LEWES DAIRY

LEWES DAIRY

An abstract of an article of Volume V, November 2002, Journal of Lewes Historical

Society, by HDB, which I take to be Hazel Downs Brittingham. Also mentioned are

Mustard, Layton and Allied Families by Helene Mustard Layton. 1946.

A farm, 240 acres, upland and marsh was purchased in 1919 by Emory B. Brittingham,

fronting on Lewes Creek, recently newly aligned and deepened to form the Lewes &

Rehoboth Canal. The farm was backed by Canary Creek and the Great Marsh stretched

beyond. The farm, originally was 429 acres and known as the Pilot Town Farm.

A former owner, Harbeson Hickman , wealthy land owner had named it “ Sea View Farm”

and in 1861 his family called it :Sea View Villa”. The Hickmans dwelt in the sizable

farmhouse which was called “the old Hickman Mansion House”. A writing by a

Hickman descendant described the 'Villa' as having a garden bordered by boxwood and a

view of the willow trees along the creek and the bay. After a fire had destroyed the barn

and other outbuildings the family moved into Lewes to the “Ocean House” that Mr.

Hickman purchased in 1870. This ancient house was demolished to make room for the

Lewes Dairy office buildings.

The 'Pilot Town Farm' included a history laden section of old Lewestowne, the stone

giving testimony to the 1631 Dutch Swanendael and their fortification , now St. Peters

Episcopal Cemetery,

As the land was being cultivaed the Brittingham boys found many arrowheads which their

mother saved. Today the Sharp Campus of the University of Delaware College of Marine

Studies sits on the land and the bay holds a harbor for its vessels.

Recently portions of the farm has been recorded as “deVries Airfield” and the “ Brittingham

Home Place”. Abstracr 03/03/2018 Harrison H. for facebook's 'Lewes to Ocean City'.