Block House Pond

Sussex County · dedicated 2021 · 422 Johnson Avnue, Lewes

Block House Pond, a natural spring-fed pond, has provided fresh water, ice, and recreation to the City of Lewes for several centuries. The pond was likely named for a nearby blockhouse built to protect Lewes in the 1670s, where town residents sought shelter during the Bombardment of Lewes in 1813. In the late-1800s and early-1900s, the pond was a popular ice-skating destination in winter. The Civilian Conservation Corps drained the pond in 1934 as part of mosquito control efforts. The City of Lewes restored the pond and created Block House Pond Park in 1976. In 2003, the park was renamed in honor of former five-term City of Lewes mayor, George H.P. Smith.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

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