The menhaden fishing reel net should permanently remain on the Lewes Historical Society Campus! As a boy growing up in Lewes in the ‘50s and ‘60s, I experienced a different Lewes than the Lewes I live in today. The transition from a blue-collar town to today’s Lewes has been swift, especially in the African American community.
When the menhaden fishing industry was going strong I worked in the family business, Robinson’s IGA (now Lloyd’s Market), delivering groceries to some boats of the fishing fleet. This gave me the opportunity to view the processing part of the operation which included the reel in use.
When the fish factories closed and the land transitioned to Cape Shores, the end of the menhaden fishing era was complete. The same type of transition is occurring in the African American part of town, and that history will soon be lost.
The net reel will serve as a reminder of the importance of the fishing industry to Lewes. As part of the African American Trail, it can highlight the importance of African Americans to the fishing industry and Lewes.
I find the net reel to be an asset to the Lewes Historical Society Campus and the City of Lewes.
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