"Laws, Rules and Regulations Governing Pilots and Pilotage in the Bay and River Delaware, with Lists of Pilots, Their Apprentices and the Rates of Pilotage," Gillingham, Jonathon. Port Wardens of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 1881. Gift of Trenny & George Elliott in Memory of Dr. James E. Marvil, 2002.4.15. © The Lewes Historical Society

The Library of the Lewes Historical Society contains nearly 4,000 volumes relating to Lewes history, the history of Delaware, Delmarva history, natural and maritime history, some general American history works, family bibles, genealogy, special collections, nineteenth century medical texts, nineteenth and early twentieth century school texts, and texts dealing with aspects of the Society's museum collections - i.e., early American decorative arts, folk art, silver, clocks, ceramics, etc. The Library is located in the Hiram Rodney Burton House. Most of the library holdings are available for use; special and rare volumes, including periodicals and serials, are housed in closed stacks. Some volumes may also be on display throughout the Historic Complex.

The Library of The Lewes Historical Society is comprised primarily of the libraries of John Farrace, Alice Watts, Joseph Enos, other individual gifts, and through Society purchases and subscriptions. The Library contains numerous ledgers and daybooks of local merchants, including the daybook of Simon Marriner from the Ryves Holt House. The Library also holds log books from the pilot boats Thomas Howard and Ebe Tunnell as well as several miscellaneous pilot logs. The Society holds "Records of Ship Movements at the Delaware Breakwater" from the late nineteenth through the early twentieth centuries. In addition, various journals and scrapbooks of Lewes residents are found in the Society's Library.

If you are planning to visit the Society to utilize the library, please read our policies and note that all rare books including logs, ledgers, journals and manuscripts are housed in closed stacks and may not be available without arranging an appointment. Please keep in mind that The Library of the Lewes Historical Society is a reference facility only; no volumes, issues or collections circulate. If you are interested in donating a library collection or volume to the Society, please call 302-645-7670 or contact us at research@historiclewes.org.