Pretty fun place to stop by. The woman at the front desk was very well informed. There was a cute…read morelittle art area for the kids to color. The merman was weird, but in a fun way.

Created for the 300th anniversary of the first European settlement in Delaware, the museum looks…read morejust like one the "house" I got on my last KLM flight. Yes, I've been to Amsterdam and this looks just like them. That's because the Zwaanendael Museum was designed to honor the city hall in Hoorn, Netherlands. The museum exhibits the history and settlement of the southern coast of Delaware. I thought the train lines were very interesting as well as the Delftware on display. Perhaps you missed that Lewes was bombarded by the British during the War of 1812 (there's a house with a cannonball not far away). The museum is free but definitely accepts donations. [Review 18199 overall - 116 in Delaware - 1721 of 2022.]

If you are visiting the Lewes, DE terminal building at the Cape May Lewes Ferry, take a walk…read morethrough the restaurant's back door to the waterfront for some great scenery and a memorial to the sailors who were lost in the nearby waters and washed ashore on the local beaches over the centuries. You'll see a 1983 marker in a small landscaped area that was the joint effort between  the Delaware River & Bay Authority, the Colonel David Hall Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Lewes Historical Society. It's inscription reads: UNKNOWN SAILORS' CEMETERY Lewes has been a Port of Call and a Harbor of Refuge since the 17th century. For generations during the age of sail, a public burial ground in this immediate locality became the final resting place for hundreds of sailors who lost their lives and whose unidentified bodies were here cast ashore. In remembrance of those persons whose remains are sheltered on this shore, this memorial is placed. May they find eternal repose.

There are a couple of lighthouses here in the Delaware Bay and this one is very definitely the…read moreHarbor of Refuge light. It is a cast-iron structure that was built in 1926 and is designed to handle even the most intense Atlantic weather. It is 76 feet tall and has a black base, a white conical tower and a black lantern level at the top. The light on the tower has been replaced a few times but it currently operated by solar power and includes a fog signal that is also powered by solar. I saw the lighthouse today from the Lewes-Cape May Ferry https://www.yelp.com/biz/cape-may-lewes-ferry-north-cape-may-4?hrid=eqhIEWJmJAJ_9Ndxpt223w but it can also be seen from the tip of Cape Henlopen State Park https://www.yelp.com/biz/cape-henlopen-state-park-lewes. The lighthouse is operated by the Delaware River and Bay Lighthouse Foundation. While the lighthouse is not accessible from land, there are boat tours that bring you to the lighthouse, if that's something that appeals to you. See https://www.yelp.com/biz/cape-water-tours-and-taxi-lewes-2. [Review 18215 overall - 127 in Delaware - 1737 of 2022.]

We did the one hour walking tour of Lewes today and had a great time! Our tour guide was so funny…read moreand engaging! We walked around to a few different houses, graveyards, and buildings on the tour. You don't have to walk all that far, but keep in mind the tour is standing and sometimes in the sun. We enjoyed learning more about the history of Lewes and think the tour was well worth the $10 fee. We will be back again soon!

Most of the markers in the US point out events of the Colonial Era, the Revolutionary War or the…read moreCivil War. So it was interesting to spot a marker that points out the history of the War of 1812, which was caused by differences not resolved in 1776 and escalated in 1807 after the Royal Navy began enforcing tighter restrictions on American trade with France. This marker stands next to the Lewes Historical Society and reads, "The War of 1812 had a major impact on the town of Lewes and surrounding area. The naval blockade that was initiated by the British in March of 1813 lasted for most of the next two years. With maritime commerce limited, the local economy suffered. The regular presence of troops resulted in the use of many structures in the town for military purposes, and a camp for militia and U.S. Army Regulars was established near Blockhouse Pond. During the bombardment of Lewes on April 6th and 7th, 1813, numerous homes and businesses were damaged by naval fire from the British squadron. Known today as the Cannonball House, this structure still bears visible traces of the engagement including an iron cannonball that is lodged in its foundation. Built circa 1760 and enlarged in the 1790s, the house was then the residence of the McCracken family. Owner Gilbert McCracken and his son Henry were among the many bay and river pilots who served in Delaware militia companies that provided important service in the successful defense of Lewes during the war." "The Cannonball House was purchased by the Lewes Historical Society in 1963. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places." This is marker number SC-168 and was erected by the Delaware Public Archives in 2003. It is outside and therefore, there is no charge to view it. There is an admission charge for the Historical Society. [Review 18207 overall - 121 in Delaware - 1729 of 2022.]

