History is in reach of our beach!
And there's no better time to highlight all the history you can experience here than during the month between early September and early October, so...
We've collected all of our history events and tours for the month (almost 100!) attractions (26 museums!) and exhibits in one place to make it easy to plan your See You in September adventures.
Planning a fall beach weekend? Come a little early or stay a little longer to take advantage of midweek tours, presentations, and museum hours!
Want to find events throughout Southern Delaware right from your phone? Download the GeoSwap app from the App Store or Google Play!
Events
9/8 Lewes: Lightship Overfalls Festival
9/9 - 9/10 Millsboro: Nanticoke Indian Powwow
9/9 Milford: Riverwalk Freedom Festival
9/9 Rehoboth Beach: A Curator's Talk w/Susan Isaacs, Ph.D.
9/9 Lewes: Global to Local: International Events & the First State
9/9 Lewes: Lighthouse Sunset Cruise
9/9 Rehoboth Beach: Illumination Night
9/14 Milford: Adults Only - Folk Remedies & Tinctures
9/14 Rehoboth Beach: Storm of 62
9/16 Milford: Running of the Mill
9/21 Milton: Delaware's Colonial Finances
9/23 Rehoboth Beach: DSSP "Celebrate the Inlet"
9/23 Milford: Brunch w/Ainsworth Abbott
9/23 Lewes: Schroeder: An Artist
9/23 Lewes: "History of the Nanticoke Tribe" Lecture
9/24 Seaford: Bands, Barbeque, & Brews at the Barns
9/26 Milton: Learn the Art of Quilling
9/28 Rehoboth Beach: WWII Program
9/28 Milton: Civil War Lecture & Book Signing
9/30 Woodland: 1st Annual Nanticoke Heritage Festival
9/30 Lewes: LHS Fall Craft Fair
9/30 Lewes: Zwaanendael Museum Maritime Program
9/30 Lewes: Boast the Coast Maritime Festival
10/1 Lewes: Coast Day
10/6 & 7 Lewes: History Book Festival
10/7 Georgetown - Wings & Wheels Festival
Tours
DSSP: Paddling Thompson Island 9/8, 9/15
Lewes: Discovery Battery 519 9/8, 9/9, 9/15, 9/16, 9/22, 9/23, 9/29, 9/30, 10/6, 10/7
Life in Lewes Walking Tour 9/8, 9/9, 9/13, 9/15, 9/16, 9/20, 9/22, 9/23, 9/27, 9,29, 9/30, 10/4, 10/6, 10/7
Milton Architectural Walking Tour 9/9
Lewes: Bike Through History 9/9
Lewes: Maritime Walking Tour 9/9, 9/11, 9/16, 9/18, 9/23, 9/25, 9/30, 10/2, 10/7, 10/9
Lantern Tour of Indian River Life-Saving Station 9/9, 9/29
Laurel: Boating Through History 9/10, 9/17, 9/24, 10/1, 10/8
Lewes: History Happened Here: Cape Water Tours cruise 9/11, 9/18, 9/25
Lewes: Hull Tour of the H.M.S. DeBraak 9/13, 9/20, 9/27
History Tour of Woodland, Bethel, Laurel 9/13
Lewes Legends Tour 9/13, 9/20, 9/27, 10/4
Lewes Architecture Tour 9/14, 9/21, 9/28, 10/5
North Milford History Walking Tour 9/16
Milton: Boats! Buttons! Beans! Beer! Walking Tour 9/16
Lewes: Cold War Bike Tour 9/16
History Tour of Georgetown 9/20
Rehoboth Beach/Jolly Trolley Tour 9/21
Sunset Hike: Indian River Inlet Bridge 9/21, 10/6
South Milford History Walking Tour 9/23
Nanticoke Heritage Byway Tour 9/27
Antiques
Because an interest in history and an interest in antiques often go hand-in-hand, we are highlighting our Southern Delaware Antiques Itineraries during our See You In September event as well. Discover these itineraries here. Be sure to check out the special events scheduled by our Western Sussex County antiques partners that will take place during the month too! And don't forget, antiques shopping is Tax Free!
Museums & Exhibits
Eastern Sussex County
Lewes: The Overfalls is one of only 17 remaining lightships out of a total of 179 built from 1820 to 1952.
