Lewes High School as it appeared in the 1940s

This postcard was mailed in 1946 and shows the Lewes School on Savannah Road as it appeared at that time. Though the school was completed in 1921 and housed several grades, by the time of this postcard it had evolved into the Lewes High School for grades nine through 12.

The school was originally financed by Pierre S. du Pont as part of an extensive public education improvement initiative which bankrolled construction of new schools up and down the state. The building also housed the first Cape Henlopen High School classes after consolidation of the Lewes, Milton and Rehoboth Beach special school districts in 1969.

Now the building is once again being repurposed and expanded to be the new home of Richard A. Shields Elementary School, with dramatic changes to its appearance, although the original central facade is being preserved for historical context.