Arden, Delaware
Encyclopedia
Arden is a village and art colony
in New Castle County
, Delaware
, in the United States
, founded in 1900 as a radical Georgist
single-tax community by sculptor Frank Stephens
and architect Will Price
. The village occupies about 160 acres, with half kept as open land. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the village is 439. In 1973, the entire village was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. Two neighboring villages of similar size were founded on Georgist principles, Ardentown, in 1922, and Ardencroft, in 1950. In 2003 they were also listed on the NRHP. Many Ardenites, as the villagers of Arden are called, consider themselves to be "close-knit, nature-loving, liberal, tolerant, free-spirited, artistic, intellectual, even ex-hippie."
and architect Will Price
, based on ideas such as Henry George
's single-tax
, William Morris
’s Arts and Crafts
principles, and Peter Kropotkin
's theories of community. Philanthropist Joseph Fels
funded the project.
The single-tax movement, popular in the U.S. and other countries from the 1890s until the 1930s, believed that the best way to raise government money was to tax only the value of unimproved land and the public-created value, like roads, added to the land. The tax, based on a systematized assessment, would recover both the value of natural resources and public investment for the public, while not impeding labor and capital from profiting from their efforts. Followers of Henry George's philosophy of economics created Arden as an experiment in the single-tax idea after a failed attempt to implement Georgism in the entire State of Delaware in the late 19th century.
William Morris
, an Englishman, rebelled against modern cities and industry. He advocated a return to craft production, good design, and village life. While Kropotkin was primarily an anarchistic communist, many of his ideas regarding social and community living were used by the founders of Arden to advance William Morris' ideas for the return to village life.
Land in Arden cannot be sold; instead it has a renewable 99-year lease. People are free to improve it as they choose, but the land-lease fee will not increase because of improvements. Arden is not exempt from New Castle County land taxes, but the buildings within the village are taxed separately for county and school district revenue, while the land is technically one large parcel, and taxed by New Castle County accordingly. The land is held in a trust, administered by three elected trustees, who have life-long tenure. Arden's tax structure is currently based upon the individual leaseholds. Most leaseholds are residential, and the land rent is based upon the square footage rather than the improvements upon the land. An elected board of assessors divides the County's full assessment of the residential areas of Arden by the individual lots. Lots that are nearer to open space or woodlands are assessed a bit higher, while lots nearer main road are assessed a bit lower.
At first, Arden was a summer community. People lived the simple life in tents or rustic dwellings. By 1909, much of the land had been leased, mostly for summer use. By 1922 there were 148 leaseholders, 100 buildings, 350 summer residents, and 100 winter residents.
The founding of the Arden Club in 1908 provided an organizational core for community activity. Interest groups and task groups were called gilds [sic] rather than committees. From the beginning, Shakespeare’s plays were produced in the outdoor Field Theater. Fairs, pageants, and Arden holidays filled the calendar. Many of these events continue today through various community organizations including the Arden Recreation and Community Association (ACRA) and the Arden Club, as well as through some of the village committees for each of the three Ardens. The Georgist Gild continues to offer courses in Georgist economics to the Ardens and any other interested communities.
Shakespeare's plays were produced early in Arden's history to promote better oratory skills among the Georgists and have continued if only as a tradition and form of entertainment.
It took longer to implement the Arts-and-Crafts ideal because the community was so small at first. Many people worked in Wilmington
or Philadelphia. In 1913, the Craft Shop was built, which provided facilities for various artisans. Arden crafts, especially from the Arden Forge and Arden Weavers, became popular in the area.
The conceptual lifestyle of Arden proved so popular that it expanded twice, with Ardentown
in 1922 and Ardencroft
in 1950. Today, the Ardens remain as single-tax communities at the village municipal level. The spirit of Arden encourages all sorts of artistic and intellectual expression and a strong community life. Most of the village activities and Club activities are run by volunteers.
