1944 Map of Cape Henlopen

About this map

Fort Miles Military Reservation dominates this coastal landscape, reflecting the strategic defensive importance of the Delaware capes during World War II. Positioned at the mouth of the Delaware Bay, the area is characterized by shifting sand dunes and extensive flat sands that meet the Atlantic Ocean at Cape Henlopen. The settlement of Lewes serves as the inland anchor, connected to maritime trade and industry via the Lewes and Rehoboth Canal and the Pennsylvania rail line. Industrial activity is visible near the coast with Consolidated Fisheries and Fish Products Co operating along the harbor. Navigational history is densely layered here, from the massive Breakwater structures to the Harbor of Refuge Lighthouse and an Abandoned LH, illustrating the long-standing efforts to protect vessels entering the bay.