Maritime mural planned for Lewes’ Rollins Center

A mural depicting the maritime history of Lewes will be going up on the outside of the Rollins Center, which is shared with the Lewes History Museum, later this year.

The mural is designed and painted by artist Michael Rosato, best known for the “Take My Hand” mural at the Harriett Tubman Museum in Cambridge, Md.

The theme for the Lewes mural is working on the water.

“The mural will depict the labor and industry that has taken place along the water, from creek to canal, throughout Lewes’ history,” the city’s public art committee said in a news release.

The committee unanimously approved the preliminary sketches Feb. 27. The mural is a collaboration among PAC, Historic Lewes (formerly Lewes Historical Society) and Art in Bloom.

Meetings were also held with the Delaware Archaeological Society, the African American community, and the city’s parks and recreation department.

“This has been a really fun project to be a part of. It’s so cool how it started in one place and went to a whole new place. Michael Rosato has been an amazing person to bring this to life,” said Heidi Lowe, Lewes Public Art Committee chair.

Rosato will paint the mural in his Maryland studio and attach it in two sections to the outside walls on the Kings Highway side of the building.

The left-hand panel features Native Americans before the arrival of European settlers. It will also show the arrival of the Dutch in 1631. 

The right-hand panel shows an African American pilot, ship’s captain and sailor checking the depth of the water. It also depicts slaves making their way through Lewes on the Underground Railroad, and Black and white shipbuilders.

Rosato is expected to complete the mural between July and September.

Lighting and signage are expected to be added in the future.

Rosato will use outdoor paint with an anti-graffiti coating. The mural is expected to last more than 25 years. Lowe said the mural will cost $30,000, split evenly among the three collaborating organizations.

The mural will be presented to mayor and city council at its regular meeting at 5:30 p.m., Monday, March 10 at city hall.

Rosato will get started when the city approves the project.