National Register of Historic Places

Wright Potato House

Laurel, Sussex County, Delaware
Listed
November 15, 1990
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
90001702

About this property

The Wright Potato House was a small 1+1⁄2-story building near Laurel, Delaware that was built to store harvested sweet potatoes. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. Sweet potatoes were a dominant crop in Sussex County, Delaware, and numerous potato houses were built to store them. After a blight in the 1940s, the crop became less important and many potato houses were allowed to deteriorate or were converted to other use. The frame building was about 20.17 feet (6.15 m) by 30.25 feet (9.22 m) in plan on a concrete and brick foundation. Windows were confined to the ends of the building, as are doors. The original "triple sheathing" was covered by asphalt shingles. The triple sheathing system consisted of wood weatherboards over diagonal wood sheathing on wood studs with straw insulation, and an interior sheathing of horizontal beaded tongue and groove boards. A wood shingle roof was likewise covered with asphalt shingles. The Wright Potato House was typical of its kind, with a center aisle between potato bins on both levels. A sliding trap door provided ventilation between levels. A chimney was provided to allow the house to be heated sufficiently to avoid freezing the stored crop. It is listed on the Delaware Cultural and Historic Resources GIS system as destroyed or demolished. Photographs of the Wright Potato House at the National Park Service's NRHP database

Location

Laurel, Sussex County, Delaware
38.53262, -75.60937

Categories

AGRICULTUREARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Wright Potato House

This page lists Wright Potato House. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Wright Potato House report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Collins Potato House
Industrial
0.5 mi
Ralph Potato House
Industrial
1.6 mi
Phillips Potato House
Industrial
1.6 mi
Laurel Historic District
Listed
2.7 mi
Spring Garden
Industrial
3.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Wright Potato House listed on the National Register?

Wright Potato House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 15, 1990.

What type of historic resource is Wright Potato House?

Wright Potato House is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Wright Potato House?

The period of significance for Wright Potato House is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Wright Potato House?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Wright Potato House will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Sussex County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Sussex County.

Explore SussexCounty ›

More historic places in Delaware

Browse all historic places in Delaware.

View Delawarehistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Delaware history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Delawarehistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Wright Potato House will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report