Historical Markers in
Sussex County, Delaware

155mm Gun 16-inch Gun 3-Inch Gun 312 East 4th Street 326 West Third Street 403 South Central Avenue 404 Pine Street 407 5th Street 502 South Central Avenue 505 South Central Avenue 511 Pine Street 6-inch Gun 8-inch Gun A History of the Junction & Breakwater Railroad A History of the Junction & Breakwater Railroad Abbott's Mill Absalom Jones Academy / Masonic Hall Addy I Aircraft Warning System American Legion Memorial Ancient Paths Antioch Camp Meeting Asbury United Methodist Church Askekesky Baltimore Hundred Beebe Hospital Bethany Beach Loop Canal Bethany United Methodist Church Bethel Church Bethel Church Bethel Shipyard Bethesda Methodist Church Blackwater Presbyterian Church Blades United Methodist Church Bowling Alley Breakwaters Bridgeville, Delaware Broadkiln Hundred Burton-Ingram House Burton-Ingram House Addition Cannon-Maston House Cannon's Ferry Cape Henlopen Lighthouse Replica Cape May - Lewes Ferry Captain Chambers Chance Captain Ebe Chandler House Carey Storehouse Carey's Camp Causey House Cedar Creek Hundred Cedar Creek Hundred Centenary United Methodist Church Chad E. Spicer Chair of Honor Chaplain's Chapel United Methodist Church Charles W. Cullen Bridge Children's Fishing Pier Christ United Methodist Church City of Rehoboth Beach Cokesbury Church Concord United Methodist Church Cool Spring Presbyterian Church Cool Spring Station Dagsboro David Hall House Delaware Breakwater East End Lighthouse Delaware Breakwater Quarantine Station Delaware Confederate War Memorial Delaware Pilots Delaware Technical and Community College Delaware’s Beachnesters deVries Monument Dickerson Chapel A.M.E. Church Dodds Corner Dr. Farlow House Drexler House Edward Redfield Elizabeth Smith-Cornish Ellendale's Railroad Square Errett Cottage Evans-West House Family Home of William H. H. Ross Fenwick Island Lighthouse Fisherman's Cottage Fooks-Plummer House Fort Miles Artillery Park Fort Miles Historical Area Fort Miles in World War II Fort Saulsbury Forty & Eight Boxcar Frankford United Methodist Church Frederick E. Hudson Funland Gateway to Freedom: The Tilly Escape General Alfred T.A. Torbert George Alfred Townsend Birthplace Georgetown Georgetown Fire Company Georgetown Presbyterian Church Georgetown Train Station German Submarine at Cape Henlopen Giovanni Da Verrazzano Godwin's School - District #190 Golden Rule Lodge #17, I.O.O.F. Gordy-Windsor House Goshen Cemetery Goshen United Methodist Church Governor David Hazzard Governor James Ponder Governor Joseph Maull Governor Joseph Maull Carey Governor Ross Mansion Governor Samuel Paynter Governor William H. H. Ross Grace United Methodist Church Grace United Methodist Church Gumboro Hundred Gumboro School Gumboro United Methodist Church H.M. Brig DeBraak Harbeson Railroad Station Privy Harbor of Refuge Lighthouse Hardscrabble Harmony United Methodist Church Hearn's Pond Hickory Hill Methodist Church Highball Signal Hiram Lodge No. 21 A.F&A.M. Hiram Rodney Burton House History of Lake Comegys and Silver Lake Home of John G. Townsend, Jr. Home of John J. Williams Home of Major Henry Fisher Hope Lodge No. 4 Indian Mission School Indian Mission United Methodist Church Indian River Hundred Indian River Inlet and Bridge Indian River Life-Saving Station Israel United Methodist Church Jack Lewis John McCabe John Penrose Virden John Sudler Isaacs Jones Cemetery Joseph T. Adams House Key Dates and Events in the Town's History Killed in Action Memorial Ladies' Auxiliary of the Seaford Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. (LASVFD) Last Lewes Pilot Skiff Lattimer Cottage Launching George May Sailing Ship, 1900 Laurel Lewes Lewes Lewes Lewes Lewes Lewes Presbyterian Church Lewes-Rehoboth Canal Life in South Bethany Through the Years Life Saving Station Lighthouses Lightship Overfalls Line United Methodist Church Macedonia A.M.E. Church Major General Alfred T.A. Torbert Mansion Farmer: the David Robbins Homestead Mariner’s Bethel United Methodist Church Mason and Dixon Line-Survey Start Maull House McColley's Chapel Memorial Tree Menhaden Fisheries Menhaden Fishing Industry Milford Milford Milford's Struggle for Educational Equality Milk House Milton Milton Milton Fire Department, Inc. Milton Museum Milton Public Library Milton Public School #196-C Mount Olivet United Methodist Church Mount Pleasant Methodist Church Mount Zion United Methodist Church Nanticoke Post No. 6 Nassau Station Nathaniel Mitchell Nathaniel Mitchell Nixon Palace Theater, N. Walnut St. Oak Grove Crownstone Ocean Facts Ocean View Delaware Ocean View Presbyterian Church Old Bethel Church Old Bridgeville Firehouse Old Calvary Church, Franklin St. Old Christ Church Old Court House Old Courthouse Old Red Mill & L.D. Caulk Mfg. Plant Old Seaford Post Office Old Sound Methodist Church Otis H. Smith City Dock Our Community's Role in