The Darby Free Library is the second oldest free library in the United States. It contains the museum artifacts of the Southeast Delco Lions Club donated to the library by Skiles Fielding Montague. The Old Friends Meetinghouse is next door to the library. It was the home meeting place for the famous botanist William Bartram. He is buried in the Friends Cemetery just up the street. The small building in front of the meetinghouse is the old Friends School also attended by William Bartram. The property across the street is known as “Painters Gardens”. I lived at this location for more than 25 years. The house here was built in 1870 and was the office and home of 3 Darby Doctors for more than 100 years. What is now the garage was the original carriage house. While you are here please look at the old weather vane and be sure to count the hitching posts in front of the house. This property was restored by Skiles and Janet Montague during the time they lived here. It was sold to William & Clara Turner in 2005. Across the street from the library stands the “Old Stone House” This house has been continually inhabited for more than 300 years. The twin house building between the Stone House and Painters Gardens was once part of the Painters Gardens property that originally contained 9 1/2 acres of land stretching all the way to Darby Creek.
The Darby Free Library along with the other six buildings listed here are among one of the most historic sites in the United States.
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