Lewes Historical Society holds Cannonball House Careen

The Lewes Historical Society held its second annual Cannonball House Careen April 20 to raise money for much-needed renovations to the historic property.

The building, located at Front and Bank streets, dates from 1740-50.

“The Cannonball House is still on its original foundation,” said Denise Clemons, LHS board chair. 

Clemons said the Historic American Building Survey researched the archaeological, architectural and genealogical needs to return the Cannonball House to its original condition.

“It’s not a short, nor inexpensive, process. It’s everything from reframing windows to stabilizing some of the joists and walls,” Clemons said.

She said LHS is still getting bids, and they do not yet have an estimate of how much the project will cost.

The April 20 fundraiser was held at the historical society’s main campus on Shipcarpenter Street.

For a small donation, visitors were treated to re-enactments of colonial life in Lewes, period music and a beer brewed by Dogfish Head exclusively for the event.

Executive Director and curator Andrew Lyter dressed in a period sailor uniform and demonstrated how sails were repaired. Ben Bartgis weaved a chair like a craftsman would have done in 1813. The Ship’s Company Chanteymen sang songs from the colonial era.

The main event was a live auction, featuring artwork, a rug and wooden boats.

The big-ticket item was a boat called an “Uncle Gabe’s skiff,” donated by Jim McKelvey.

“It’s a good rower, a good sailor, and you put a two-horsepower motor on the back and she gets right along,” McKelvey said.

Paige Durivage bid $1,000 and won the boat. She said she will donate the skiff back to LHS.

“I volunteer at the lifesaving station, so we can incorporate it and have some fun with it,” Durivage said.

Joe McClean and Krista Schoener of Lewes had the top bid of $400 for an original charcoal sketch of the old Sussex Tavern.

“It’s going to go in our house. Anytime we can help in anyway, we love to,” Schoener said.