Lewes panel: Rename New Road field to honor Sam Russell

The Lewes Economic, Environmental and Resiliency Commission voted unanimously Jan. 14 to recommend that the city rename New Road field in honor of Sam Russell.

Russell once owned the 20-acre parcel at the corner of New Road and Park Road, which is now city property.

Members also said they would look for a way to include a tribute to Indigenous people in the naming.

Lewes Mayor and City Council voted last November to keep the land as natural as possible, supporting a reforestation plan. Up to 40% of the property could be turned into a meadow.

Deputy Mayor Khalil Saliba, EERC chair, said renaming the field as the Sam Russell Preserve has a lot of community support.

“It is because of his background as part of a multigenerational family in Lewes. He lived right behind it where his grandson lives now; his other grandson lives next door,” Saliba said.

Russell was a city building official and a member of the Lewes Planning Commission, and was active other organizations.

Cape Henlopen High School football gives the Sam Russell Award every year to the player who exhibits the highest level of sportsmanship.

Saliba suggested that the parcel’s name also include an ode to the Indigenous people who first inhabited the land thousands of years ago. He suggested the meadow could be named after an Indigenous individual.

Lewes Councilwoman Trina Brown-Hicks, who joined the meeting via Zoom, cautioned the panel about trying to locate specific, historic names.

“With Indigenous people or African Americans, a lot of that history is just not written down. I do encourage adding that moniker to the preserve, even if there is not a name that you can attribute to a Native American. It’s important we don’t discount that Indigenous people were the first people here,” she said.

EERC Commissioner Tracy Hancock suggested there should be signage educating people about Sam Russell and the early inhabitants of Lewes.

The commission also discussed the whereabouts of an ancient axe-head and other artifacts that may have been found on the parcel.

“The tract of land has been known as the Russell tract. I think the Russell family is deserving of having their name attached to this parcel,” said former Lewes Mayor Jim Ford, who served with Russell on the LPC in 1987 and called him a good friend.

Lewes mayor and council will consider the panel’s recommendation at a future meeting.