QUEEN ANNE'S PIER LEWES FACTS.

QUEEN ANNE PIER AT LEWES

FACTS

February 10, 1900, Saturday in the Wilmington Morning News is was reported stock for a pier is all subscribed, that the Queen Anne Railroad Company is interested. It is expected

that daily trips will be made from Lewes to The Quaker City, Philadelphia.

Now that all of the stock has been subscribed that should be right soon. As soon as an

organization is formed , bids will be let and received for erecting the pier.

Queen Anne Raailroad has taken 1/3 of the stock, being that interested in the movement.

The pier project is headed by Dr. G. H. West and others of Philadelphia who expect to

divide stock into three blocks, one for the people in Philadelphia, one for the people of

Lewes and one for the Queen Anne Railroad Company..

The project intends to incorporate a company under the laws of Delaware with $10,000

capital, build a pier and lease a steamboat. As the stock is already subscribed, preliminary

work will proceed with all haste.

To co-operate with the new company, Queen Anne Railroad Company, has agreed to lease

their beach front holdings at Lewes beach to locate the pier, to be be directly in front of the

main part of town.

January 14, 1901, Monday in the Baltimore Sun it is reported by W. T. Bosley, the president of Queen Anne's Railroad, that it will have a new pier at Lewes, an independent

structure. The railroad has plans and specifications made for a new and independent

pier at Lewes and is taking bids for the construction of a 675 foot pier into the bay, directly off

the companies beach front holdings, adjoining the pier occupied by Philadelphia and Lewes

Transportation Company.

There is a strong likelihood that a service line will be established between Lewes and Rehoboth

thereby offering Washington and Baltimore people a handy connection to Rehoboth Beach.

April 25, 1913, Wilmington Morning News reports on Friday that the tug Resolute,

docked at the end of Queen Anne pier, broke her moorage, swung about with great force

and damaged the pier. Several pillings were cut in half and it will be a matter of several

weeks before repairs can be made so the pier can be put back into use again.

November 6, 1913, Thursday the Wilmington News Journal reported that a cement

pavement being laid from the Ocean House to Queen Anne pier, some 275 feet, the work

being dome by Marshalls for $99. The pavement is the result of D. B. Edwards efforts.

Edwards is the pier caretaker who sells town water to vessels in port.

Tuesday June 6 1922, the Wilmington Mornings News reported the Queen Ann Railroad Company has sold the transportation pier on Lewes Beach to P. D. Martin of

Philadelphia and Captain Willard H. Collins of Lewes. David Edwards still has charge

of the pier and will furnish boats with water as they have been heretofore.

May 3, 1923, the Wilmington Evening Journal reports that contractor Joseph E. Virden will make extensive repairs to Queen Anne pier which was recently purchased by Captain Willard H. Collins.

Tuesday, March 3, 1938, Wilmington Morning News: Twelve men of the local

relief rolls engaged by the owner of Queen Anne's Pier at Lewes who were salvaging the

wharf which was crushed by ice floes a week ago are finished and have saved enough material

to warrant reconstruction of the structure for the upcoming fishing season.

Mrs. Willard H. Collins, owner, is awaiting an estimate from Joseph E. Virden,

contractor, who feels the pier can be restored at a low cost. The pipe lines and the water hose

recovered are in good usable shape and there are tons of iron to be sold to junk dealers.

1000 feet of the center section needs construction to connect the beach side to the far end

which holds a 7228 gallon water tank and recreation shelters. Reconstruction will start

Monday, May 17.

The $25,000 , 40 year old pier was terminus for excursion steamers and a rendezvous

for fishermen, supplied ocean going vessels with water and oil. It was the Lewes terminal

for the ferry boats “Queen Caroline” and “Cape May” which were the last to use the old pier.

WHO WAS CAPTAIN WILLARD H. COLLINS

Monday, January 4^th, 1926, Wilmington Morning News reports that Dr. James

Thompson, mayor for the past 25 years was defeated by Captain Willard H. Collins who is

president of the new Lewes Chamber of Commerce by 33 votes out of 179.

Captain Collins is a 37 year seaman, has commanded the Martin Line tug boat Arabic and

has returned to Lewes to make his home. He built the wharf from which the new ferry line

will run, the Bayview Inn and some bathhouses.

He has been captain of the Delaware, a pilot boat, until ill health forced him to retire.

The Monday, August 20, 1934 Wilmington Morning News, reports Captain

Willard Collins ofa heart attack at his Kings Highway home. He was 75 years old,

and buried in the Lewes Presbyterian Church yard. He is survived by his wife, the former

Kate Dodd, daughter of the late Andrew Dodd, a member of a pioneer family of Lewes.

Kate died January 25, 1938 at her Kings Highway home. Survivors were daughters

Mrs Blanch Stott, Lewes, Mrs Robert Bastian, Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Mrs David

Bullock, Lansdown, two sons Captain William U. Collins Lewes pilot, and Edwin Collin

of Lewes. Kate was a sister to Miss Anne dodd of Rehoboth and Mrs Walt Poynter, Lewes.

Willard's middle name was Hopkins.

Source. Wilmington Delaware newspapers, abstract byHarrison Howeth 06/24/18

The Baltimore Sun

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