World War II (first marker) Our Community's Role in World War II (second marker) Our Community's Role in World War II (third marker) Overfalls Lightship Patton Medium Tank Phillis Wheatley School Pilot Town Pioneer of Preservation Portsville United Methodist Church Prince George's Chapel Proof Steel Prospect A.M.E. Church Providence United Methodist Church Quarantine Station Rabbit's Ferry School 201-C Railroad Depot, Junction & Breakwater Line Rehoboth Beach Public Library Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Company Relocation of the County Seat Return Day Rev. Edward Dingle of England Reynolds M.E. Church Ringler's Theatre Rising Sun Lodge #4, F. & A.M., P.H.A. Rosedale Beach Hotel and Resort Ryves Holt House Sailor's Bethel Methodist Church Saint George's Chapel Saint Mark's Episcopal Church Salem United Methodist Church Sand Bypass System Seaford Seaford Fire Department Seaford High School Seaford Hundred Seaford Hundred Seaford Veterans Memorial Seaford Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. Seaside Inn She wanted the land left 'as is, nothing other than natural...' Shepard House Shipbuilding on the Broadkill Ships and Men Shipwreck of the Faithful Steward Site of Jacobs School #143 Site of Reynold's Church Slaughter Neck United Methodist Church Slave Quarter South Bethany in the 21st Century South Bethany's Historic Roots South Bethany's Local Government Evolves Over the Years Spotter House St. George African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church and Cemetery St. Georges Chapel St. George's United Methodist Church St. John The Baptist Episcopal Church St. Johnstown Methodist Church St. John's Methodist Church St. John's United Methodist Church St. Luke's Episcopal Church St. Paul's Protestant Episcopal Church St. Paul's United Methodist Church St. Peter's Episcopal Church Standing Guard Standing Guard Station Master's House Stein Highway Sudler House Sussex County Courthouse Sussex County Korean War Memorial Sussex County Vietnam Veterans Memorial Sussex County World War II Memorial Tapping the Power of Wind Energy in Coastal Delaware Temple Lodge No. 9 A.F. & A.M. The Ableman Homestead The Anna Hazzard House The Blizzard of 1888 The Bombardment of Lewes The Bombardment of Lewes The Brick Hotel The Cannon / Johnson Kidnapping Gang The Cannonball House The Cape Henlopen Lighthouse The Coursey-Daisey Nanticoke Indian Burial Ground The De Vries Monument The Delaware Railroad The Ever Changing Cape Henlopen The Explorations of Giovanni da Verrazzano The Fenwick Island Lighthouse The Fisher-Martin House The Great Dune The History of the Lighthouse The Holly Industry The Judges The Legacy of Ted Freeman The M-113 Armored Personnel Carrier The Memorial Vol. Fire Co. The New Devon Inn The Osprey The Pea Crop, Waiting Their Turn The Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Company The Studley House The U.S. Navy at Cape Henlopen The Vaules-Grier Home The Vinyard Shipbuilding Company The Wading Place The War of 1812 The Zwaanendael Club Thompson Country Store Town of Blades Town of Delmar Town of Ellendale Town of Millsboro Townsend House Transpeninsular Line Trinity Methodist Church Tunnell-West House U.S. Army Radar Site 11 Union Wesley United Methodist Church and Campground United States Life-Saving Service University of Delaware Unknown Sailors' Cemetery Vale-Williams Memorial City Hall Veterans Memorial Veterans Memorial Veterans Memorial Veterans Memorial Veterans Memorial Veterans Memorial Veterans Memorial Veterans Memorial Veterans Memorial Veterans Memorial Fountain Village Improvement Association Votes for Women Votes for Women W.W.I Warren's Restaurant Wesley M.E. Chapel Cemetery Wesley United Methodist Westwoods Methodist Church White's Chapel United Methodist Church William C. Jason Comprehensive High School William J. Hopkins Women's Suffrage in Delaware Woodland Ferry Wooten-Truitt House World War I Memorial World War II Memorial World Wars I and II Memorial You Are Not Forgotten Zion United Methodist Church Zoar Methodist Church Zwaanendael House "Commanders Row" “Pettijohn’s Old Field”
In the 19th century, the District of Delaware was known for its production of gunpowder, and several gunpowder mills were established in the region. One of the most famous mills was the Hagley Powder Mills, which were founded by the DuPont family in the early 1800s. The mills were a major supplier of gunpowder to the U.S. military during the Civil War.
Delaware random facts
Sussex County, Delaware, has a rich and diverse history that dates back thousands of years. The area was first inhabited by various Native American tribes, including the Nanticoke and Lenape, who relied on the region's natural resources for survival. The arrival of European settlers in the 17th century marked a significant turning point in the county's history.

