BlockBefore

Sussex County, Delaware

201 topographic sheets cover 499 settlements here, and 136 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

136 National Register listings published here, 1 of them a National Historic Landmark.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Delaware within the United States
Sussex County within Delaware

What the record shows

  • 12,499 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 136 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 115 buildings, 13 districts, 3 sites, 3 structures and 2 objects.
  • 1 of them is a covered bridge.
  • 58 of the 136 listings were added during the 1970s.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 509 populated places in this county; 499 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

136

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
Abbott's Millbuilding197272000300
Abbott's Mill (Boundary Increase)building197979003788
Adams Home Farmbuilding201514000532
Joseph T. Adams Housebuilding199898001092
All Saints' Episcopal Churchbuilding199191000910
Richard Allen Schoolbuilding2019100004083
Bethel Historic Districtdistrict197575000544
Blackwater Presbyterian Churchbuilding197676000583
Brick Hotelbuilding197979000644
Bridgeville Historic Districtdistrict199494000361
Bridgeville Public Librarybuilding199090001065
Building at 200-202A High Streetbuilding198786002981
Building at 218 High Streetbuilding198786002983
Building at High and Cannon Streetsbuilding198786002985
Burton Hardware Storebuilding197878000927
Burton-Blackstone-Carey Storebuilding201414000551
Cannon's Ferrysite197373000561
Carey's Camp Meeting Grounddistrict197373000557
Carlisle Housebuilding198282002364
Capt. Ebe Chandler Housebuilding197979000643
Chipman Potato Housebuilding199090001691
Chipman's Millbuilding197878000918
Coleman Housebuilding197777000392
Collins Potato Housebuilding199090001692
Cool Spring Presbyterian Churchbuilding198282002363
J. W. Cox Dry Goods Storebuilding198786002982
Robert Davis Farmhousebuilding197979003309
Dr. Dawson Housebuilding198383001355
Delaware Breakwater and Lewes Harborstructure197676000586
Dickerson Potato Housebuilding199090001693
Dinker-Irvin Cottagebuilding2017100001259
Dodd Homesteadbuilding198282002367
Draper Housebuilding198282002365
Draper-Adkins Housebuilding197373000558
Egglinton Hallbuilding198383001359
Ellendale State Forest Picnic Facilitybuilding199191000913
Eratt Housebuilding198383001409
Evans-West Housebuilding201515000844
Evans-West Housebuilding201515000844
Peter S. Faucett Housebuilding198585002006
Fenwick Island Lighthouse Stationbuilding197979000642
First Broiler Housebuilding197474000607
First National Bank of Seafordbuilding198786002972
Fisher Homesteadbuilding198080000941
Fisher's Paradisebuilding197272000298
Fort Miles Historic Districtdistrict200404001076
Georgetown Coal Gasification Plantbuilding198585002696
Godwin Schoolbuilding2018100002658
Grier Housebuilding198383001410
Stella Pepper Gyles Housebuilding197979000645
Hall, Col. David, Housebuilding197676000585
Harmon Schoolbuilding197979003314
Isaac Harmon Farmhousebuilding197979003315
Harmony Churchbuilding197979003308
Hazzard Housebuilding197373000559
Hearn Potato Housebuilding199090001694
Hearn and Rawlins Millbuilding197878000928
Hebron Methodist Protestant Church and Cemeterybuilding201515000220
Highball Signalobject197373000553
E. L. Hitch Potato Housebuilding199090001695
