Bethel · History and events
Bethel, Delaware: history and events
History, lore, events and occasions in Bethel, Sussex County, Delaware: 10 questions answered from official and primary sources.
More about Bethel
Questions about history and events in Bethel
History and lore
When was Bethel incorporated?
Bethel was incorporated in 1907 as the Commissioners of the Town of Bethel, and it was re-incorporated as the Town of Bethel in 1947 and again in 1978. The community was earlier called Lewisville. Source: archives.delaware.gov.
How did Bethel get its name?
The village was called Lewisville. It was renamed Bethel in 1880 when its post office was established, because another Lewisville post office already existed in Delaware. Source: archives.delaware.gov, npgallery.nps.gov.
What is Bethel known for?
Bethel was a 19th-century shipbuilding and trading community on Broad Creek. The Chesapeake sailing ram, a flat-bottomed three-masted schooner used for coastal freight, originated at this Broad Creek port. Source: npgallery.nps.gov, archives.delaware.gov.
What historic sites are in Bethel?
The Bethel Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. Source: npgallery.nps.gov, npgallery.nps.gov.
Who founded Bethel and who built its ships?
Kendal Major Lewis acquired much of James Caldwell's original grant in 1795, plus a tract on Broad Creek called Mitchell's Harbor, and established the landing that became a trading center. Jonathan Moore set up the marine railway in 1869, and John M. C. Moore, its superintendent, originated the Chesapeake ram. Source: npgallery.nps.gov.
How many ships were built in Bethel?
Between 1871 and 1918, as many as thirty rams were built in the Lewisville shipyards. Bethel has grown very little since the commercial shipyards closed in 1918. Source: npgallery.nps.gov.
Events, holidays and occasions
Is there a farmers market in Bethel?
The Bethel Farmers Market meets on the first and third Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon, May 2 to September 19 in 2026. Source: agriculture.delaware.gov.
Does Bethel hold town events?
The town's 2025 calendar listed a town-wide yard sale in April. No festivals or parades were listed. Source: bethel.delaware.gov.
Which festivals are nearest to Bethel?
Laurel and Seaford are the closest: Seaford hosts Nanticoke Riverfest in July and the Eastern Shore AFRAM Festival in August. Source: visitsoutherndelaware.com.
Is Return Day a holiday in Bethel?
Return Day is a Sussex County legal holiday under Delaware Code Title 1, Section 501: the second day after the General Election, after 12:00 noon. It falls on the Thursday after Election Day in even-numbered years, and in 2026 that is November 5. The main celebration is held in Georgetown. Source: delcode.delaware.gov, visitsoutherndelaware.com, dagsboro.delaware.gov.
How these answers are sourced
Every answer on this page cites an official or primary source, such as the town, a state agency, NOAA or the institution itself. Answers SussexCounty.ai could not confirm from a primary source are left out until they can be.