Redden Forest Education Center

Redden Forest Education Center comprises three wooden frame buildings with Shingle style architecture and Colonial Revival details set in a forest setting in Sussex County. The structures feature cypress timber framing and are arranged to create spaces for learning about woodland ecosystems and natural resource management.

The center was built between 1900 and 1902 as a private hunting retreat for Frank Graham Thompson, heir to Pennsylvania Railroad wealth. Delaware acquired the property during the 1930s and transformed it into a resource for forest education.

The education center maintains exhibits about Delaware forestry, forest pests, urban forestry, and watershed management for public understanding of environmental conservation.

The center offers classroom activities and educational exhibits covering forest ecosystems, woodland pests, and water resources for visitors of all ages. The grounds are easy to navigate and provide space to explore hands-on learning opportunities about Delaware's natural world.

The dining room displays wood paneling salvaged from an 18th-century Long Island home, while the stable features an unusual octagonal cupola crowning its roof. These architectural details preserve materials and designs from different historical periods within a single property.