Bullseye-Ferry Landing
SC-172: Before Dutch control of what is now Sussex County, Native American Iwatama Socuum held “Long Reach,” now Bullseye-Ferry Landing Preserve. After 1674, when the Dutch left, it was held by the Waples family and later, the Faucett family. In 1696, Peter Waples established a Ferry across the Indian River from this location for travelers […]
Block House Pond
SC-288: Block House Pond, a natural spring-fed pond, has provided fresh water, ice, and recreation to the City of Lewes for several centuries. The pond was likely named for a nearby blockhouse built to protect Lewes in the 1670s, where town residents sought shelter during the Bombardment of Lewes in 1813. In the late-1800s and […]
Broadkiln Hundred
SC-29: Originally known as Broadkill Hundred, after creek of that name, kill being Dutch word for creek. Name changed by General Assembly 1833 when Georgetown Hundred was set off. In 1835 Act was repealed, and Broadkiln Hundred embraced same territory as before 1833. Georgetown Hundred again set off in 1861. Installed in 1932. Sponsors: Historical […]
Transit of Venus Observatory
SC-252: In 1769, an international scientific effort was organized to observe a transit of Venus in order to determine the size of the solar system. This rare event, when Venus passes in the front of the Sun’s disk, makes such calculations possible when measured from widely separated sites. The American Philosophical Society sent Owen Biddle […]
Cool Spring Presbyterian Church
SC-240: Named for the river branch which runs along its northwest edge, Cool Spring Presbyterian Church was established circa 1726. Many of its members were Ulster Scots who had come to America from Ireland seeking religious freedom and economic opportunity. In 1728 an Anglican missionary reported that the Presbyterians “have a minister here of the […]
The Blizzard of 1888
SC-221: Known as the “Great White Hurricane,” the Blizzard of 1888 was one of the most devastating weather events in recorded history. Affecting coastal states from Virginia to Maine, this paralyzing storm resulted in widespread death and destruction. With its large stone Breakwater providing a buffer from heavy seas, the harbor at Lewes was considered […]
Conley’s Chapel
On February 9, 1838, a meeting was held at the Angola Schoolhouse for the purpose of formally organizing a Methodist Episcopal Church to serve the needs of local residents. On that same day, the congregation’s newly elected trustees received a deed for land at this location, on which “a house or place of worship” was […]
Menhaden Fishing Industry
SC-214: The Atlantic Menhaden is a small herring-like fish found in the coastal waters of the Eastern United States. Used by Native Americans to fertilize crops, these oily fish were also used by European settlers to produce fuel for lamps. In the mid-19th century, technological improvements resulted in more-efficient processing methods and the menhaden fishing […]
St. Peters Episcopal Church
SC-202: In 1680 the Justices of the County petitioned Governor Edmond Andros for the right to grant lands. Under this authority, a lot of ground at this location was reserved for “public use.” Many of the settlers who came to this area in the late 17th and early 18th centuries were members of the Church […]
Delaware Breakwater East End Lighthouse
SC-185: Located on the eastern end of the Delaware Breakwater, this brown conical structure was built in 1885. The tower is composed of four tiers of cast iron plates lined with two feet of brick. It is twenty-two feet in diameter at the base and is set upon a circular concrete foundation. When completed it […]