Ames Hitchens Chicken Farmbuilding197979003311
Hopkins' Covered Bridge Farmbuilding199191000912
Indian Mission Churchbuilding197979003307
Indian Mission Schoolbuilding197979003312
Indian River Life Saving Service Stationbuilding197676000582
Isaacs & Sons Cold Storage Buildingbuilding2025100011239
Johnson Schoolbuilding197979003313
Judge's House and Law Officebuilding197979000646
Laurel Historic Districtdistrict198888001056
Lawrencebuilding197878000929
Lewes Historic Districtdistrict197777000393
Lewes Historic District (Boundary Increase)district199292000462
Lewes Presbyterian Churchbuilding197777000394
Lightship WLV 539structure198989000006
Peter Marsh Housebuilding197777000397
Maston Housebuilding197575000545
Maull Housebuilding197070000175
Thomas Maull House (Boundary Increase)site197878003453
McColley's Chapelbuilding201111000859
Melson Housebuilding197878000914
Dr. John W. Messick House and Officebuilding198787001499
Milford Railroad Stationbuilding198383001356
Milford Shipyard Area Historic Districtbuilding198383001411
Milton Historic Districtdistrict198282002366
Mispillion Lighthouse and Beacon Towerbuilding198786002919
Moore Potato Housebuilding199090001696
National Harbor of Refuge and Delaware Breakwater Harbor Historic Districtdistrict198989000289
Norwood Housebuilding198282001030
Old Bridgeville Fire Housebuilding198484000856
Old Christ Churchbuilding197272000297
Old Sussex County Courthousebuilding197171000236
Pagan Creek Dikestructure197373000555
Pepper, Carlton, David, Farmbuilding197979000647
Perry-Shockley Housebuilding198585002008
Phillips Potato Housebuilding199090001697
Gov. James Ponder Housebuilding197373000560
Portsville Lighthousebuilding198787001514
Prince George's Chapelbuilding197171000235
Prospect A.M.E. Churchbuilding2023100009498
Ralph Potato Housebuilding199090001698
Redden Forest Lodge, Forester's House, and Stablebuilding198080000940
Ricards House-Linden Hallbuilding198282002360
Richards Historic Districtdistrict198383003522
Richards Mansionbuilding197979000648
Rider Potato Housebuilding199090001699
David Robbins Homesteadsite201311000878
Jesse Robinson Housebuilding198282002368
Ross Point Schoolbuilding200101000886
Edgar and Rachel Ross Housebuilding199797001118
Gov. William H. Ross Housebuilding197777000399
William Russell Housebuilding197777000395
Scott's Storebuilding198383001412
Seaford Station Complexdistrict197878000930
Short Homesteadbuilding198282002361
Thomas Sipple Housebuilding198585002007
South Milford Historic Districtdistrict198383001358
Spring Bankebuilding197676000584
Spring Gardenbuilding198282002362
St. George's Chapelbuilding197373000556
St. John's Methodist Churchbuilding199090001071
St. Luke's Protestant Episcopal Churchbuilding197777000400
St. Paul's Episcopal Churchbuilding197979000649
Stanley Potato Housebuilding199090001700
Sudler Housebuilding197474000606
Sussex County Courthouse and the Circlebuilding197373000554
Sussex National Bank of Seafordbuilding198786002977
Teddy's Tavernbuilding199191000911
Trinity Methodist Episcopal Churchbuilding197878000916
Tunnell-West Housebuilding201212000379
Union Wesley Methodist Episcopal Church Complexdistrict201414000617
Warren's Millbuilding197878000923
West Potato Housebuilding199090001701
West Woods Methodist Episcopal Churchbuilding200707000246
Woman's Christian Temperance Union Fountainobject200909000052
Wright Potato Housebuilding199090001702
Gardiner Wright Mansionbuilding197979000650

