What about Bethel ? 38.5707° N, 75.6194° W
Ship builders built beautiful Federal and Victorian homes for captains whose ships were docked just below their houses. Stroll down old Main Street to see the lovely views of these grand, old homes on Broad Greek.
Important dates in Bethel's history
1729 – Land on Broad Creek was settled which is now known as Bethel, Delaware
1795 – Kendall M. Lewis constructed a dock that was eventually named Lewis Wharf, and later became the town of Lewisville
1840 – Town of Lewisville was officially founded
1855 - Old Wesley Church erected
1869 - Lewisville Marine Railway was founded which facilitated the construction and repair of sloops, schooners, rams, and pungies
1874 – The first sailing vessel was constructed and named the “Hattie E. Giles”
1880 - Lewisville was renamed Bethel (the Bible refers to Bethel as “sailor’s retreat”)
1880 – The U.S. Post Office came to Bethel
1889 – JMC Moore designed the “flat bottomed Chesapeake Bay Sailing Ram” (in order to navigate shallower ports in the Chesapeake Bay area)
1900 – The three masted ram “Edward and Maud” was built and is still sailing in Maine; it has been renamed “Victory Chimes”
1904 – Bethel was incorporated
1940 – The Bethel shipyard was dismantled as railroads extended to Laurel and Seaford
1975 – Bethel Historical Society was started and the Museum opened
1975 – Bethel received the honor of being named to the “National Register of Historical Places”
1975 – The Bethel Memorial Park was dedicated to honor the memory of all the sailors who lived in Bethel and sailed the seas
1729 – Land on Broad Creek was settled which is now known as Bethel, Delaware
1795 – Kendall M. Lewis constructed a dock that was eventually named Lewis Wharf, and later became the town of Lewisville
1840 – Town of Lewisville was officially founded
1855 - Old Wesley Church erected
1869 - Lewisville Marine Railway was founded which facilitated the construction and repair of sloops, schooners, rams, and pungies
1874 – The first sailing vessel was constructed and named the “Hattie E. Giles”
1880 - Lewisville was renamed Bethel (the Bible refers to Bethel as “sailor’s retreat”)
1880 – The U.S. Post Office came to Bethel
1889 – JMC Moore designed the “flat bottomed Chesapeake Bay Sailing Ram” (in order to navigate shallower ports in the Chesapeake Bay area)
1900 – The three masted ram “Edward and Maud” was built and is still sailing in Maine; it has been renamed “Victory Chimes”
1904 – Bethel was incorporated
1940 – The Bethel shipyard was dismantled as railroads extended to Laurel and Seaford
1975 – Bethel Historical Society was started and the Museum opened
1975 – Bethel received the honor of being named to the “National Register of Historical Places”
1975 – The Bethel Memorial Park was dedicated to honor the memory of all the sailors who lived in Bethel and sailed the seas
Historic Bethel
In June of 1795, Kendal Lewis purchased land and built a wharf on Broad Creek. The community around the wharf was originally called Lewis’ Wharf and later was known as Lewisville. In 1880 a post office was opened and the town changed its name to Bethel in order to avoid confusion with Lewes, Delaware.
In 1842, Mr. Lewis sold some land to Bayard Moore, whose family played a major role in transforming Bethel into a permanent settlement with an emphasis on shipbuilding and repair.
Four stores opened in the 1840s to meet the needs of the residents who settled in the area as it quickly became an important location for the construction of large schooners. A substantial amount of shipping developed between Bethel, Baltimore, and other areas of the Chesapeake Bay.
Following the Civil War, the boat-building industry began to expand in Bethel. In 1869, the town built the first marine railway in Sussex County, which was used to launch and retrieve ships into and out of Broad Creek. By 1870 the railway, known as the “Lewisville Marine Railway”, would hold vessels weighing up to 325 tons.
The shipyard facilities continued to expand with the addition of a large saw mill as new orders came in for many more large schooners. In the 1880s, a new sailing design was developed in Bethel - the Sailing Ram - which became the main sailing vessel for the transportation of produce and supplies. Warehouses and small buildings were built alongside the long wharf, constructed to dock the tall ships so that they could load and unload supplies from the Chesapeake Bay region and all along the Atlantic coast down to Cuba.
In the late 1800s, the railroad industry came to Sussex County and took over the transportation of agricultural crops and other supplies. Sadly, the shipbuilding industry rapidly declined in the early 1900s and the only remaining evidence of the old shipyard can be seen during low tide on Broad Creek when remnants of the marine railway and the town wharf become visible from the water’s edge.
The old homes along Broad Creek, built by ship carpenters for ship captains in the mid-to-late 1800s, are still occupied and maintained here in historic Bethel. In 1975, the town of Bethel was designated as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places.
In June of 1795, Kendal Lewis purchased land and built a wharf on Broad Creek. The community around the wharf was originally called Lewis’ Wharf and later was known as Lewisville. In 1880 a post office was opened and the town changed its name to Bethel in order to avoid confusion with Lewes, Delaware.
