Last weekend’s coastal flooding revealed a brief but important chapter of Lewes history when the marshes between Freeman Highway and Savannah Road filled with the high tide mid-morning on Saturday. It’s no accident that the cedar-studded line working its way across the marsh toward the city’s wastewater treatment plant forms an almost perfect arc. In fact, the arc is part of an early 20th century railroad system that combined train and steamboat travel. The rail line that the arc peels off from, in the foreground of the photograph, is still in use but the rail bed built above the marsh to make the looping line for the cedars went out of use nearly 100 years ago. Read more about this interesting rail line in my Barefootin’ column in the Friday, Dec. 25 edition of the Cape Gazette.
The storm also accentuated the red ruins of the old Lofland Brick Company on Round Pole Branch Road just outside the easterly limits of Milton. I will post a photograph of those ruins on Wednesday morning. I will also post a photograph taken at the height of last weekend’s storm in Rehoboth Beach, about a half an hour after I took this photo in Milton. It shows the Boardwalk project work at the end of Rehoboth Avenue with the nor’easter-driven seas licking at the dunes just beyond the grasses. This nor’easter made up in intensity what it lacked in duration. The amazing thing about Rehoboth on Saturday was that there was zero snow here compared to the six inches already on the ground in Milton at the same time.
We were in a pocket here along the coast that protected us from the brunt of the storm. As Walter Brittingham often says, we’re so blessed to live here.
Tags: boardwalk project, coastal storm, Lewes, Lofland Brick Company, Milton, railroad, Rehoboth Beach
December 23, 2009 at 2:27 pm |
Hi Dennis,
I hope you receive this message. First of all, after the coastal flooding a few weeks back, I was walking toward the Point at Cape Henlopen and came upon a huge brick chimney with hearth jutting up out of the sand. I checked with the park and they confirmed it was part of the Cape Henlopen Lighthouse lightkeepers house. It was truly amazing as I had walked that beach for over 20 years and had never before had the pleasure of seeing that kind of history right before my eyes.
On another note, I read the comments on your recent story about the strange Pediatrician and disagree with the criticism you received. I totally “got” your message about the eerie signs of a dysfunctional man. The suit of armor and unkempt residence are very symbolic of a deeper mental disturbance, and those who disagreed apparently did not read the article which described the way the doctor videorecorded the abuses. Due process is a wonderful thing, but this guy is obviously guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Thanks for listening.
Warmest regards for a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Liz Lindsey Long Neck, DE
December 28, 2009 at 12:45 pm |
Liz, You mentioned in your post that you saw the chimney protruding from the sand on the beach as you were heading toward the Point? I have always been under the impression that the Light house that fell into the sea was hundreds and hudreds of feet off the coast? And, that it was directly out from one of the Batteries located in Fort Miles? There used to be a an informational posting about the lighthouse on the overlook?
December 28, 2009 at 6:27 pm |
Liz, carry a camera on your next walk! I was once in the keepers house with my father – maybe 1927-28. It was empty except for a lot of papers
littering the floor. I wish I had saved a couple. Does anyone know when it was destroyed – by fire, or wave?
December 30, 2009 at 12:40 am |
Hi Dennis-
As a young boy we would trap bait in the “square” of marsh you pictured. The 4 sides were the RR, the canal, the old Acme store(Queen Annes) and Anglers Road. You could get back there from either the road by the old dump past the wastewater plant, or park in back of the old Acme building. Best place ever to catch bait-your feet “got hard” cause you could never wear shoes in the mud or they were gone! The suction in the mud was such you’d lose them.
You once could still see some of the wood “ties”-but we’re talking back in the mid or late 70′s now. I had asked some of the old Lewes people back then-people like Mr. Robert Orr or Mr. Redmile on the beach-what Mr. Orr didn’t know Mr. Redmile could steer me to the right person to find out!!
Mr. Orr I recall said the tracks ended just past where the American Legion hall now is.
I made a bunch of money back there as a kid!!!
Greg Bell
Seaford, DE
December 30, 2009 at 7:34 pm |
Dolores,
I really don’t know where the lighthouse was but this chimney was very large with tons of brick attached and an arch that looked like a hearth above the fireplace. There isn’t anything else out there so I admit that I assumed it was part of the lightkeepers house.
Jack,
I am planning to visit the site again with a camera. When you were in the lightkeeper’s house, do you remember a very large brick fireplace? I just can’t imagine what else it could be, since the underground bunkers are much further south from the Point.
January 5, 2010 at 5:34 pm |
If you walk away from the beach toward the shifting sands there is also an old building that has a massive chimney, which on occassion appears with the movement of the sand. There is also (or used to be) an underground tunnel below this structure. Also, I think you are referring to the Delaware Breakwater Lighthouse. I found a picture (map) which show this light house, and although I’m not sure if it had a lightkeepers house, that may be what you’ve found?
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=38.79724+-75.10002+(Delaware Breakwater Lighthouse)&t=h&hl=en&ll=38.79724,-75.10002&spn=0.0228,0.048709&t=h