Covered bridges

1

Sussex County has 1 covered bridge on the National Register. Each is a listed structure with a federal nomination on file.

Hopkins' Covered Bridge FarmListed 1991

Wildfire, 1992 to 2020

132 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 132 of them, burning about 1,888 acres. 4 started naturally and 22 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined28
Debris and open burning23
Arson/incendiarism22
Smoking20
Equipment and vehicle use14
Recreation and ceremony12
Natural4
Other causes3
Railroad operations and maintenance3
Misuse of fire by a minor1
Fireworks1
Power generation/transmission/distribution1

The five largest, by the area the report gives. One of them was set deliberately.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
10 March 2002Missing data/not specified/undetermined1,250 acresPrime Hook National Wildlife RefugeSLAUGHTERBEACH
13 April 2005Missing data/not specified/undetermined160 acresBlackwater National Wildlife RefugeMILLSBORO FIRE
9 July 2004Arson/incendiarism100 acresBlackwater National Wildlife RefugeWOODLAND CHURCH RD.
26 March 2003Equipment and vehicle use30 acresDelaware State Fire Marshal's Officenot named
26 March 2003Equipment and vehicle use30 acresDelaware State Fire Marshal's Officenot named
13 June 2015Equipment and vehicle use30 acresDelaware Forest ServiceFLEA FIRE
1 July 2004Missing data/not specified/undetermined17 acresDelaware State Fire Marshal's Officenot named
26 May 2015Smoking16 acresDelaware Forest ServiceSAVAGES FIRE

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1955 to 2026

60 of 851 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 851 reports for this county, causing 5 deaths, 62 injuries and about $9,544,560 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Thunderstorm Wind368
Heavy Rain192
Lightning80
Flash Flood68
Hail48
Flood32
Tornado28
Funnel Cloud17
Rip Current12
Waterspout4
Wildfire2

