Lewes
Lewes is a historic coastal city located in Sussex County, Delaware, situated at the base of Cape Henlopen where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean. Founded in 1631 by Dutch settlers, it holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in Delaware, a fact that has given rise to its well-known local boast of being "the first town in the first state."[1] With its grand Victorian homes, antique shops, preserved colonial streetscapes, and proximity to the Atlantic shore, Lewes draws visitors seeking both history and recreation along the Delaware coast.
History
Dutch Origins and Early Settlement
Lewes traces its founding to 1631, when Dutch settlers established a colony on the site.[2] The original settlement was called Zwaanendael, a Dutch name meaning "Valley of the Swans," reflecting the settlers' origins in the Netherlands. The colony was short-lived in its original Dutch incarnation, but its establishment marks the beginning of European habitation in what would become the state of Delaware.
The settlement's name and character changed substantially in the latter decades of the seventeenth century. Around 1685, the town was renamed Lewes, after Lewes, Sussex, England.[3] This renaming came after William Penn was granted rights to the area, bringing the territory under the influence of English colonial governance. The transition from Zwaanendael to Lewes reflected a broader shift in colonial power along the mid-Atlantic coast during the late seventeenth century, as English interests came to dominate territories previously claimed or explored by Dutch and Swedish settlers.
Colonial and Revolutionary Era
With a history dating back nearly four centuries, it is not surprising to find many homes in Lewes of both historical and architectural interest.[4] The town's longevity as a settled community means that it preserves layers of colonial, federal, and Victorian-era architecture within a compact and walkable area.
During the American Revolutionary War, Lewes produced figures of regional and political significance. David Hall, a resident of Lewes, practiced law and attained the rank of colonel during the Revolutionary War before entering political life.[5] In 1802, Hall became Delaware's fifteenth governor, a milestone that underscores Lewes's role as a community that contributed leaders to the young republic during its formative years.[6]
The "First Town in the First State"
Delaware's claim to being the first state derives from its place as the first to ratify the United States Constitution in 1787, earning it the nickname "The First State." Lewes, as the oldest European settlement within Delaware, parlays that statewide identity into its own local designation: "the first town in the first state."[7] Locals are prone to invoke this designation with a measure of civic pride, even as observers have noted that such distinctions are more evocative than strictly consequential. The phrase nonetheless communicates something genuine about Lewes's relationship to place and history — a community acutely aware of its own age and the layers of American history embedded in its landscape.
Geography
Lewes lies at the base of Cape Henlopen, the headland that projects out into the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of Delaware Bay.[8] This geographical position, where bay meets ocean, has shaped the town's character and economy across its entire history. The mouth of the Delaware Bay was a strategically important maritime location in the colonial era, serving as a gateway to the ports and settlements further up the bay and the Delaware River, including what would become Wilmington and Philadelphia.
Cape Henlopen itself is today preserved as Cape Henlopen State Park, a major natural and recreational resource for the region. The park's beaches, dunes, and coastal forests lie immediately adjacent to Lewes, making the town a natural staging point for visitors to the park. The combination of the bay, the open Atlantic, and the sheltered harbor has historically made Lewes a center of maritime activity, from colonial-era trade to the fishing and boating culture that continues today.
Architecture and Historic Character
among the most distinctive aspects of Lewes's built environment is its collection of grand Victorian homes, which line many of the town's historic streets.[9] These structures, many of which date to the nineteenth century, reflect the prosperity and aesthetic sensibilities of that era and give Lewes much of its physical character. Alongside the Victorian homes, older colonial and federal-period structures survive throughout the historic core of the town, providing a layered record of architectural history that spans multiple centuries.
The town's historic streetscapes and preserved buildings have drawn comparisons to a living antique — a place where the built environment itself conveys a sense of accumulated time.[10] This quality has made the town attractive both to residents seeking a historically grounded community and to visitors interested in the material culture of early American settlement.
Complementing the architectural heritage, Lewes maintains a small but notable collection of antique shops, whose presence reinforces the town's identity as a place engaged with history in both cultural and commercial terms.[11] The shops are woven into the fabric of the downtown area rather than concentrated in a single commercial district, giving the town center a varied and eclectic atmosphere.
Economy and Commerce
Tourism and Recreation
Tourism has become a central component of the Lewes economy, driven by the town's combination of historical interest, coastal geography, and proximity to Cape Henlopen State Park. Visitors arrive throughout the warmer months to enjoy the beaches, the harbor, and the historic downtown. The town's identity as a beach and fishing destination is deeply embedded in its commercial life, with restaurants, shops, and services oriented toward the seasonal visitor trade.
Lewes sits within Sussex County, which encompasses much of Delaware's coastal resort economy, including the larger resort community of Rehoboth Beach to the south. While Rehoboth Beach draws a higher volume of tourist traffic and has a larger commercial footprint, Lewes has cultivated a distinct identity rooted in its historic character and somewhat quieter atmosphere.
Dining and Restaurants
The restaurant scene in Lewes reflects both its coastal setting and its growing appeal as a culinary destination. Lewes Oyster House, described as a modern "tavern by the sea," operates in the heart of the Sussex County beach fishing town and has attracted regional attention for its seafood offerings.[12] The establishment is representative of a broader dining culture in Lewes that emphasizes locally sourced seafood and waterfront ambiance.
New restaurants continue to open in Lewes, reflecting ongoing commercial investment in the town. Among the establishments announced for the area is RARE, a steakhouse from Alex Piatrou and Tamara Tattersall, which is set to occupy the former Ocean Grill location in Lewes.[13] The arrival of new dining concepts alongside established institutions suggests that Lewes's food and beverage sector is an active and evolving part of the local economy.
Culture and Community
Lewes maintains a strong sense of local identity tied to its unusual historical depth. The community's awareness of its own history is evident in the range of institutions and organizations committed to preservation and public education about the town's past. Historic Lewes, a preservation-focused organization, maintains a detailed public timeline of the town's history, documenting events from the Dutch settlement era through the American republic's early decades and beyond.[14]
The Lewes Chamber of Commerce similarly emphasizes the town's history as a defining feature of its civic and commercial identity, presenting its historical depth as both a point of local pride and a draw for visitors and prospective residents.[15] The intersection of commercial activity and historical stewardship is characteristic of many small American towns with significant colonial-era heritage, and Lewes navigates that relationship with a long-established civic infrastructure.
The town's Victorian architecture, antique shops, and historic public spaces give Lewes a material culture that reinforces its historical narrative. Residents and institutions alike tend to present the town's age not merely as a historical fact but as an active element of community identity — something lived and visible in the built environment rather than confined to museums or archives.