Emily P Bissell Hospital

DELAWARE SNAPSHOT 📸
Birthplace of Christmas Seals
A new exhibit at the Delaware Public Archives in Dover shares the amazing story of how Christmas Seals began in our state. On December 9, 1907, the nation’s first Christmas Seals went on sale at a Wilmington post office. The 1-cent, non-postage stamps were created by American Red Cross leader/philanthropist/anti-suffragist Emily P. Bissell of Wilmington, who got the idea from a project in Denmark. She hoped to raise $300 to save a relative’s debt-strapped tuberculosis sanitarium, but thanks to national newspaper publicity, the stamps caught on and raised $15+ million in a dozen years. They continue today, sponsored by the American Lung Association.
– Compiled by robin brown
Delaware Public Archives
General Photograph Collection
Photo: Undated; hand-tinted

DELAWARE SNAPSHOT 📸
Stamp of Approval

U.S. Christmas Seal creator Emily P. Bissell was born May 31, 1861, in Wilmington. To help city immigrants, she founded a center that’s now West End Neighborhood House, celebrating 140 years of community service. She sold her non-postal stamps to raise funds to fight tuberculosis. Her goal was $300 but she raised $3,000 – and won world fame. Although she opposed women’s right to vote, Bissell is considered a philanthropist and humanitarian.
– Compiled by robin brown
Delaware Public Archives
Small Manuscript Collections
Delaware Anti-Tuberculosis Society Collection
First day cover: May 31, 1980

Life, death and a ghost hunter's dream: What will become of the Emily Bissell Hospital? The abandoned hospital has drawn the attention of both history buffs and ghost lovers alike in recent years

Here are the after pictures of the grounds in front of the Main entrance to the facility, and the grounds in front of the 1912 building after the Bank of America Volunteers planted the donated flowers from the garden club.

We had a loveable 4 legged visitor come to Emily Bissell the other day. His name is Stormy, and he is a miniature horse. He came all the way from downstate Delaware to visit with the residents and staff at the facility.

We at Emily Bissell are always looking for Volunteers to make the residents and the facility better. Please consider donating your time to Bissell the next time you need to satisfy the need to give back to the community

Here is an area that was an old tree stup that was removed. With the help of volunteers from Bank of America, we were able to transform it to look like this:

Here is pictures of the Monarch Butterfly Way station garden.
These flowers and plantings were done with the help of the Moonflower garden Club and Bank of America Volunteers

These are pictures of the grounds of Emily P Bissell hospital before Volunteers of Bank of America plant new flowers to beautify the grounds for the summer.