Achmester, United States historic place
Achmester is a historic house property near Middletown in Delaware covering around 210 acres with numerous old structures. The main building, constructed in 1829, is a wood-frame house one and a half stories tall with five bays across its front, a gable roof with dormers, and a stone foundation decorated with simple cornices and later Gothic Revival trim.
Built in 1829 by Richard Mansfield, a figure connected to founding the Middletown Academy, Achmester was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. This recognition preserved the record of an important example of early Delaware farmstead architecture and rural life.
Achmester reflects the farming traditions and domestic life of rural Delaware in the early 1800s. The layout of the house and its outbuildings shows how families organized work and daily tasks across their land.
The property is located on Marl Pit Road near Middletown with signs and local guides available. Visitors interested in early American homes can consult detailed records from the Historic American Buildings Survey, which contains photographs and architectural drawings documenting the house and its outbuildings.
The property included a cow barn, milk house, granary, and smokehouse, revealing how farms operated as self-contained working units. Despite its National Register designation, the main house was demolished in 2022, though its legacy survives through historical documentation and photographs.
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