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
April 2023Tornado (EF3)Dublin Hill1 killedThe Bridgeville-Ellendale Tornado began around 5:59 PM EDT near the intersection of Polk Road and Dublin Hill Road where a section of a small barn roof was blown off. The tornado continued east-northeast crossing Seashore Highway. Along this section of the |damage path, a couple wooden power poles were blown down along with several trees uprooted or snapped. On tree fell onto a house causing significant collateral roof damage. The tornado continued eastward paralleling Newton Road where a farmstead sustain significant tree damage. About a half dozen parked semi-trailers were blow over along a driveway. Farther east, more tree damage and snapped power poles were observed. Near the intersection of Precious Lane and Newton Road, a 2 story house was collapsed after appearing to have slid off its foundation. A small outbuilding was also severely damaged nearby. Debris from this area was blown several hundred yards east into nearby fields. Another farmstead was struck by the tornado as it continued east on Dale Farm Road. A large barn had 2 exterior walls blown out and a smaller shed was blown over. Several trees were also snapped or uprooted on the |property.||The tornado continued east, crossing a railroad track and impacting a Delaware Department of Transportation facility. Along the railroad track, a half dozen or more wooden high tension power poles were snapped and collapsed along with 2 steel high tension power poles. This is where the tornado's estimated peak wind speeds of 140 mph were reached. The DE DOT facility sustained significant damage. A maintenance garage building experienced a collapse of an exterior wall and large portion of its roof. 2 smaller garage buildings nearby experienced several garage doors blown out, roofing material removal, and exterior wall damage. A building storing road salt had it's roof completely destroyed. The facility's office building had a few windows blown out, siding, |and roofing material blown off. Some of the siding material was found embedded into the ground downstream where a Delaware Environmental Observing System mesonet gauge measured a 98 mph wind gust at 3 meters (10 feet) above the ground at 6:05 PM EDT.||The tornado continued across a field, then crossed US Route 13 where a few utility poles were snapped. The tornado continued east into a wooded area where significant tree damage occurred. Numerous trees were snapped, one of which fell onto a double-wide manufactured home. After continuing through the wooded area, the tornado emerged into a field along Sugar Hill Road. A house along the road sustained significant roof removal, exterior wall damage, and blown out windows. A small outbuilding sustained roof material removal and several trees near the house were snapped or |uprooted. The tornado continued across Sugar Hill Road and east into another field where 2 irrigation pivots were blown over. The tornado emerged into a wooded residential area along Fawn Road where the tornado appeared to have intensified. The tornado cause significant uprooted and snapped trees in the area as well as significant removal of roofing material and blown out windows to some of the single-family houses along Fawn Road. Farther east, the significant tree damage continued and a large detached garage collapsed.||The tornado continued northeast toward the northern extension of Fawn Road where more significant tree damage occurred. A single story single family home appeared to have slid off its foundation and collapsed. A few other homes sustained roofing material and other cosmetic material blown off. The tornado continued east into another wooded residential area along Quail Hollow Road where mostly significant tree damage occurred. Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted. One snapped tree fell into a house causing significant collateral damage. On large detached garage was severely damaged with exterior walls and roof collapse near Tuckers Road And Quail Hollow Road.||The tornado moved northeast from this area into a wooded area just south of Tuckers Road, emerging into an open field. This was the point where the tornado reached its maximum with of about 700 yards (0.4 miles). The tornado struck a small farmstead along Tuckers Road. The house appeared to have slide off its foundation and collapsed. 2 barns on the property were completely destroyed along with snapped trees and power poles. Farther east, several homes sustained damage from fallen trees and wind blowing off roof material. A few irrigation pivots were blown over in this area. Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted along Owens Road and Sharps Mill Road near Tuckers Road. Just east of Tuckers Road, a single family house sustained significant structural damage. A large section of roof was blown off and an exterior wall was partially blown out. Several windows were blown out and the vinyl fencing on the property was almost completely blown away. A few more trees and minor cosmetic damage to structures occurred a few hundred yards east of Tuckers Road as the tornado continued northeast. Another residence was struck by the tornado on Tuckers |Road where a large portion of exterior wall along the attic was blown off. The home's chimney was also blown off and a few windows were blown out. A detached garage on the property had its roof almost completely blown off. A chicken house behind the residence had a small portion of its roof blown off. Some trees were uprooted along a tree line before the tornado moved into a large and inaccessible wooded area.||The tornado appeared to have maintained a fairly steady intensity as it continued northeast toward Ellendale while crossing several roads. The tornado crossed Oak Road, B and R Road, Oakley Road, Union Church Road, and Beaver Dam Road. Along these road crossings, the tornado produced consistent tree damage and some minor cosmetic damage to some homes. More notable areas of damage include: a large chicken house along B and R Road was severely damaged with some collapse of the northern end of the structure; A house along Oakley Road had an exterior garage wall pushed inward; more significant tree damage was also noted along Oakley Road; and a small portion of a single family house was blown off on Beaver Dam Road.||The tornado crossed US Route 113 into Ellendale where sporadic tree damage occurred in a residential area along Sharons Road. An entire attached garage roof and walls were blown off on a single family home on Pine Oak Street near Sharons Road. Some other houses sustained roof material blown off in this area. The tornado crossed Beach Highway/Main Street near Old State Road where some minor tree damage occurred and some shingles were blown off of a few homes. The tornado crossed Washington Avenue and McCaulley Avenue where a small portion of roof material was blow off of a |free standing garage. The tornado began to weaken considerably moving northeast of downtown Ellendale. It crossed Ponder Road where some roof material was blown off of a automotive service building. The tornado continued into a wooded area then crossed |Holly Tree Road emerging into a field. The tornado circulation dissipated around 6:19 PM EDT just after turning over an irrigation pivot near Hummingbird Road and Benson Road.
September 2005Rip CurrentDewey Beach1 killedno account filed
September 2002Rip CurrentRehoboth Beach1 killedno account filed
August 2001Rip CurrentRehoboth Beach1 killedno account filed
August 1998Rip CurrentLewes1 killedno account filed
July 2001Rip CurrentRehoboth Beach20 hurtno account filed
May 1984Tornado (F1)not stated8 hurt, $250,000no account filed
July 2001Rip CurrentRehoboth Beach7 hurtno account filed
August 2001Rip CurrentRehoboth Beach5 hurtno account filed
August 1999Rip CurrentHenlopen Acres4 hurtno account filed
May 1984Tornado (F1)not stated2 hurt, $250,000no account filed
August 2001LightningRehoboth Beach2 hurt, $10,000no account filed
July 1991Thunderstorm Windnot stated2 hurtno account filed
March 1988Thunderstorm Windnot stated2 hurtno account filed
July 1985Thunderstorm Windnot stated2 hurtno account filed
September 1999Flash FloodCountywide1 hurt, $150,000no account filed
August 1955Tornado (F2)not stated1 hurt, $2,500no account filed
August 2022Thunderstorm WindPepper1 hurtA tree fell into a camping trailer at Trap Pond State Park. 1 minor injury was reported. Time estimated from radar.
June 2021LightningAngola Beach1 hurtA person was struck by lightning in Angola, receiving non-fatal injuries. Time estimated from dispatch calls.
April 2019Tornado (EF2)Bethel1 hurtA tornado traveled from Woodland Ferry Road northeast to Pepper Road. One barn was destroyed. A tree fell on a house, resulting in one injury. In addition, there was roof damage to several other homes and barns. Many trees were uprooted along the tornado path, and a few were snapped.
July 2001LightningLaurel1 hurtno account filed
September 1998LightningOcean View1 hurtno account filed
June 1986Thunderstorm Windnot stated1 hurtno account filed
August 2001Flash FloodSouthwest Portion$1,100,000no account filed
November 1995Thunderstorm WindDewey Beach$1,000,000A very strong cold front blasted through the region the evening of the 11th. Southerly winds increased during the day and started gusting over 50 mph during the early evening. They peaked as the cold front moved through between 8 pm and 1030 pm. The worst damage occurred in Dewey Beach as a severe thunderstorm exacerbated the damaging wind gusts. The Dodd Avenue and Chicago Street areas were hardest hit. Four houses were severely damaged and more than thirty others suffered minor damage. Part of the roof of one Dodd Street house was found three blocks away. Delaware State Route 1 within Dewey Beach was closed because of strewn debris. Damage estimates were around one million dollars and miraculously no serious injuries were reported. Wind related damage was reported elsewhere throughout the