Lewes, Delaware City Guide
For over 20 years, Pamela Lanier's Lewes, Delaware Travel Guide has been your connection to Lewes's tourism community with invaluable details on local attractions, restaurants, shopping, museums, history, outdoor recreation and more.
Lewes History
The Dutch were the first Europeans to inhabit the Lewes area, establishing a whaling and trading post in June of 1632. The settlement was called Zwaanendael (Swan Valley) but by 1632 the 32 Dutch settlers were killed by natives. In 1659 the Dutch again established a settlement and by 1674 the English took possession of the area. William Penn arrived to the area in 1682 and gave the settlement the name Lewes and the county Sussex after the English town and county. During the War of 1812, Lewes was briefly but ineffectually bombarded. The maritime museum has a remnant of the bombardment stuck in its foundation. Fort Miles was built on Cape Henlopen to defend the Delaware Bay and River as well as the cities and industries located here. Fortunately, the fort saw very little action and was closed 1991. Tourism is a major industry in Lewes today. Yet those who travel to Lewes will find it hard to properly refer to the locals of the area. The populous of Lewes have never reached a consensus on whether to call themselves Lewesians, Lewesites, or Lewestowners. Perhaps your bed and breakfast innkeepers can offer some insight on this dilemma.
