Lewes Historical Society embarks on extensive grounds renovations

Over the past 18 months and moving forward over the next 12, The Lewes Historical Society will have quietly invested over $1 million in its grounds and buildings in capital improvements from funds that have been raised from public and private sources to help restore the Thompson Country Store, Hiram Rodney Burton House, Early Plank House, Blacksmith Shop and Ellegood House.

Major upgrades to electrical systems were made across our main campus at Second and Shipcarpenter streets, and new state-of-the-art security systems were installed at several locations. Improvements were made to the Lewes Life-Saving Station Boathouse grounds as well as the parking area and pedestrian access areas along the Lewes Little League fields and the city tennis courts in a cooperative project led by the society in partnership with the City of Lewes, Lewes Little League and the Lightship Overfalls through a DelDOT Transportation Enhancement Grant.

Included in this project were safety enhancements at Pilottown Road and Shipcarpenter Street, such as more clearly defined crosswalks and dedicated pedestrian paths from Shipcarpenter Street to the canalfront. State Sen. Ernie Lopez and state Rep. Steve Smyk were critical partners as the society and City of Lewes worked together on this important improvement which enhanced Lewes’ access to its waterfront.

Now the society is about to embark on an impressive and needed project to help restore and improve our main campus at Second and Shipcarpenter streets. Thanks to private and public support, the society will be able to begin work later this fall on grading and site work to fix drainage issues, correct elevations, control erosion concerns, fix safety hazards, and install systems for continued maintenance of our grounds moving forward.

In the spring and into the summer of 2016, the society anticipates continued site work as well as major landscaping and planting projects to take place. However, the work is not being done simply to have a pretty lawn, but to have a robust and beautiful space that can handle the volume of visitors the society experiences.

This unfortunately means that the society’s grounds will not be available for use in 2016 as they have for the past 53 summers. Our grounds have become an important educational venue for visitors of all ages and a community gathering space for Lewes residents, vacationers and day-trippers.

We plan that events such as the Mid-Atlantic Sea Glass Festival, Lewes Craft Fairs, Lewes British Car Show, August Antiques Show and the Historic Lewes Farmers Market will be welcomed back in 2017 with open arms to a venue which, while still a beautiful and tranquil spot for the 340 days a year when a major event isn’t happening here, will be a durable and gorgeous setting for our community to gather, celebrate, and remember.

During the work our grounds will not be completely closed: Our museums will still be open, new exhibits will be mounted to help others experience the history of Beebe Healthcare during its centennial celebrations, and educational groups will still be able to visit and learn about our town’s storied past.

The Sea Glass Festival, craft fairs and antiques show will not be cancelled but will move temporarily to the Cape May-Lewes Ferry terminal in 2016, and we are excited that the ferry has agreed to work with us to offer such a remarkable venue. The Lewes British Car Show will be moving to the Beacon Motel and the Historic Lewes Farmers Market is exploring options for a temporary home, a process in which we have expressed a sincere desire to help.

Given the uncertainties that arise from any project of this nature, we felt that 2016 planning by the site’s many users would be made simpler if all events, including our own, were moved off site.

The Lewes Historical Society is grateful for the support of its members, volunteers, friends, private foundations, the State of Delaware, and City of Lewes in making all of these improvements a reality. As stewards of one of the most prominent spaces in Lewes, the society’s board of trustees takes seriously its obligation in maintaining our main campus for future generations.

While the society certainly is disappointed that many of the 96,000 visitors to our grounds will not be able to enjoy the events that traditionally happen here in 2016, we invite everyone to visit our museums, attend a lecture, or take a tour of Lewes with us with the knowledge that we anticipate our community’s cherished events will be right back here in 2017 and beyond.

Michael DiPaolo is executive director of the Lewes Historical Society.