Makeover underway at Lewes monument honoring Delaware’s roots

LEWES, Del. – A Lewes monument honoring what many consider a pivotal moment in Delaware’s history is getting a major makeover.

The deVries monument, near Roosevelt Inlet along Pilottown Road, marks the establishment of a Dutch colony in 1631. That settlement, sponsored by David deVries, helped pave the way for what would eventually lead Delaware to become a separate state.

Delaware’s Division of Historic and Cultural Affairs says the redesigned site will improve safety and accessibility and make it easier for larger groups to visit and learn. Plans also call for expanded interpretive signage that tells a broader story of pre- and post-Colonial life and events. The Greater Lewes Foundation says Lewes in Bloom will add new plantings at the site next spring.

According to the foundation, construction began Nov. 3 and is expected to continue through the end of the year.

The city plans to rededicate the monument in the spring as part of a year-long celebration of the nation’s semiquincentennial, ahead of the 400th anniversary of the deVries colony in 2031.