state. About 2,500 Delmarva Power and Light customers lost power in Cecil and New Castle Counties. Porter Road south of Christiana was closed because of fallen trees. In Kent County, a house near Clayton suffered major wind damage. In Sussex County, a chicken house in Millville collapsed, killing 10,000 chickens. Elsewhere in Sussex County a house was badly damaged in Angola, a barn was destroyed in Cool Spring, a garage was flattened and chimney damaged in Georgetown and the Pilot Tower at Cape Henlopen recorded a wind gust to 78 mph. ~ DEZ002>004,14,1200EST- *,14,1600EST,,,0,0,,,Coastal Flooding The first nor'easter of the fall/winter season caused minor tidal flooding the afternoon of the 14th in Kent and Sussex Counties. The gradient between a high pressure system in Quebec Province and the developing nor'easter east of North Carolina produced a stiff east wind. Consequently, the high tides were a little more than three feet above normal. This produced a high tide of 7.1 feet (Above Mean Low Water) in Lewes. Roads susceptible to tidal flooding were covered and/or closed at high tide. In Kent County Hubbard Avenue in Bowers Beach was under water. A parking lot in Little Creek was submerged. Parts of the bayside communities of Woodland Beach and Pickering Beach were inaccessible. South Bowers became an island as waves were breaking on Kent County Road 121, the only road into South Bowers. In addition, the high tide caused flooding along the Murderkill River, which flooded near Webb Landing shutting it off further. In Sussex County the road between the Indian River Outlet and the South Shore Marina was under two and a half feet of water. Tidal flooding caused roadway flooding in Lewes, Dewey and along State Route 54. By the overnight high tide, the nor'easter moved inland into Southern New Jersey and tidal flooding was less.
June 2006Flash FloodSouthwest Portion$1,000,000no account filed
August 2003LightningDagsboro$800,000no account filed
August 2012Flash FloodNassau$500,000Thunderstorms with torrential downpours caused flash flooding in Eastern Sussex County. The hardest hit area was in and around Long Neck. Many roadways were flooded and closed. One road collapsed in Oak Orchard. In Oak Orchard, River Road was under water and the bulkhead of one home was damaged at the Riverwinds Development. Holly Lake Road was also closed Flooding was also reported along Beaver Dam Road and Delaware State Ropute 5. Along the coast, Delaware State Route 1 in Dewey Beach and Delaware State Route 26 leading into Bethany Beach were flooded. Event precipitation totals included 7.21 in Rehoboth Beach, 6.83 inches in Harbeson, 6.39 inches in Bethany Beach and 5.76 inches in Indian River Inlet.
August 2012LightningDelmar$300,000A lightning strike and ensuing fire caused extensive damage to a home on Eagle Run Lane in Delmar. No injuries were reported.
July 2007LightningGeorgetown$300,000A lightning strike quickly caused a fire at a house on Avalon Road in Georgetown. When firefighters from five separate companies arrived, the rear of the home was already engulfed in flames and the fire had extended to a nearby storage shed. Two people were home at the time of the lightning strike and escaped before being injured. Damage to the home was estimated at $300,000.
June 2009LightningRehoboth Beach$250,000In Rehoboth Beach, a lightning strike and ensuing fire caused about an estimated $250,000 in damage to a house on Coventry Lane in the Rehoboth Beach Yacht and Country Club development. Lightning apparently struck the attic of the home. Six fire companies fought the blaze.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindGeorgetown$250,000A squall line of severe thunderstorms caused wind damage, especially in the eastern part of Sussex County with the corridor from Georgetown to Lewes reporting the most damage with a secondary maximum of wind damage from Dagsboro to Bethany Beach. There were about fifty weather related incidents throughout the county.||Just northeast of Georgetown, dozens of trees were toppled at the Sand Hill Mobile Home Park. Seven homes and four vehicles were damaged by fallen trees. Many trees were twisted, uprooted and shredded in and around the park. In Georgetown, the damaging winds ripped part of the roof and siding off one warehouse owned by Besche Brother Furniture and picked up and moved another large warehouse twenty-five feet off its foundation. In Lewes near the intersection of Delaware State Route 1 and Darmouth Drive, half of the front wall of the Furniture and More Galleries collapsed. The ensuing rain soaked mattresses, beds and futons at the front of the store. A 62 mph wind gust was recorded in Lewes. ||The squall line also knocked down trees in Dagsboro and Ocean View. A chimney was damaged by the high winds in Bethany Beach.
July 2002LightningBethany Beach$250,000no account filed
