Lewes in Sussex County, Delaware — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Lewes Station

The Junction & Breakwater Railroad

Photographed By Pete Skillman, April 10, 2024

1. Lewes Station Marker

Inscription.

Lewes Station. The Junction and Breakwater Railroad. Last Stop: Lewes Station!
The Junction and Breakwater Railroad's (J&BRR) Lewes Station once stood near where the Lewes Public Library is now located. The railroad station served as a stop on the J&BRR route to and from Georgetown and connected passengers to Rehoboth via its Lewes-Rehoboth branch line. As a passenger and freight station, the Lewes Station contained a passenger depot building and freight house at this location. Unfortunately, both of these buildings were demolished by the mid- to late twentieth century, after the termination of passenger service.

Ships and the Junction and Breakwater Railroad
Initially, the J&BRR provided a direct trade route between water transport along the coast and Delaware's inland markets. Up until 1885, the railroad maintained a 1,600-foot-long wooden pier in Lewes along the Delaware Bay, where freight could be loaded onto steam ships bound for New York. Following a change in ownership in the late nineteenth century, water freight service on the J&BRR at Lewes ended, and the wooden pier was removed in 1888.

DelDOT Railroad Bridge No. 3-928R
DelDOT Railroad Bridge No. 3-928R (formerly the Delaware Maryland and Virginia Railroad Bridge 38.71) is an asymmetrical swing bridge constructed in 1916 as a part of the larger Lewes-Rehoboth Canal project. The bridge replaced an earlier railroad bridge at the same location. To account for the canal's narrow channel, the moveable span of the bridge was designed to be shorter on one end. A concrete counterweight is attached to the shorter end of the moveable span, providing balance.

In a swing span bridge, the moveable span rotates around a pivot pier to open a channel, allowing boats to pass. At this bridge, the swing span is hand operated. This is not an easy task, requiring two people working together to turn a massive hand crank on the bridge deck approximately 15 rotations to complete one bridge opening. The bridge remained operational until 2016. Since that time, the bridge has sat in a fixed, open position.

Last Stop: Lewes Station!
The Junction & Breakwater Railroad's (J&BRR) Lewes Station once stood near where the Lewes Public Library is now located. The railroad station served as a stop on the J&BRR route to and from Georgetown and connected passengers to Rehoboth via its Lewes-Rehoboth branch line. As a passenger and freight station, the Lewes Station contained a passenger depot building and freight house at this location. Unfortunately, both of these buildings were demolished by the mid- to late twentieth century, after the termination of passenger service.

Ships and the Junction & Breakwater Railroad
Initially, the J&BRR provided a direct trade route between water transport along the coast and Delaware's inland markets. Up until 1885, the railroad maintained a 1,600-foot-long wooden pier in Lewes along the Delaware Bay, where freight could be loaded onto steam ships bound for New York. Following a change in ownership in the late nineteenth century, water freight service on the J&BRR at Lewes ended, and the wooden pier was removed in 1888.

DelDOT Railroad Bridge No. 3-928R
DelDOT Railroad Bridge No. 3-928R (formerly the Delaware Maryland & Virginia Railroad Bridge 38.71) is an asymmetrical swing bridge constructed in 1916 as a part of the larger Lewes-Rehoboth Canal

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project. The bridge replaced an earlier railroad bridge at the same location. To account for the canal's narrow channel, the moveable span of the bridge was designed to be shorter on one end. A concrete counterweight is attached to the shorter end of the moveable span, providing balance.

In a swing span bridge, the moveable span rotates around a pivot pier to open a channel, allowing boats to pass. At this bridge, the swing span is hand operated. This is not an easy task, requiring two people working together to turn a massive hand crank on the bridge deck approximately 15 rotations to complete one bridge opening. The bridge remained operational until 2016. Since that time, the bridge has sat in a fixed, open position.

Erected by Delaware Department of Transportation.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Bridges & Viaducts • Railroads & Streetcars • Waterways & Vessels.

Location. 38° 46.617′ N, 75° 7.791′ W. Marker is in Lewes, Delaware, in Sussex County. Marker can be reached from American Legion Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 124 American Legion Rd, Lewes DE 19958, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Lewes Railroad Swing Bridge (here, next to this marker); The Fort Miles Connection

Lewes Station Marker wide view image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Pete Skillman, April 10, 2024

2. Lewes Station Marker wide view

(here, next to this marker); The Historic Lewes Canal Railroad Swing Bridge (a few steps from this marker); Mayor Otis Smith (approx. 0.3 miles away); Menhaden Fisheries (approx. 0.3 miles away); Lighthouses (approx. 0.3 miles away); Over Calm Waters (approx. 0.4 miles away); Preservation (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lewes.

Wide view of the swing bridge image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Pete Skillman, April 10, 2024

3. Wide view of the swing bridge

Credits. This page was last revised on April 11, 2024. It was originally submitted on April 10, 2024, by Pete Skillman of Townsend, Delaware. This page has been viewed 40 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 10, 2024, by Pete Skillman of Townsend, Delaware. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.