Otis Smith created workplace for all
During the time of segregation, Otis Smith ensured people of all races had a place to work at his Fish Products menhaden fish factory on Lewes Beach.
The factory once stood where the Port Lewes community is today next to the Cape May-Lewes Ferry. He moved to Lewes from Long Island in the late 1930s, following the fish. In 1974, with local menhaden stocks depleted by decades of aggressive fishing, Smith moved his Fish Products operation from Lewes to Louisiana. In the early 1980s, long after Smith had moved away, demolition began on the reinforced concrete buildings built to store fish meal. The dynamite made for a dramatic sight, but the job finally required a wrecking ball to take apart what Otis Smith had built to last.
Smith was much more than the owner of Fish Products; he was Lewes mayor for 18 years and a very generous philanthropist. He died in 2001 at the age of 91 in Selma, Ala.
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.