July 2007LightningSeaford$200,000Lightning struck a few homes across Sussex County between 330 p.m. EDT and 415 p.m. EDT on the 28th. A lightning strike and ensuing fire damaged a Kelley Circle home near Seaford. In addition to wind damage elsewhere, lightning struck a home on Clayton Street in Frankford. The ensuing fire damaged the outer wall of the home. Three fire companies assisted in battling the blaze. The worst reported damage occurred to a home struck by lightning in Lewes. Lightning struck a home in the Bay Crossing Community on Anchor Way. Four fire companies fought the ensuing blaze which caused heavy damage to the second floor and roof of the home. No serious injuries were reported with any of the fires.
August 2001LightningSeaford$200,000no account filed
August 2007LightningDewey Beach$175,000Thunderstorms produced about 2,300 cloud-to-surface lightning strikes in Sussex County and the nearby waters between 11 p.m. EDT and Midnight EDT. Two lightning strikes caused damage. Lightning struck the chimney of an unoccupied unit of a townhouse complex in Port Lewes. The ensuing fire spread along the exterior of the unit to the adjoining unit in the complex. The residents of that unit were evacuated. Four fire companies battled the blaze. Damage was estimated at $150,000. No serious injuries were reported. In Rehoboth Beach, the fire station and city hall were struck by lightning. The strike fried the 911 system. The combination of wind and lightning caused about 7,000 homes and businesses to lose power in Sussex County. All power was restored by 3 a.m. EDT on the 17th.|
August 1998LightningRehoboth Beach$175,000no account filed
August 2001LightningSeaford$160,000no account filed
August 2001LightningGeorgetown$150,000no account filed
August 2012Flash FloodMidway$100,000Thunderstorms with torrential downpours caused roadway flash flooding in Rehoboth Beach. First Street was under two feet of water and at least one resort garage was flooded. Over two dozen vehicles were damaged. Event precipitation total was 7.21 inches.
June 2012Thunderstorm WindSeaford$100,000A gust front outrunning a cluster of severe thunderstorms entered near Seaford in western Sussex County at approximately 11:57 pm EDT on the 29th. This gust front produced damaging wind gusts estimated between 65 mph to 70 mph as it traversed eastward across the county. Within approximately 20 minutes of the gust front passage, a potent line of severe thunderstorms tracked eastward through Sussex county, producing another round of destructive wind gusts, estimated from 65 mph to 70 mph. Large tree limbs were reported down across the county, including in Seaford, Lincoln, Lewes, and Millsboro. In addition, multiple downed trees were reported in Selbyville, and a wind gust to 70 mph was estimated in Bridgeville. Severe thunderstorms exited eastern Sussex County, including the town of Lewes, at approximately 1:10 am EDT on the 30th. Measured wind gusts included 69 mph in Dewey Beach and 63 mph in Lewes.
June 2012Thunderstorm WindRosedale Beach$100,000A severe thunderstorm damaged two county buildings that were under construction at the Inland Bays Wastewater Treatment plant near Millsboro. On one building, a large section of the metal roofing flew off. The second building collapsed. No injuries were reported.
June 2009Thunderstorm WindGreenwood$100,000A severe thunderstorm produced a swath of straight-line wind damage up to one-half mile wide in spots from southwestern Kent County into western Sussex County. Most of the wind damage occurred in Northwest Fork Hundred. Maximum wind gusts were estimated at 80 mph and caused property as well as substantial crop damage. One home sustained substantial damage. There was widespread crop damage from large hail.||Wind damage in Sussex County started near County Route 16 near Blanchard. The most significant damage occurred parallel to McDowell Road east of Woodbridge Road. A porch roof was ripped away from a wood-framed farm house, and a steel antenna tower next to the house was bent. A tree near the house was blown down, and a large chicken barn near the house collapsed. Farther east, another steel antenna tower was bent, and some shingles were torn off the roof of a nearby house. ||Corn was stripped to the stalk on many fields within the damage swath, resulting in a total loss in some cases. Wheat and barely fields also suffered substantial damage. Crop losses mainly from hail could easily total several hundred thousand dollars. ||Tree damage was also noted in the town of Greenwood. Small to medium sized limbs were torn away along Minor Street in downtown Greenwood. Some lawn furniture was blown around, and streets and driveways were littered with leaves. Some funnel clouds were reported, but they did not touch down.
December 2008Thunderstorm WindGreenwood$100,000A line of showers was accompanied by damaging winds as it moved through Greenwood around 1 a.m. EST. A radio tower lost part of its antenna, siding was ripped away from a storage center and the price sign and roof of a gas station was damaged. No injuries were reported.
April 2006LightningBethany Beach$100,000no account filed
