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Lewes, the first town in the first State, this week has been named one of the country’s top 12 destination cities by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
“I think it’s great. What it does is tells us that what we’re doing in the town is working,” said Bob Lore, president of the Lewes Chamber of Commerce.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is the country’s largest private, nonprofit preservation organization, The organization named the city to its 2006 list of America’s Dozen Distinctive Destinations, an annual list of unique and lovingly preserved communities in the United States.
It was selected from 93 destinations in 39 states that were nominated by individuals, preservation organizations and local communities. Since the list started in 2000, this is the first time that a Delaware destination has been named.
Lore said wherever he vacations he always compares Lewes to the new destination.
“Lewes always comes out ahead. It’s a great destination and I’m pleased and proud to be part of it,” Lore said.
Mayor Jim Ford said Lewes’ selection to the list is a reflection of how much citizens of the city care about what happens there.
“It’s just a wonderful comment on the community, it’s a reflection of what Lewes is. There are so many different aspects of the community that are appealing,” Ford said. He said the city’s maritime heritage, natural environment, history and architecture, combine to make Lewes a unique place.
Ted Becker, a Lewes city councilman and co owner of the Inn at Canal Square, said the National Trust accolade is confirmation that Lewes has a lot to offer.
“It’s a wonderful recognition of all the efforts being put forth by the government and the citizens to make this a wonderful place to live,” Becker said.
Ford said the recognition also creates a challenge for the city. “We want people to enjoy the town and appreciate it but at the same time we don’t want to be overwhelmed with so much that we can’t handle it,” Ford said. The National Trust panel cited Lewes’ long-range planning vision and interest in historic preservation as reasons for making it a destination.
Other cities on the destination list include Monterey, Calif., Prescott, Ariz., and Waimea, Hawaii.
“Waimea was my favorite company to be in. I’d like to go visit that one to see how we compare,” Ford said.
First settled by the Dutch in 1631, Lewes is where the Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean meet.
Home to generations of fishermen and river pilots, Lewes is fiercely proud of its colorful maritime heritage and its charming, diverse collection of well-preserved historic homes, some dating back to the 1660s.
With its small, cypress-shingled homes that line narrow streets, colonial Dutch vernacular architecture and stately Victorians, Lewes is a town made for walking. Within an area approximately a half-mile square, visitors will find an enchanting historic district, including Pilottown, the traditional home of the Delaware River & Bay Pilots, and Chamomile, a historically African-American section of the city, as well as museums, antique shops, art galleries, fine restaurants and several inns and charming B&Bs. Lewes is also home to the 5,193-acre Cape Henlopen State Park, created by William Penn in 1682 and given to the settlers of Lewes, a bequest that became the young nation’s first public lands. An area of great natural beauty, the park is famous not only as the site of many shipwrecks but for its miles of white sand beaches and for its hiking, biking, fishing, kayaking, camping and the historic Henlopen Lighthouse, which still haunts local seas and captures imaginations. Visitors also enjoy taking a trip aboard the ferry from Lewes to Cape May, New Jersey, which offers far more than just a shortcut from the Delaware coast to the Jersey shore. Crossing the Delaware Bay in 70 minutes, the trip offers a breathtaking view of two of the Mid-Atlantic’s most picturesque seaside towns.
“This year, Lewes marks its 375th anniversary, and because generations of Lewes residents had the foresight to value and preserve their town’s remarkable past, visitors today are able to enjoy all the many qualities that make this town so special,” said Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
This is the seventh time the National Trust for Historic Preservation has announced a list of Dozen Distinctive Destinations. To date, there are 84 Dozen Distinctive Destinations located in 41 states throughout the country. To see a complete list, visit www.nationaltrust.org. In each community, residents have taken forceful action to protect their town’s character and sense of place. Whether by enacting a local preservation law to protect historic buildings against demolition, rewriting zoning codes to prevent commercial sprawl, removing regulatory barriers to downtown housing, making downtown areas more walkable, enacting design standards, or taking some other major step that demonstrates a strong commitment to their town, residents have worked hard to preserve the historic and scenic assets of their communities, with rewards that transcend town limits.
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