Lewes Historical Society Complex
Lewes: Explore Lewes' historic district property by property! Lewes' Historic Complex contains architectural examples from c. 1665 through 50 years ago. New Lewes History Museum open every day 10-4 FREE. From prehistoric peoples and the first Dutch colonists to the Civil War and life in the 20th century, Lewes's history comes alive in a way unlike any other! Exhibits during SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER: Shifting Sands: Delaware in Maps & Charts from the Collection of Preston Schell (through December 2017). Explore the history of Delaware's borders and the beautiful maps created for political gain and colonial intrigue. Maps on exhibit date from 1628-1864.
Lewes: Cannonball House is the home of The Lewes Historical Society's maritime museum.
Lewes: The museum is a showcase for Lewes-area maritime, military, and social history. Current exhibits: “Rose Color to Gold to Glowing Red: Orville and Ethel Peets in Paris 1913-1914.” Exhibit featuring paintings and painting materials used by the noted Delaware artists Orville Houghton Peets and Ethel Canby Peets. “A Seaborne Citizenry: The DeBraak and Its Atlantic World.” Exhibit utilizes artifacts recovered from His Majesty’s Sloop of War DeBraak, a British warship that sank off the Delaware coast on May 25, 1798 to tell the story of the vessel, its crew and the historical context within which it operated in the Atlantic World of the late 18th century
Lewes: Fort Miles, located in what is now Cape Henlopen State Park, was a key piece in the nation's coastal defense during WWII.
Rehoboth Beach Museum, Rehoboth Beach: The Society preserves and displays showcase artifacts that illustrate the development of the community.
Rehoboth Beach: This museum boasts a Camp Meeting Era "Tent" structure, which houses a collection of artifacts and memorabilia pertaining to the early days of Rehoboth Beach as a religious retreat.
Indian River Lifesaving Station
Delaware Seashore State Park: Learn the history of the U. S. Life-Saving Service, the precursor to today's U. S. Coast Guard, by visiting the original Indian River Life-Saving Station.
Bethany Beach: Located in the foyer of the Town Hall, the exhibits contain memorabilia and photographs from the Bethany Beach area.
Fenwick Island: DiscoverSea Shipwreck Museum is an ever-changing exhibit that expands and diversifies with the acquisitions of new artifacts as they are recovered.
Fenwick Island: The lighthouse is owned by the state of Delaware and maintained by the private, non-profit New Friends of the Fenwick Island Lighthouse.
Central Sussex County
Milford: Permanent exhibits include local historic events from the 1700s to the present, shipbuilding, and local businesses.
Delaware Technical Community College, Georgetown: Betze Library building. The exhibit is a beautiful collection of spanish treasures from a 17th century ship, the Nuestra Seniora de Atocha.
Georgetown: There are many historic buildings on the museum grounds. Two large barns on the grounds house carriages from Mr. Nutter Marvel's collection. Also, a collection of victrolas, ephemera, photographs, telephones, furniture and more.
Georgetown: The museum features many WWII aviation artifacts, memorabilia and displays and houses the largest aviation library in the east. Several aircraft on display.
Milton: The museum’s exhibit includes original art, sailors’ decorative folk art, photographs, ship building tools, sailing implements, and ships’ logs. Exhibit during SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER: “Greetings from Milton,” an exhibit of postcards sent to and from residents of the town of Milton during the twentieth century. The original form of short communication, postcards changed how our society interacted, allowing friends to both read and see each other’s adventures.
Millsboro: Displays include thousands of arrowheads, pottery, axe hammers and other objects, all of which are homemade.
Western Sussex County
Bridgeville Historical Society Museum
Bridgeville: The Society’s collection includes a wealth of artifacts, documents, photographs, and books from local businesses, families, and community organizations.
Seaford Museum Seaford: Extensive collections and exhibits highlight local area history following a timeline from Native Americans to present day.
Seaford: Displays fire memorabilia related to the history of the Seaford Volunteer Fire Department Inc.
Governor Ross Mansion & Plantation
Seaford: Explore a complete Victorian Italianate mansion with slave quarters, barns, sheds and spacious grounds. Learn what life was like before the Civil War.
Woodland: Woodland Ferry history, restored antique tractors, carpenter's tools and other artifacts. Tours by appointment only.
Bethel: Explore the history of this quaint shipbuilding village.
Laurel: The Cook House contains a large number of photos and artifacts that help to tell the story of Laurel and the residents who call it home.
Laurel: Showcasing an extensive collection of historical documents and objects displayed in the restored Train Station.
Delmar: Delmar, known for its railroading history, is home to a unique highball signal listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Nearby, a 1929 caboose serves as museum for railroad artifacts.