Anna Hazzard Museum
17 Christian Street
Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971
(302) 227-7310
Open: Check website for seasonal hours
Admission: Adults $5.00/Seniors-Students-Active Military/Children $3.00
My review on TripAdvisor:
The Anna Hazzard Museum at 19 Christian Street
I got to take a personal tour of the Anna Hazzard house, a tiny museum in Downtown Rehoboth Beach that is part of the Rehoboth Beach Historical Society.
The little house shows the transition of Rehoboth Beach from a Methodist Revival Camp in its early history to its transformation to the beach resort it has become today. This small homes were used for only a certain amount of weeks in the summer months and shut for the rest of the year.
There was only a certain amount of space allotted so you could most people, who owned these types of homes were outside communicating with nature and enjoying the outdoors. The space inside didn’t allow for too much socialization.
This is the last of these type of homes being eventually replaced now by beach McMansions and homes on stilts in a changing weather pattern and shore erosion. It is interesting to see this example of how these beach communities have transitioned over the last hundred years from religious communities to luxury beach towns.
The History of the Museum:
(From the Rehoboth Beach Historical Society Museum website)
This museum boasts a Camp Meeting Era “Tent” structure, which houses a collection of artifacts and memorabilia pertaining to the early days of Rehoboth Beach as a religious retreat.
The historic sign
The information sign
A portion of this historic structure at 17 Christian Street dates back to 1895 and was the original home of Methodist minister Rev. Adams during the time of the Methodist Camp Meetings.
Once owned by Anna Hazzard, the first female licensed realtor in Delaware, it was later donated to the city by its last owners, Mr. and Mrs. Ronald James, and moved from its home on Baltimore Avenue to its current location (Rehoboth Beach Historical Society website).
The house from the side view
The inside porch
The inside porch
The museum is home to a large collection of Anna Hazzard’s hymn books. The collection includes the Epworth Hymnal and the New Songs of the Gospel.
The main room of the home
Additionally, visitors can see many other Methodist hymn books. In addition to this, Anna Hazzard’s original collection, the museum has recently installed a new exhibit on World War II (Delaware Digital Media website).
Family artifacts and old beach pictures decorate the room
The music box and sheet music
A look back to the other two rooms
The small office/personal space
The small writing desk in the house
The small kitchen and dining area
The full kitchen area
The antique kitchen appliances
The house is an example of the transitioning of this community from a religious retreat to a up and coming popular beach resort. The home is an interesting look at the communities past.
Visiting a Museum: The Unique, Unusual, Obscure and Historical 