In 1631, the first European settlement was established by Dutch traders near present-day Lewes. However, conflicts with the Native Americans and British takeover led to the abandonment of the settlement. In the late 17th century, English settlers and Quakers started resettling the area, and Sussex County was officially established in 1683.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, Sussex County played a vital role in agriculture, especially as a major producer of wheat and corn. The county's economy thrived with the growth of small towns, such as Georgetown and Seaford. During the American Revolution, Sussex County saw its share of battles, including the Battle of Cooch's Bridge in 1777.

In the 20th century, Sussex County experienced significant changes due to the growth of industry and tourism. The construction of major highways, such as Route 1 and the creation of beach resorts like Rehoboth Beach, transformed the county into a popular destination for vacationers. Agriculture remained an essential part of Sussex County's economy, with a shift towards poultry farming.

Today, Sussex County continues to evolve and grow, balancing its agricultural roots with the demands of a modern economy. The preservation of historical sites and the appreciation for its diverse heritage serve as a reminder of the county's vibrant past and a source of pride for its residents.

This timeline provides a concise overview of the key events in the history of Sussex County, Delaware.

  • 1642 - The area that is now Sussex County was first settled by the Dutch and Swedish colonists.
  • 1670 - English settlers arrived and established their presence in the region.
  • 1682 - Sussex County became part of the newly formed Pennsylvania colony.
  • 1704 - Sussex County officially became part of the newly established Delaware colony.
  • 1755 - The county seat was moved from Lewes to Georgetown.
  • 1775 - The American Revolution began, and Sussex County played a significant role in the fight for independence.
  • 1805 - Construction of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal began, enhancing trade and transportation in the region.
  • 1822 - The Nanticoke Indian Reservation, located in Sussex County, was officially established.
  • 1855 - The Delaware Railroad reached Sussex County, further improving transportation and trade.
  • 1871 - The Boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach was built, marking the beginning of the area's popularity as a beach resort.
  • 1929 - The Great Depression impacted Sussex County, causing economic hardship for many residents.
  • 1950s - The poultry industry became a dominant economic sector in Sussex County.
  • 1991 - The Indian River Inlet Bridge opened, providing improved access to the coastal areas of Sussex County.