Born September 14, 1894 in Iowa, Riley Mcgarraugh was a career army officer whose final assignment saw him assume the duty of Commanding Officer of Fort Miles at Cape Henlopen. Nearing the end of his career, Colonel McGarraugh was transferred to the Pentagon and soon became disenchanted with the tedium of paper work and office politics; he missed the feeling of being a part of a base and interacting with his fellow soldiers. Requesting a transfer, he was to move to Lewes, Delaware and run operations at Fort Miles, an important coastal defense installation during World War II, but one that was proving to be less and less vital as the Cold War progressed. Realizing a need for recreational opportunities for the men of Fort Miles and Fort Meade in Maryland, Colonel McGarraugh was instrumental in arranging for the development of Fort Miles into the Fort Miles Recreational Area, which eased its transition into Cape Henlopen State Park, administered today by Delaware State Parks. Colonel McGarraugh was the one of the final commanding officers of Fort Miles.

An avid avocational photographer, Colonel McGarraugh brought this passion to Lewes where his talents soon developed into a full service studio business under the name of “McGarraugh Studios.” He built a set and darkroom into his Gills Neck home and was Lewes’ primary photographer for nearly two decades until his death on August 30, 1974. Colonel McGarraugh and his studio served both as a studio and a contract photographer for local construction projects, insurance companies and police and fire departments, in addition to his usual work of weddings, birthdays, portraiture and other special events. Many significant events in the transformation of Lewes from a small and relatively isolated fishing village into a tourism center took place during McGarraugh’s active photography years including the rise of the Cape May-Lewes Ferry, the opening of Cape Henlopen State Park, the rise and fall of the menhaden fishing industry, additions at Beebe Hospital, growing construction on Lewes Beach, the founding of The Lewes Historical Society, and the changing nature of business and industry in the Lewes and Rehoboth area. Colonel McGarraugh had married Hazel Marie Keil (Mar. 6, 1894 - September 1977) on June 29, 1919 and together raised a family that would see much of America and become a vital part of the community of Lewes, Delaware.

Acquired to the Society a few years after his death, the McGarraugh Collection is an unparalleled window into the changing face of Lewes for nearly 25 years in the middle of the twentieth century. It is also a glimpse into national trends and controversies– fisheries management, mass transit, rural development, etc. – that are still issues today.

©2002-2005 The Lewes Historical Society