Lewes’ almost forgotten Kings Highway businesses
The stretch of Kings Highway between the library and the Zwaanendael Museum is full of beautiful and carefully preserved historic homes. One may not know that stretch of the city was once home to a few businesses.
These photos show the Lewes Quick Wash at the corner of Kings and Jefferson Avenue and a luncheonette about a block west near the intersection of Kings and Madison Avenue. The Lewes Quick Wash building remains today, but the stone facade has been converted into a front porch and small side addition that blend in well with the rest of the home. There is no remaining trace of the luncheonette, which apparently sold Breyer’s ice cream and sold Lewes Dairy milk for 55 cents per half-gallon. It’s safe to say the phone booth is long gone too.
These photographs and several others from the 1960s were posted by Dean Bryan in the Facebook page Growing Up in Rehoboth, Dewey and Lewes in the ‘60s and ‘70s.
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.
