1016 Main Street The Airplane House
1016 is one of the gems of Main Street Built circa 1880 on nine acres of land once owned
by C.C Sellers (who owned 1006 Main). The property was sold to Ed Williamson in 1877 who sold
it the next year to Passmore Williamson who was instrumental in the liberation of Jane Johnson in 1855.
In 1878, Passmore sold the property to Dr.William Painter in 1885 who named the property "Painters
Garden" and practiced medicine there until his death in 1919. Dr..Painter commissioned architect
Minerva Parker Nichols, one of the first women architects to be successful in her own firm, to
design the house. Painter is reported to have had sold all but 3/4 of an acre when it was sold to a
Dr. Carl Staub who practiced medicine there until his death. His son converted the property
to three apartments and an office. Skiles Feilding Montague, and his wife Janet Hamel purchased and
restored the property in 1977.
Skiles served in the Air Force and had a company that repaired flight simulators, known as
link trainers and one sits on the porch roof of 1016 (the blue airplane). When Skiles and Janet moved
to Florida, the new owners kept the plane in place Local wags sometimes refer to the house as the
"Darby Airport" and point out that the landings are quite challenging. It is wonderful to see the house
restored.
by C.C Sellers (who owned 1006 Main). The property was sold to Ed Williamson in 1877 who sold
it the next year to Passmore Williamson who was instrumental in the liberation of Jane Johnson in 1855.
In 1878, Passmore sold the property to Dr.William Painter in 1885 who named the property "Painters
Garden" and practiced medicine there until his death in 1919. Dr..Painter commissioned architect
Minerva Parker Nichols, one of the first women architects to be successful in her own firm, to
design the house. Painter is reported to have had sold all but 3/4 of an acre when it was sold to a
Dr. Carl Staub who practiced medicine there until his death. His son converted the property
to three apartments and an office. Skiles Feilding Montague, and his wife Janet Hamel purchased and
restored the property in 1977.
Skiles served in the Air Force and had a company that repaired flight simulators, known as
link trainers and one sits on the porch roof of 1016 (the blue airplane). When Skiles and Janet moved
to Florida, the new owners kept the plane in place Local wags sometimes refer to the house as the
"Darby Airport" and point out that the landings are quite challenging. It is wonderful to see the house
restored.
Link Trainer Flight Simulator and the
reason that the property is sometimes
referred to as the "Darby Airport"
reason that the property is sometimes
referred to as the "Darby Airport"
It was bitterly Cold. This is the
ice on one of the ladders
ice on one of the ladders
On the early morning of January 23, 2011, the house suffered a tragic fire
We recently learned that the barn was the
site of a summer art school specializing in
Plein Aire (open air) painting sponsored
by the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts
and taught by Huge Breckenridge and
Thomas Anshutz
site of a summer art school specializing in
Plein Aire (open air) painting sponsored
by the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts
and taught by Huge Breckenridge and
Thomas Anshutz
The Rebuild began in January 2012