research of one concerned citizen and does not necessarily represent the opinions of the people or organizations quoted here.

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We loose
January 11, 2012 -->

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Little Murph sits outside the entrance gates of Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children.
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Try clicking, double clicking and hovering over the picture

 

 

 

 

Silent video tour of the area surrounding the Murphy House and it's one acre parcel.
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Save The Murphy House Group.
Open to everyone.

                Slated for demolition on August 03, 2011  October 15, 2011   January 11, 2012
SaveTheMurphyHouse.Org
                        Countdown: 
DEDICATED TO SAVING THE WILLIAM MURPHY  HOUSE
Located at 1601 Rockland Road Wilmington, Delaware 19803

            
      Is the Bell Tower next?                                                   News Journal video on the demolition 01/11/12
New Mission 2013:  Save the Longwood Bungalows.

     Longwood Gardens is planning to demolish three historic 1926 bungalows that P.S. DuPont built for his employees.    
(story)

Nemours Foundation Demolishes the Historic Murphy House, gains an acre of prime commercial real estate.   (story)


Nemours decides to move forward with demolition.
Little Murph is down.  Sorry.
  (story)

Nemours ready to tear down Murph: Why?What's in it for them? (story)


Strategy Meeting held Sep 21st, 2011 Plans discussed (story)

Nemours gets the OK from DelDOT to demolish Little Murph (story)

Strategy Meeting held Sep 21st, 2011 Plans discussed (story)


Meeting held at Nemours about Murphy House (story)

News-Journal Article by Robin Brown
 Aug 29th, 2011 (story)


Little Murph given reprieve:
 60 more days to live. (story)


 


Alfred I. duPont's Will and Testament:

As for the 300-acre Nemours estate in Wilmington, Alfred indicated that the Trustees' first duty was "to care for the mansion and grounds and gardens surrounding Nemours in order that they be maintained for the pleasure and benefit of the public in their present condition and the grounds improved from time to time, as their funds warrant."
http://www.alfrediduponttrust.org/trust/dupont_broch.pdf
Page 17


Is Nemours Pulling another Fast One? 
Delaware AG Thinks So.     June 20, 2012
Delaware AG Alleges Mismanagement of duPont Family Trust That Finances Nemours Foundation. Associated Press 6/19/12.
Delaware Attorney General Alleges Mismanagement of duPont Foundation.  Read on ..  Philanthropy News Press 06/20/12


     This website represents the independent research of one concerned citizen in an effort to save one of Delaware's oldest residences:  The William Murphy House.                     Last updated May 16, 2012


     The property was deeded over to The Nemours Foundation in 2008 by Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) for $10, with the condition that Nemours would preserve the house in perpetuity.  Nemours runs the Nemours Mansion and Gardens and the Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware.

     Nemours has announced that it will demolish the house on August 3, 2011.  No one other than the organization called Preservation Delaware has made an effort to stop the demolition.   

     I have contacted numerous local officials and politicians to enlist help in stopping demolition of not just the Murphy House, but of many other properties that deserve the respect they deserve for surviving so many years.  This website summarizes my results.  The results are ongoing and will be updated as things change.

KEY PAGES:

Mission Statement & story of Little Murph's predicament.

Feedback I got from persons & organizations contacted.

Deed and deed restrictions.

Links to various documents and organizations.

Plan and ideas for use of the house.

"I sympathize with your fight regarding the Murphy House. Andy Wyeth's last painting, practically, was painted while sitting in front of it. Maybe his only painting ever done in Delaware?"

-Barksdale Maynard, author, architectural historian
        I took it upon myself to draw the line at the gates of Nemours. If a responsible, dedicated, philanthropic organization like Nemours can get away with ignoring their promises to preserve, and no one objects, then no historic building is safe in Delaware. Savethemurphyhouse.org consists of one member, one citizen who cares:  me. I decided to check around with various politicians and preservation groups and put together an overall picture of the attitudes of various stake holders towards historic preservation in Delaware. This is a synopsis of my research.                                           -Larry Hoover of Wilmington, Delaware