The Ryves Holt House consists of numerous phases of construction that represent a cross-section of the architectural traditions of early European immigrants of the Delaware Valley, such as the Dutch, Swedes, and English. It dates to c.1686, making it Delaware’s oldest building on its original foundation. Originally constructed for Quaker immigrants Phillip and Sarah Russell, this building served as both dwelling and business from its earliest days: the Russells were issued a license to run an ordinary, or simple tavern, which they operated into the 18th-century.
In 1721, the man for whom this building is named moved to Lewes from Philadelphia with his family and two years later purchased the house as his family’s residence. Ryves Holt was the appointed Naval Officer for the Port of Lewes, in charge of administering imports and operations, and later in life filled many important posts in colonial Delaware, including High Sheriff and Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court until his death in 1763. The house remained in his family until 1792 when his step-great-grandson and famed War of 1812 naval hero Jacob Jones sold the property. Subsequent owners include the Marriners, who ran a tavern next door, and the Marshalls, a Bay & River Delaware piloting family who ultimately sold the home to St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in 1981. Historic Lewes began leasing it in 1997, and purchased it outright in 2005.
Today, this historic home serves as both a museum exploring its own rich past and honoring Commodore Jacob Jones, the early American naval hero, as well as a mercantile space that supports Historic Lewes’ mission as a non-profit to preserve and share Lewes’ story as the First Town in the First State to the thousands of locals and guests alike who visit our sites each year.