A painting of the Carpenters’ Shell House from the 1920s

A recent Barefootin' column focused on the Carpenter family’s Shell House, built in the early 1920s between Silver Lake and the Atlantic Ocean. Reader Gerilyn Gaskill read the column and then sent along this painting done by her grandfather back when the house was still in its first decade. She also sent this note along with the painting:

“I’m attaching a photo of a circa 1920s oil painting of the home, painted by my great-grandfather, August Seiler. After immigrating from Germany about 1890, August was a resident of Wilmington who summered on Laurel Street, Rehoboth Beach, in his later years.

“He was a prolific painter in his retirement years and many of his paintings still can be found in many of the older homes in Rehoboth. I don’t know that he ever sold anything; he liked to give his paintings away to his friends and acquaintances.

“The Shell House (we always referred to it as the Carpenter House) was still the only house south of the Boardwalk when I was growing up in the ‘50s and ‘60s. The Silver Lake area has certainly changed since then.”

The Cape Gazette always appreciates hearing from its readers and receiving historic photos and paintings to share with other readers. Many thanks to Gerilyn for sending this painting along.