Arden, Delaware and its sister villages, Ardentown and Ardencroft, are in the National Historic Register because of their cultural landscape, rather than its land or buildings. Still, there are several buildings associated with Stephens and Price, including old farm houses and converted barns, the Craftshop, the Weaveshop, and a number of fine Craftsman Houses, that have historical and architectural interest.
's cottage was built with funds from Joseph Fels and named by other residents "Jungalow."
, the village has a total area of 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²), all of it land. It is bounded by Sherwood Forest, Marsh Road, Hanby Park, and the expansion villages of Ardentown and Ardencroft.
of 2000, there were 474 people, 229 households, and 122 families residing in the village. The population density
was 1,780.5 people per square mile (677.8/km²). There were 243 housing units at an average density of 912.8 per square mile (347.5/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 95.15% White, 0.84% African American, 0.42% Native American, 1.69% Asian, and 1.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.32% of the population.
There were 229 households out of which 21.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.9% were married couples
living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.3% were non-families. 38.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.07 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the village the population was spread out with 18.1% under the age of 18, 3.2% from 18 to 24, 24.1% from 25 to 44, 35.9% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.3 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $56,731, and the median income for a family was $70,893. Males had a median income of $48,125 versus $38,333 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $30,422. None of the families and 2.1% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 2.0% of those over 64.
(1878–1968), author of The Jungle
, Harry Kemp
(1883–1960), known as the Vagabond Poet, Ella Reeve Bloor
(1862–1951), a founder of the communist party in America, and Scott Nearing
(1883–1983) American radical economist, educator, writer, political activist, and advocate of simple living.
Art colony
right|300px|thumb|Artist houses in [[Montsalvat]] near [[Melbourne, Australia]].An art colony or artists' colony is a place where creative practitioners live and interact with one another. Artists are often invited or selected through a formal process, for a residency from a few weeks to over a year...
in New Castle County
New Castle County, Delaware
New Castle County is the northernmost of the three counties of the U.S. state of Delaware. As of 2010 its population was 538,479, an increase of 7.6% over the previous decade. The county seat is Wilmington. The center of population of Delaware is located in New Castle County, in the town of...
, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, founded in 1900 as a radical Georgist
Georgism
Georgism is an economic philosophy and ideology that holds that people own what they create, but that things found in nature, most importantly land, belong equally to all...
single-tax community by sculptor Frank Stephens
George Francis Stephens
George Francis Stephens , known as Frank Stephens, was an American sculptor, political activist and co-founder of a utopian single-tax community in Arden, Delaware.-Early life, education and family:...
and architect Will Price
Will Price
William Lightfoot Price was an influential American architect, a pioneer in the use of reinforced concrete, and a founder of the utopian communities of Arden, Delaware and Rose Valley, Pennsylvania.-Career:...
. The village occupies about 160 acres, with half kept as open land. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the village is 439. In 1973, the entire village was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. Two neighboring villages of similar size were founded on Georgist principles, Ardentown, in 1922, and Ardencroft, in 1950. In 2003 they were also listed on the NRHP. Many Ardenites, as the villagers of Arden are called, consider themselves to be "close-knit, nature-loving, liberal, tolerant, free-spirited, artistic, intellectual, even ex-hippie."
History
Arden was founded in 1900 by sculptor Frank StephensGeorge Francis Stephens
George Francis Stephens , known as Frank Stephens, was an American sculptor, political activist and co-founder of a utopian single-tax community in Arden, Delaware.-Early life, education and family:...
and architect Will Price
Will Price
William Lightfoot Price was an influential American architect, a pioneer in the use of reinforced concrete, and a founder of the utopian communities of Arden, Delaware and Rose Valley, Pennsylvania.-Career:...
, based on ideas such as Henry George
Henry George
Henry George was an American writer, politician and political economist, who was the most influential proponent of the land value tax, also known as the "single tax" on land...
's single-tax
Georgism
Georgism is an economic philosophy and ideology that holds that people own what they create, but that things found in nature, most importantly land, belong equally to all...
, William Morris
William Morris
William Morris 24 March 18343 October 1896 was an English textile designer, artist, writer, and socialist associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the English Arts and Crafts Movement...
