Home of Major Henry Fisher

A native and lifelong resident of this community, Henry Fisher (1735-1792) was one of Delaware’s foremost leaders in the struggle for American Independence. His prominence as a skilled pilot and his firm support of the Patriot cause resulted in his appointment by Philadelphia’s Committee of Safety in 1775 to superintend the defense of the entrance to the Delaware Bay. Commissioned as a Major in the state’s militia, Fisher continued to play a key role throughout the Revolution, helping to protect maritime commerce that was vital to the young Nation’s survival and communicating valuable intelligence about British activities. Through the use of his own vessels and via overland express, he was the ‘eyes and ears’ of the Continental Congress at this strategic location, providing information of great importance to American success. Known as “Fisher’s Paradise,” this was his home from boyhood until his death in 1792. It was subsequently the property of Colonel Samuel Boyer Davis, who commanded the defense of Lewes during the War of 1812. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.