Lewes & Rehoboth Hundred in Rehoboth Beach in Sussex County, Delaware — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Commerce and the Canal
The canal carried a variety of items including building materials, farm products, oysters, fish and ice. Shortly after it opened, however, there was a huge increase in the use of trucks to bring goods to market. A corresponding increase in the number and quality of roads soon made shipping on the canal obsolete.
However, other commercial enterprises did spring up along the canal. The largest was the canning industry. Between 1913 and 1964, there were two types of canning factories: oysters and vegetables. Among the vegetables were local produce like tomatoes, peas, several types of beans, and corn. With the rise of frozen vegetables and even more efficient transportation, the canneries lost their niche. By the mid-1950s, the last and largest cannery, Stokely-Van Camp, closed.
In addition, the Atlantic Ice Manufacturing Company ran an ice house next to the canal from the mid-1920s to the mid-1950s. A large commercial laundry also operated next to the canal. Water discharge from the laundry as well as waste from the canneries was dumped into the canal. Pollution became a serious issue, eroding both the commercial
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Erected by University of Delaware, Sustainable Coastal Communities Initiative; historical content courtesy of Rehoboth Beach Museum.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Environment • Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the University of Delaware series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1913.
Location. 38° 42.885′ N, 75° 5.552′ W. Marker is in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, in Sussex County. It is in Lewes & Rehoboth Hundred. It can be reached from the intersection of Rehoboth Avenue (Delaware Route 1A) and Canal Street, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 605 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach DE 19971, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on Delawares Beaches. It is also in the American Mid-Atlantic, on the Delmarva Peninsula, and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Recreation and Tourism (a few steps from this marker); History of the Canal (a few steps from this marker); Traveling to the Beach (within shouting distance of this marker); Cape Henlopen Lighthouse Replica (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Nation's Summer Capitol (about 500 feet away); Delaware's Medal of Honor Recipients (approx. 0.2 miles away); Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church (approx. 0.2 miles away); Walk the Boards (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Rehoboth Beach.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 5, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 29, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 823 times since then and 30 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 29, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