’s Arts and Crafts
Arts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...
principles, and Peter Kropotkin
Peter Kropotkin
Prince Pyotr Alexeyevich Kropotkin was a Russian zoologist, evolutionary theorist, philosopher, economist, geographer, author and one of the world's foremost anarcho-communists. Kropotkin advocated a communist society free from central government and based on voluntary associations between...
's theories of community. Philanthropist Joseph Fels
Joseph Fels
Joseph Fels was an American soap manufacturer, millionaire, and philanthropist.Born of German immigrants in Halifax County, Virginia, Fels moved with his family to Baltimore in 1866; by 1876 he'd assumed control of a soap manufacturing company based in Philadelphia, and brought two of his brothers...
funded the project.
The single-tax movement, popular in the U.S. and other countries from the 1890s until the 1930s, believed that the best way to raise government money was to tax only the value of unimproved land and the public-created value, like roads, added to the land. The tax, based on a systematized assessment, would recover both the value of natural resources and public investment for the public, while not impeding labor and capital from profiting from their efforts. Followers of Henry George's philosophy of economics created Arden as an experiment in the single-tax idea after a failed attempt to implement Georgism in the entire State of Delaware in the late 19th century.
William Morris
William Morris
William Morris 24 March 18343 October 1896 was an English textile designer, artist, writer, and socialist associated with the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and the English Arts and Crafts Movement...
, an Englishman, rebelled against modern cities and industry. He advocated a return to craft production, good design, and village life. While Kropotkin was primarily an anarchistic communist, many of his ideas regarding social and community living were used by the founders of Arden to advance William Morris' ideas for the return to village life.
Land in Arden cannot be sold; instead it has a renewable 99-year lease. People are free to improve it as they choose, but the land-lease fee will not increase because of improvements. Arden is not exempt from New Castle County land taxes, but the buildings within the village are taxed separately for county and school district revenue, while the land is technically one large parcel, and taxed by New Castle County accordingly. The land is held in a trust, administered by three elected trustees, who have life-long tenure. Arden's tax structure is currently based upon the individual leaseholds. Most leaseholds are residential, and the land rent is based upon the square footage rather than the improvements upon the land. An elected board of assessors divides the County's full assessment of the residential areas of Arden by the individual lots. Lots that are nearer to open space or woodlands are assessed a bit higher, while lots nearer main road are assessed a bit lower.
At first, Arden was a summer community. People lived the simple life in tents or rustic dwellings. By 1909, much of the land had been leased, mostly for summer use. By 1922 there were 148 leaseholders, 100 buildings, 350 summer residents, and 100 winter residents.
The founding of the Arden Club in 1908 provided an organizational core for community activity. Interest groups and task groups were called gilds [sic] rather than committees. From the beginning, Shakespeare’s plays were produced in the outdoor Field Theater. Fairs, pageants, and Arden holidays filled the calendar. Many of these events continue today through various community organizations including the Arden Recreation and Community Association (ACRA) and the Arden Club, as well as through some of the village committees for each of the three Ardens. The Georgist Gild continues to offer courses in Georgist economics to the Ardens and any other interested communities.
Shakespeare's plays were produced early in Arden's history to promote better oratory skills among the Georgists and have continued if only as a tradition and form of entertainment.
It took longer to implement the Arts-and-Crafts ideal because the community was so small at first. Many people worked in Wilmington
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
or Philadelphia. In 1913, the Craft Shop was built, which provided facilities for various artisans. Arden crafts, especially from the Arden Forge and Arden Weavers, became popular in the area.
The conceptual lifestyle of Arden proved so popular that it expanded twice, with Ardentown
Ardentown, Delaware
Ardentown is a village in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the village is 264.Ardentown was founded in 1922 as an outgrowth of Arden with a conceptual lifestyle based on Henry George's Single tax movement and William Morris’s Arts and...
in 1922 and Ardencroft
Ardencroft, Delaware
Ardencroft is a village in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the village is 231.Ardencroft was founded in 1950 as an outgrowth of Arden and Ardentown with a conceptual lifestyle based on Henry George's Single tax movement and William...
in 1950. Today, the Ardens remain as single-tax communities at the village municipal level. The spirit of Arden encourages all sorts of artistic and intellectual expression and a strong community life. Most of the village activities and Club activities are run by volunteers.
