Historic Zwaanendael Club building for sale in Lewes

The historic Zwaanendael Club building at the corner of Savannah Road and Third Street in Lewes is up for sale.

The Lewes Historical Society, which has owned the building since 2015, put it on the market at the recommendation of museum consultant Gallagher & Associates. The listing on the Lee Ann Wilkinson Group website has the price at $899,900.

The historical society has most recently used the building as an antiques shop.

Denise Clemons, historical society vice chair and archivist, said the organization hired the firm to do a feasibility study of the society’s entire operation. The study found the antique shop could make more money for the historical society if it operated at its main campus.

“The consultant recommended that, because of the location and function of the building, we put it up for sale and move the antiques shop to our Shipcarpenter Street campus,” Clemons said.

A sign on the front door says the shop will reopen at the Shipcarpenter campus in the spring.

“The hope is that a local organization will take it over and maintain the historic integrity,” Clemons said.

The GFWC Zwaanendael Women’s Club sold the the building to the historical society for $1 in 2015. The GFWC Zwaanendael Women’s Club is not affiliated with the Zwaanendael Museum across the street.

“Because it’s a historic building, the outside will remain the same. The historic marker will stay,” said Lynn Barberi, president of the club. 

Barberi said the organization has 80 members and outgrew the building for its meetings long ago. The club now meets at the Lewes Public Library.

“As we pass the Zwaanendael Club building in the future, we will feel a positive sense of nostalgia no matter who eventually occupies the structure. The building and our club are inextricably linked in history,” she said.

Barberi said the club’s mission is to raise money for community organizations, with the library being one of the benefactors.

The Zwaanendael Club building was built in 1898 by the Sussex Trust Title and Safe Deposit Company. It has also served as a store and a lending library.

An addition on Third Street was built in the 1930s. The building was donated to the GFWC Zwaanendael Women’s Club in 1929.

The building has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1980.