LEWES CURBSTONES
Memories of Lewes' early
settlement were aroused among the towns older citizens
when old sail masts from
shipwrecked vessels which were used as curbstones along
the streets near the canal
before the towns sewer was system installed.
The mast were found in the
back yard of one of the Maull homes and were still bearing
imprints of the iron
hoops by which the sails were attached.
The hoops had long been
removed by young boys who rolled them along the dirt
roadways of town.
The mast were placed along
the sidewalks in order to raise an embankment that
drainage water could not
flow over.
Some mast were 75 feet long
and 3 foot thick and many were painted the same
color of the house they
protected.
In 1901 the mast came out
when the sewer was laid.
Old timers claim that from
10 to 25 four mast vessels would wreck each winter and
they found the salvaged
mast made good use keeping the sewage from overflowing
the sidewalks. It the
early days the sewer was a 9 foot deep by 10 feet wide open ditch
winding through town and
emptied in to the creek.
Several homes had been
built with limber of the mast, some of the lumber also was used
to build pieces of
furniture. Much of shipwreck wood found its way into the wood
stove for warmth.
Abstract: Wilmington News
Journal , Saturday, January 20, 1934, by Harrison H.
December 27, 2017.
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