Southeast Sussex Historical Trail

History lives all around Southeast Sussex, woven into coastal towns and quiet inland communities. The Southeast Sussex Historical Trail invites you to explore these stories at your own pace, connecting historic homes, churches, museums, and landmarks that helped shape the region. Follow the trail in full or stop in just one town to uncover a deeper layer of Southern Delaware’s past.

Bethany Beach

Dinker-Irvin House (Bethany Beach Museum)
318 Garfield Parkway
Built in 1904, this historic home is one of Bethany Beach’s earliest 20th-century summer cottages and now serves as the town’s museum.

Bethany Beach Nature Center (Addy Cottage)
807 Garfield Parkway
Housed in a cottage built in 1903, the Nature Center was once home to John Addy, one of the “Pittsburgh Six” founders of Bethany Beach.

Bethany Beach Town Hall
214 Garfield Parkway
Features historic exhibits and provides a walking map to discover the town’s oldest cottages.

Clarksville

Union Wesley United Methodist Church
32137 Powell Farm Road
An important site in the history of African American Methodism, with roots dating back to the 18th century. The current church was built in 1961 after a fire destroyed the earlier structure.

Wesley Campground
32137 Powell Farm Road
The oldest camp meeting in continuous use in the United States, originating after the Civil War and evolving from wagon gatherings to permanent wooden structures.

Blackwater School
32137 Powell Farm Road
A late 19th-century school that served as the first educational institution for African American children in Southeast Sussex County.

Dagsboro

Prince George’s Chapel
Ward Lane and DE Route 26
Built in 1755, this chapel was the first Episcopal chapel-of-ease for St. Martin’s Church, Worcester Parish. Outside viewing only.

Clayton Theatre
33246 Main Street
Built in 1948, this Art Deco theater is the only remaining single-screen movie theater in Delaware.

Fenwick Island

Discoversea Shipwreck Museum
708 Coastal Highway
Home to one of the Mid-Atlantic’s largest collections of shipwreck artifacts and recovered maritime history.

Fenwick Lighthouse Complex
103 146th Street, Ocean City, MD
Includes the lighthouse, two keeper’s houses, and the first transpeninsular stone marking the historic boundary between the Penns and the Calverts in 1751. Outside viewing only.

Frankford

Captain Ebe Chandler House
13 Main Street
Built in 1880 in Victorian Gothic style, with eclectic architectural details added in 1918. Outside viewing only.

Millville

Millville Town Hall Mural
36404 Club House Road
A historic mural depicting Millville’s past and community development.

Evans Park Community Center
32517 Dukes Drive
Features a series of historic photographs documenting Millville and the surrounding area.

Doric Lodge
35476 Atlantic Avenue
A Freemason lodge chartered in 1903. Outside viewing only.

Ocean View

Historic Village of Ocean View
39 Central Avenue
Includes the Civil War-era Tunnell-West House, Ocean View’s first freestanding post office, and replicas of early local landmarks.

Coastal Towns Museum Complex
40 West Avenue
Built in 1901, this museum explores Southeast Sussex County history from colonial times to today and includes several preserved outbuildings.

Ocean View Presbyterian Church
67 Central Avenue
The original church dates to 1856, with the current structure built in 1907.

The Café on 26
84 Atlantic Avenue
Once the home of Cecile Steele, whose 1923 poultry venture helped establish the modern broiler chicken industry in the United States.

Selbyville

Selbyville Historical Society Museum (John Townsend House)
11 South Main Street
The former home of John Townsend, Delaware governor and U.S. senator. Opening soon.

Railroad Station Museum
6 Railroad Avenue
Built in 1872 for the Breakwater and Frankford Railroad, now housing railroad and local history exhibits.

Selbyville Post Office
23 West Church Street
Features the 1942 New Deal mural Chicken Farm by William Calfee.

Doyle’s Restaurant
38218 DuPont Highway
Originally built in 1930, this Silk City diner is Delaware’s oldest operating diner and played a key role in the region’s poultry industry history.

South Bethany

South Bethany History Boards
Locations include the corner of York Road and Coastal Highway, and along Russell Road.
Instead of a traditional museum, South Bethany shares its history through interpretive boards placed throughout town, offering insight into the community’s development and coastal heritage.

Plan Your Visit

Explore the trail in full or build your own route by visiting one town at a time. The Southeast Sussex Historical Trail pairs easily with nearby beaches, museums, and small-town stops, making it a meaningful addition to any Southern Delaware getaway.