Despite less-than-ideal conditions, the Lewes Historical Society hosted A Holiday Tour of Lewes and Holiday Village & Market Dec. 3.
Decorated wall to wall, with some outside fixtures, eight homes played host to hundreds of visitors. Hoping to bring good cheer, the Lewes Historical Society puts on the event annually to showcase how beautiful the holiday season is around the First Town in the First State, and the uniqueness of the properties around the district. Various groups and businesses across Lewes sponsor or volunteer at each house along the way.
At the historical society’s main campus on Shipcarpenter Street, the Holiday Village & Market featured vendors braving the rain storm to set up shop. Demonstrations from historical society volunteers also showed what the holiday season was like throughout the history of Lewes. Among the vendors was a bright yellow boat belonging to Nautical Academics Captains School. The boating school found themselves there because they believed there were not enough food drives in the area, despite the need. The Stuff A Boat community food drive ran for two days, collecting nonperishable items with a goal of filling up a boat. Donations were taken to the Cape Henlopen Food Basket.
![The Lewes Historical Society’s Holiday Tour of Lewes and Holiday Village & Market were held Dec. 3, despite a day of downpour. Mrs. Claus chose to wait in the truck at “The Pineapple House.”](/sites/capegazette/files/2022/12/field/image/_MG_4714.jpg)
![The line outside 125 Jefferson St. spilled onto the sidewalk, much like several of the lines at the featured homes.](/sites/capegazette/files/2022/12/field/image/_MG_4781.jpg)
![The Stuff A Boat community food drive was sponsored by Nautical Academics Captains School, which had a boat on the Lewes Historical Society’s main campus to accept nonperishable goods. Donations were taken to the Cape Henlopen Food Basket Dec. 5 following the two-day drive.](/sites/capegazette/files/2022/12/field/image/_MG_4706.jpg)
![No sign of SpongeBob inside The Pineapple House, but the artists who own 121 Franklin St. do have some squares of pretty cool art around their Christmas tree.](/sites/capegazette/files/2022/12/field/image/_MG_4725.jpg)
![Rumor has it this guy both lost and three sheets to the wind at the same time. Guess the guy gets a little stressed this time of year.](/sites/capegazette/files/2022/12/field/image/_MG_4738.jpg)
![While a classic in our eyes, these light-up deer decorations are modern compared to the vintage house at 420 Kings Highway. The home was built around 1780.](/sites/capegazette/files/2022/12/field/image/_MG_4755.jpg)
![Santa would not comment on whether the soot came from using the fireplace or the coal in his sack marking the brick with each slide.](/sites/capegazette/files/2022/12/field/image/_MG_4769.jpg)
![Milton Betts greets guests coming into the dining area of 420 Kings Highway, informing them that while the pastries are homemade and real, they are there to be observed, not touched.](/sites/capegazette/files/2022/12/field/image/_MG_4767.jpg)
![Laura Brittingham, co-owner of Brittingham Farms, ducks out of the rain with Charlie. As a Leicester Longwool heritage breed sheep, Charlie can trace his heritage back to George Washington’s sheep at Mount Vernon.](/sites/capegazette/files/2022/12/field/image/_MG_4671.jpg)
![The living room inside the Burton-Ingram House shows what a Christmas morning during Colonial times might have looked like for children.](/sites/capegazette/files/2022/12/field/image/_MG_4695.jpg)
![The Maull house, operated by the Daughters of the American Revolution, features various holly and pine tree greenery.](/sites/capegazette/files/2022/12/field/image/_MG_4795.jpg)
![The brand-new roof atop the Maull House held up strong in the rain, seeming to shine with a coat of water running down it.](/sites/capegazette/files/2022/12/field/image/_MG_4814.jpg)