Lewes Historic District in Sussex County, Delaware — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
The Lightship Overfalls LV-118/WAL-539
The Lightship Overfalls LV-118/WAL-539 had a long, distinguished career marking the shoal waters and guiding ships to safe harbor on the East Coast. After decommissioning, the Coast Guard donated her to the Lewes Historical Society (LHS) and she was moved to this location in 1974, with the assistance of the City of Lewes, and the State of Delaware.
In 2001 the Overfalls Foundation, a local nonprofit group, received the lightship from the LHS. By 2010 the Overfalls Foundation had saved the lightship from deterioration and preserved it through innumerable hours of volunteer labor and tremendous support by individuals, organizations, businesses, foundations, and government entities. "The Dirty Hands Gang" met on Tuesday mornings to clean, scrape, paint, and repair the lightship. Countless other Overfalls Foundation volunteers worked on administrative, political, and social activities that were crucial to the restoration and saving of the ship for future generations.
Erected by Overfalls Foundation.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work • Communications •
this page online
Location. 38° 46.678′ N, 75° 8.475′ W. Marker is in Lewes, Delaware, in Sussex County. It is in the Lewes Historic District. It can be reached from Shipcarpenter Street north of PIlottown Road, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 219 Pilottown Rd, Lewes DE 19958, 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. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Netherland, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Lightship LV-118 Overfalls (here, next to this marker); Overfalls Lightship (a few steps from this marker); The Blizzard of 1888 (a few steps from this marker); Life Saving Station (a few steps from this marker);
Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, May 4, 2024
3. The Lightship Overfalls LV-118/WAL-539 Marker
The marker is located in a plaza that overlooks the Lewes Life Saving Station.
Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, May 4, 2024
4. The Lightship Overfalls LV-118/WAL-539
Credits. This page was last revised on April 2, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 15, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 189 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on September 15, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 3, 4. submitted on March 17, 2025, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York.