Arden, Delaware and its sister villages, Ardentown and Ardencroft, are in the National Historic Register because of their cultural landscape, rather than its land or buildings. Still, there are several buildings associated with Stephens and Price, including old farm houses and converted barns, the Craftshop, the Weaveshop, and a number of fine Craftsman Houses, that have historical and architectural interest.
Architecture
There are six named houses in Arden designed by Will Price: Friendly Gables (built 1909), 2205 Little Lane; The Lodge (1910), 2209 The Sweep; Rest Cottage (1910), 2328 Cherry Lane; Green Gate (1909), 2210 The Sweep; The Second Homestead (1909), 2311 Woodland; and The Fels House (1909), 2110 Orleans Road. Price also designed the Arden Craft Shop in 1913. His designs are generally Elizabethan Revival and show the influence of the Arts and Crafts movement. The first houses built in Arden were small summer cottages that have been destroyed,or in a few cases greatly enlarged. Small worker's cottages were also built after the completion of the Craft Shop. Price may have participated in the designs of both these forms as well. Residents often designed, built and named their own cottages. Upton SinclairUpton Sinclair
Upton Beall Sinclair Jr. , was an American author who wrote close to one hundred books in many genres. He achieved popularity in the first half of the twentieth century, acquiring particular fame for his classic muckraking novel, The Jungle . It exposed conditions in the U.S...
's cottage was built with funds from Joseph Fels and named by other residents "Jungalow."
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the village has a total area of 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²), all of it land. It is bounded by Sherwood Forest, Marsh Road, Hanby Park, and the expansion villages of Ardentown and Ardencroft.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 474 people, 229 households, and 122 families residing in the village. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,780.5 people per square mile (677.8/km²). There were 243 housing units at an average density of 912.8 per square mile (347.5/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 95.15% White, 0.84% African American, 0.42% Native American, 1.69% Asian, and 1.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.32% of the population.
There were 229 households out of which 21.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.3% were non-families. 38.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.07 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the village the population was spread out with 18.1% under the age of 18, 3.2% from 18 to 24, 24.1% from 25 to 44, 35.9% from 45 to 64, and 18.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.3 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $56,731, and the median income for a family was $70,893. Males had a median income of $48,125 versus $38,333 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the village was $30,422. None of the families and 2.1% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 2.0% of those over 64.
Notable residents
Among the most notable former residents of Arden are Upton SinclairUpton Sinclair
Upton Beall Sinclair Jr. , was an American author who wrote close to one hundred books in many genres. He achieved popularity in the first half of the twentieth century, acquiring particular fame for his classic muckraking novel, The Jungle . It exposed conditions in the U.S...
(1878–1968), author of The Jungle
The Jungle
The Jungle is a 1906 novel written by journalist Upton Sinclair. Sinclair wrote the novel with the intention of portraying the life of the immigrant in the United States, but readers were more concerned with the large portion of the book pertaining to the corruption of the American meatpacking...
, Harry Kemp
Harry Kemp
thumb|rightHarry Hibbard Kemp was an American poet and prose writer of the twentieth century. He was known as "the "Vagabond Poet, the Villon of America, the Hobo Poet, or the Tramp Poet," and was a well-known popular literary figure of his era, the "hero of adolescent Americans."-Life and...
(1883–1960), known as the Vagabond Poet, Ella Reeve Bloor
Ella Reeve Bloor
Ella Reeve "Mother" Bloor was an American labor organizer and long-time activist in the socialist and communist movements.-Early years:...
(1862–1951), a founder of the communist party in America, and Scott Nearing
Scott Nearing
Scott Nearing was an American radical economist, educator, writer, political activist, and advocate of simple living.-The early years:...
(1883–1983) American radical economist, educator, writer, political activist, and advocate of simple living.