"A beach is a place where a man can feel He's the only soul…read morein the world that's real" (The Who) We saw quite a few historical markers along the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk, and this one at Rehoboth Avenue gives you an overview of the town's history. It traces the town's timeline from its 1873 establishment and its growth into the 1890's as an East coast resort destination. The inscription reads: "On January 27, 1873, the "Rehoboth Beach Camp Meeting Association of the Methodist Episcopal Church" was incorporated by the Delaware legislature for the purpose of establishing "a permanent camp meeting ground and Christian sea-side resort." With the coming of the railroad in 1878, the growth of the community was accelerated. On March 19, 1891, an act was passed incorporating the municipality as Cape Henlopen City. The name was formally changed to Rehoboth in 1893. Since its founding the City of Rehoboth Beach has continued to be one of the most popular resorts on the Atlantic coast, attracting thousands of visitors each year."

I thought Rehoboth was adorable. I enjoyed parking and walking the main shopping street for a few…read morehours with my husband and having snacks and lunch. It was freezing and windy and raining the entire weekend we were in town so we didn't have stellar weather to enjoy the beach and all the amenities of the city but the people were friendly and parking was easy enough so we enjoyed ourselves and plan to come back again in the fall if we're able.

Took the guided tour of this historic ship. Our guide Frank was an expert having actually served on…read moreone. He gave us a lot of information and details, but in a fun personable way. We like to tour lighthouses and this floating lighthouse is one of the most unique we have seen.

I've been to dozens of lighthouses…read morehttps://www.yelp.com/collection/GLWJhPZloUBCLUFSYgLw4g/Lighthouses but this is my first visit to a lightship. This was the last lightship built for the U.S. Lighthouse Service (since folded into the US Coast Guard) and only one of the two lightships built in the 20th century. Overfalls (not her original name) was built in East Boothbay, Maine in 1938. This was the last lightship built with a riveted construction. Nearly all ships are now built using welded seam technology. Lots of history here including her service in three separate stations: 1938 to 1957 in the Long Island Sound near Old Saybrook CT, 1958 to 1962 near Martha's Vineyard and in 1962, she was reassigned to Boston Harbor until taken out of service in 1972. In 1973, the Coast Guard donated the ship to the Lewes Historical Society (LHS) to serve as a floating museum here. The Overfalls station is in the mouth of Delaware Bay where lightships had served as a mid-channel marker from 1898 to 1960 when the station was discontinued. Overfalls was recently towed to Dorchester Shipyard for repairs and repainting. So please check their site to see when it's back. [Review 18204 overall - 118 in Delaware - 1726 of 2022.]

"And up there in the Heavens The explorers who've all…read moregathered Saw the world turn" (Coldplay) As we took a leisurely walk along the Rehoboth Boardwalk, we were struck by a double-sided stone monument with two rounded medallions where the boardwalk converges with Olive Ave & N 1st Street. What was it and why was it there? Well, turns out the monument honors the 1524 voyage of Italian Explorer Giovanni de Verrazzano, the first European explorer to chart portions of North America's east coast from Canada to the Carolina's a mere 500 years ago. One of his many stops was in what is now known as Delaware. An Inscription on the marker reads: "A native of Val Di Greve in the Tuscany region of Italy, he studied navigation as a young man and became a master mariner. He was engaged by the King of France to lead a voyage to North America in 1524. The purpose of Verrazzano's journey was to learn more about the continent. Traveling in a small ship known as the Dauphine, he explored coastal areas from the present-day State of North Carolina to Canada, observing the natural abundance of the land and the vibrant culture of its native peoples. His voyage is the earliest documented European exploration of this part of the Atlantic Coast. This monument rests upon stone from Castello di Verrazzano, the explorer's ancestral home." The Verrazano Monument was built in 2010 and sponsored by the Delaware Commission on Italian Heritage and Culture. It's a very cool piece of American history.

This marker is across the street from the Zwaanendael Museum and points out the history of the…read morebuilding and the group that currently occupies it. It's a pretty brick building but is otherwise unremarkable. The marker reads, "This building was constructed in 1898 by the Sussex Trust Title and Safe Deposit Company. It was opened in October of that year, and continued to serve as the Lewes branch of the bank until being replaced by a new structure on Second Street in 1911. The property was subsequently sold, and for a time was used as a store. On December 14, 1929, it was donated to the Zwaanendael Women's Club by Virginia L. Mustard, a Charter Member of the organization. "Founded in 1905, the Zwaanendael Club was organized by a group of public-spirited women for the purpose of promoting community improvement through volunteer service. For a number of years the club's meetings were held in the homes of members, and at various other locations in the town. Their first meeting at this location was on October 7, 1930. It was decided to set up a lending library and offer use of the building to various community organizations. The facility was expanded in the 1930s with the construction of an addition on Third Street. The Zwaanendael Club Building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1980." In 1905, thirty women met to organize a Lewes chapter of the Century Club, later to become the Delaware Federation of Women's Clubs. They called the club Zwaanendael, commemorating the town's Dutch settlement of the same name in 1631. This is marker number SC-161 and was ereceted in 2002 by the Delaware Public Archives. [Review 18203 overall - 117 in Delaware - 1725 of 2022.]