August 2003LightningOcean View$100,000no account filed
April 2002Thunderstorm WindLincoln$100,000no account filed
May 2004LightningFrankford$81,000no account filed
August 2011LightningLewes$75,000The roof of a Drake Knoll home in Lewes was struck by lightning and started a fire. Five fire companies battled the blaze that was mainly confined to the roof. No serious injuries were reported.
July 2007LightningLewes$75,000A series of thunderstorms over a period of three hours produced about 1100 cloud-to-surface lightning strikes in Sussex County and Delaware Bay from 4 p.m. EDT through 7 p.m. EDT on the 16th. About ten structures were struck by lightning in and around Lewes. The worst reported property damage was the ensuing fire that occurred after a lightning strike to a Brighton Drive home. The fire damage was estimated at $50,000. The lightning strike in the Sussex East Mobile Home Park started a shed fire which spread to a home, but was quickly extinguished. Two small fires were started by lightning strikes to homes in the Eagle Point Landing Development. Another lightning strike occurred at an apartment building at the Village of Five Points development. Lightning struck a Home Depot twice on Delaware State Route 1. Lightning also struck the Furniture Galley on Delaware State Route 1 and Practically Yours on U.S. Route 9. No serious injuries were reported with any of the fires.
July 2005LightningLaurel$75,000no account filed
July 2005LightningSeaford$60,000no account filed
July 2013Flash FloodWilliamsville$50,000Thunderstorms with very heavy rain led to flash flooding from Selbyville east in southern Sussex County. A few roads were closed and sections of Lighthouse and Sand Cove Roads collapsed. Event precipitation totals included 5.50 inches in Selbyville.
August 2012LightningOcean View$50,000A lightning strike and ensuing fire caused extensive damage to a home on Inlet View Court in Bethany Beach. No injuries were reported.
June 2012Thunderstorm WindAngola Beach$50,000A severe thunderstorm knocked down several trees onto homes and sheds along Banks Road and Canal Drive in Oak Orchard around 905 AM EDT on June 25th.
June 2012Thunderstorm WindDewey Beach$50,000A severe thunderstorm caused wind damage as it moved through Dewey Beach. The thunderstorm winds damaged mobile homes on Rodney Street. The severe thunderstorm ripped apart sections of the observation deck roof, the deck itself and awning of the Lighthouse Restaurant. The Rusty Rudder Restaurant also was damaged. The severe thunderstorm also knocked down trees and electrical poles. There was one pole fire on Collins Street Northbound Delaware State Route 1 was closed until the afternoon of the 25th. Delmarva Power and Light reported about 170 of its customers in Dewey Beach lost power. A wind gust of 69 mph was measured at a WeatherFlow mesonet site within Dewey Beach.
August 2011LightningGeorgetown$50,000A pair of lightning strikes helped trigger fires that damaged two homes in Georgetown. One fire occurred on Avalon Drive and the second on Donaway Road. Four fire companies responded to each blaze. No injuries were reported.
August 1997Thunderstorm WindFenwick Is$50,000no account filed
May 2009LightningOcean View$40,000A lightning strike and ensuing fire sparked a garage and house fire on Oyster Shell Cove in Salt Pond in Baltimore Hundred. The garage was struck by lightning and the fire then spread to the home. Damage was estimated at $40,000. No injuries were reported.
May 2025Thunderstorm WindLaurel$30,000Additional wind damage east of the path of the tornado was noted continuing eastward towards Laurel. This was the result of straight-line winds associated with the rear-flank downdraft which also caused the loss of all of the metal roofing on one commercial building as well as the partial loss of metal roofing on another commercial building in Laurel as well as additional tree damage south of Chipman Pond.

Mines and quarries

9 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 9 workings inside this county. 2 still produce and 7 are closed or unrecorded. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Iron6
Sand and Gravel, Construction2
Magnesite1

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
BarcroftMagnesiteProducer1972
Lewes PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionProducer
Sussex Sand and Gravel Pit and MillSand and Gravel, ConstructionPast ProducerSedimentary
Collins Mine and PlantIronPast Producer
Deep Creek MineIronPast Producer
Elliot Farm ProspectIronProspect
Gravelly Delight MineIronPast Producer
Mine Hill MineIronPast Producer
Pine Creek Forge MineIronPast Producer

Every populated place in the county

509

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.

The vanished settlements of Sussex County: the places named above that are no longer on the map.

Provenance

  • Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
  • Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
  • Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.