In 1842, Mr. Lewis sold some land to Bayard Moore, whose family played a major role in transforming Bethel into a permanent settlement with an emphasis on shipbuilding and repair.
Four stores opened in the 1840s to meet the needs of the residents who settled in the area as it quickly became an important location for the construction of large schooners. A substantial amount of shipping developed between Bethel, Baltimore, and other areas of the Chesapeake Bay.
Following the Civil War, the boat-building industry began to expand in Bethel. In 1869, the town built the first marine railway in Sussex County, which was used to launch and retrieve ships into and out of Broad Creek. By 1870 the railway, known as the “Lewisville Marine Railway”, would hold vessels weighing up to 325 tons.
The shipyard facilities continued to expand with the addition of a large saw mill as new orders came in for many more large schooners. In the 1880s, a new sailing design was developed in Bethel - the Sailing Ram - which became the main sailing vessel for the transportation of produce and supplies. Warehouses and small buildings were built alongside the long wharf, constructed to dock the tall ships so that they could load and unload supplies from the Chesapeake Bay region and all along the Atlantic coast down to Cuba.
In the late 1800s, the railroad industry came to Sussex County and took over the transportation of agricultural crops and other supplies. Sadly, the shipbuilding industry rapidly declined in the early 1900s and the only remaining evidence of the old shipyard can be seen during low tide on Broad Creek when remnants of the marine railway and the town wharf become visible from the water’s edge.
The old homes along Broad Creek, built by ship carpenters for ship captains in the mid-to-late 1800s, are still occupied and maintained here in historic Bethel. In 1975, the town of Bethel was designated as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places.
Shipbuilding on Broad Creek
Ships have been built along Broad Creek since the very late 1700s. They started as small boats, such as shallops, pungies, and bugeyes, and proceeded to large four-masted schooners. Until the late 1860s, ships were built right on the banks of Broad Creek - mainly in Bethel, but also in Laurel and Portsville.
Large sailing schooners were built at first, but Bethel’s J. M. C. Moore later designed a new sailing ship which would become known as the “Sailing Ram.” In the 1860s and 1870s, ship owners were always looking for a competitive edge to reduce their costs of operation and become more economical for their customers. The Rams were three-masted, but without the top masts and jib booms that existed on the older schooners. They were just wide enough to fit through the locks on the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal, had a shallow draft, and used a centerboard rather than a keel. The Ram could also be operated with fewer sailors, reducing the cost of operation. For these reasons, the Sailing Ram became the best ship for coastal freight trade.
Rams were normally built in about ninety days by approximately fifteen men working Monday through Saturday. Each ship carpenter made about 20 cents per hour. Frames for the Rams were usually constructed of lumber from the large old oak trees along Broad Creek. Teams of six to eight mules would pull the heavy logs to the shipbuilding yard. The deck planks were typically cut from the old pine trees in the area. Masts, often about 100’ in length, had to be shipped in from Oregon on railway cars and barges.
Edwin and Maud, the last Sailing Ram, was built in 1900 and now hails from Maine under the name, Victory Chimes. It is the only known Ram to still be sailing. Incidentally, it is pictured on the back of the Maine 25-cent coin.
With the development of the gas engine, trains, trucks, and power barges took over the transportation of most freight and led to the demise of the Sailing Ram and schooner - but we can still dream about the “good old days!”
Ships have been built along Broad Creek since the very late 1700s. They started as small boats, such as shallops, pungies, and bugeyes, and proceeded to large four-masted schooners. Until the late 1860s, ships were built right on the banks of Broad Creek - mainly in Bethel, but also in Laurel and Portsville.
Large sailing schooners were built at first, but Bethel’s J. M. C. Moore later designed a new sailing ship which would become known as the “Sailing Ram.” In the 1860s and 1870s, ship owners were always looking for a competitive edge to reduce their costs of operation and become more economical for their customers. The Rams were three-masted, but without the top masts and jib booms that existed on the older schooners. They were just wide enough to fit through the locks on the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal, had a shallow draft, and used a centerboard rather than a keel. The Ram could also be operated with fewer sailors, reducing the cost of operation. For these reasons, the Sailing Ram became the best ship for coastal freight trade.
Rams were normally built in about ninety days by approximately fifteen men working Monday through Saturday. Each ship carpenter made about 20 cents per hour. Frames for the Rams were usually constructed of lumber from the large old oak trees along Broad Creek. Teams of six to eight mules would pull the heavy logs to the shipbuilding yard. The deck planks were typically cut from the old pine trees in the area. Masts, often about 100’ in length, had to be shipped in from Oregon on railway cars and barges.
Edwin and Maud, the last Sailing Ram, was built in 1900 and now hails from Maine under the name, Victory Chimes. It is the only known Ram to still be sailing. Incidentally, it is pictured on the back of the Maine 25-cent coin.
With the development of the gas engine, trains, trucks, and power barges took over the transportation of most freight and led to the demise of the Sailing Ram and schooner - but we can still dream about the “good old days!”