Lewes and Rehoboth Beach
Delaware's oldest town and its summer beach, side by side at Cape Henlopen.
- Lewes population
- 3,303 (2020 census)
- Rehoboth population
- 1,108 (2020 census)
- Lewes motto
- The First Town in the First State
- Tides
- Two highs, two lows, uneven
Then
- 1631
On June 3, Dutch settlers found a whaling and trading post called Zwaanendael. The next year, all 32 settlers are killed in a conflict with the local Lenape.
- 1813
On April 6 and 7, during the War of 1812, Royal Navy ships led by HMS Poictiers briefly and ineffectually bombard Lewes.
- 1873
The Rev. Robert W. Todd founds the Rehoboth Beach Camp Meeting Association, a Methodist camp meeting site, and the first boardwalk is built.
- 1878
A railroad line runs from Lewes south to Rehoboth, bringing the first wave of beach visitors.
- 1891
The state incorporates Cape Henlopen City, renamed Rehoboth Beach in 1893.
- 1941
Fort Miles is built on Cape Henlopen to guard Delaware Bay.
Now
Lewes is the southern end of the Cape May–Lewes Ferry, a crossing of about 17 miles. Cape Henlopen State Park sits just east of town, and the Zwaanendael Museum tells Delaware's early history.
Rehoboth Beach bills itself as the Nation's Summer Capital for its Washington-area visitors. Its mile-long boardwalk has shops, restaurants and Funland, open since 1962; Delaware's lack of sales tax helps draw shoppers.
Rehoboth is also one of the mid-Atlantic's best-known LGBT-friendly getaways.
On the water
From NOAA's predictions for Lewes, DE over the next 365 days. Heights are in feet above mean lower low water (MLLW).
- Pattern
- Two highs and two lows a day, one noticeably bigger than the other
- Typical daily range
- 4.3 ft
- Biggest swing
- 6.1 ft on Dec 24
- Smallest swing
- 2.8 ft on Mar 31
- Highest high
- 5.6 ft, Aug 2 at 9:32 PM
- Lowest low
- −1.0 ft, Jan 23 at 2:23 AM