Lewes of the past
This undated aerial photograph in the Delaware Public Archives collection gives us a window into the Lewes of yesteryear. It shows a west-facing view of the downtown area before Fisherman’s Wharf and Irish Eyes were built along the eastern bank of the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal.
The opposite side of the canal is without the Inn at Canal Square and Canalfront Park. Beebe Healthcare is present, but with a much smaller footprint. And Shipcarpenter Square, which was built in early 1980s, in the large open field in the upper right, was nothing more than an idea in Jack Vessels’ head.
Cape Henlopen High School, originally built in 1976 on the open land in the upper left between Savannah Road and Kings Highway, is also absent from this photograph.
Nick Roth is the news editor. He has been with the Cape Gazette since 2012, previously covering town beats in Milton and Lewes. In addition to serving on the editorial board and building pages, Nick is responsible for the weekly Delaware History in Photographs feature and enjoys writing stories about the Cape Region’s history. Prior to the Cape Gazette, Nick worked for the Delmarva Media Group, including the Delaware Wave, Delaware Coast Press and Salisbury Daily Times. He also contributed to The News Journal. Originally from Boyertown, Pa., Nick attended Shippensburg University in central Pennsylvania, graduating in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He’s won several MDDC awards during his career for both writing and photography. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, going to the beach with his family and cheering for Philadelphia sports teams.
