HISTORIC LEWES, THE OLDEST TOWN IN DELAWARE

Replica of the Lewes Lighthouse, Lewes, Delaware.

The town of Lewes, founded in 1631 by Dutch settlers, is the oldest town in the state of Delaware. Located at the coast where Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean, it sits behind a long, sandy beach and grassy marsh.

Log cabin occupied by an early settler.

In early September, we spent a weekend in Lewes with our extended family, staying in a vacation house near the beach. Years ago, I had read a children’s book called Cornstalks and Cannonballs, about how the citizens of Lewes had defended their town when it was under siege by British warships during the War of 1812. The Cannonball House, the only building actually struck during the siege, is now a museum, the cannonball still embedded in its wall. During my visit I was curious to find out more about the story and about local history.

Historic buildings at the Lewes Historical Society Museum, Main Campus.

Lewes is filled with many historic sites and museums, following its course of history from the time of the native Americans (the Lenape) who have lived in the area for thousands of years, through the Revolutionary War and up to the 20^th Century. 

Site of the home of Leah Burton, an advocate of women's rights.

I started my explorations at the Lewes Historical Society Museum main campus, located on Ship Carpenter Street. There, in a park-like setting, a variety of structures are on display, moved there from their original sites. They range from a log cabin used originally as a dwelling, to a schoolhouse, a doctor’s office, a general store and several other buildings. Refreshments are available at the historic Sussex Tavern.

Schoolhouse bell. Wooden shingles were common on 19th Century buildings.

19th Century school room. Desktops have holes for ink bottles.

Until the 1960s Lewes schools were segregated. They were not fully integrated until 1966.

Although the schoolhouse is meant to reflect those typical of earlier generations, the wooden desks are exactly the same as the ones I sat at in my elementary school in the 1950s.  I remember when my third grade teacher passed out bottles of ink so we could practice our penmanship.

Revolutionary War surgical instruments.

Detailed signs throughout the park explain the significance of exhibits and make it easy to do a self-guided tour. And in the general store—filled with antiques available for purchase—there is a volunteer to answer questions and provide information to visitors. From her I learned that in the book about Lewes that I had remembered so well, the story had been fictionalized. The cannonballs and bravery of the citizens is all true, but there never were any cornstalks painted black to look like rifles. 

Antique dolls.

Singer sewing machine.

Among the antiques on display at the house behind the general store were a China doll similar to one my mother played with as a child and a Singer sewing machine just like my grandmother’s. I first learned to sew on her treadle machine.

Train outside the Lewes History Museum.

From there I went to the Lewes History Museum at the town Community Center at 101 Adams Avenue. It is located in what used to be the town library, now in a new larger building next door. At the museum we saw an excellent short video about the history of Delaware. Parked outside, between the Community Center and Library is a historic Pennsylvania Railroad train, complete with engine, coal car and caboose.

Zwaanendael Museum, built in 1931 to honor the 300th anniversary of Lewes.

The Historical Society also operates the Zwaanendael Museum, which features the maritime, civil and social history of Lewes, and is built in the Dutch style of the 17th Century.  We didn’t have time to go inside or to visit all of the other historical sites of Lewes in our short visit. Clearly, we will have to return some day! If we go there five years from now, we will be on time for the celebration of its 400th year!