JOHN ROBERT STENGER STAFF NATURLIST

JOHN R. STENGER

CAPE HENLOPEN STATE PARK STAFF NATURLIST

AUGUST 1968

The Delaware State Parks Commission has named John Robert Stenger, age 42,

as a staff naturalist for Cape Henlopen State Park, Lewes, Delaware.

Stenger, a Lewes High School science teacher is a “friend” of all public lands of the

Cape Henlopen area that include the new state park, nearby state owned beaches

and savannah but also William Penn's ancient Common Land, a gift to the people of

Lewes and Sussex county.

To date, much of this flat sandy, but green, scene has been exploited by trainloads of sand

from leased areas of the Common Land's. Stenger challenged the town of Lewes' policy

policy of leasing the 'mining rights'.

In mysterious ways, best known to Sussex lawyers, both the town of Lewes and the county

officials have responsibility for this early colonial heritage. It is a 'known' that all real

estate along the Sussex coast has a steeply rising value, both by the dollar and the demand

of natural lands for recreation.

The William Penn Common Land's area is the first Delaware scene to greet travelers of the

Cape May – Lewes Ferry and border the popular state park at the capes.

So far, Stenger, the Lewes Historical Society and a civic group headed by Dr. James Marvil

have been no match for the 'sandmen' and Lewes town council interest in the revenue from

that source.

Last spring the state parks agency offered to administer the William Penn Common Lands

but were turned down .

Mr. Stengers remarks about the town dump smoking away in view of ferry patrons have had

no visible effect.

Now, there is more need than ever for a good, long range public policy to look at the future

of the centuries old common lands in trust of all the people.

Mr. Stenger now needs to ride each day to his job at the park and is a good man to keep an

eye on the whole thing.

Addendum: John Robert Stenger was born in Clarksburg, Harrison county, West Virginia,

to Louis Jean and Zula Edra Weaver Stenger on 17 October 1926. In 1945 he enlisted in the service of his country, and on 28 January 1949, he married to

Margaret Elizabeth Onestingel. They have issue. 

Thank God for our John Robert Stenger,      the cape dunes are still there.

Source: Wilmington New Journal August 10, 1968 Abstract by Harrison H. 03/31/18