The 1812 Memorial Park is located a stone’s throw from Second Street and serves as the entrance to the Otis Smith City Dock. It is situated at the corner of Savannah Road and Front Street along the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal.
This park was created to commemorate the defense of Lewes against a two-day bombardment by the British fleet on April 6 to 7, 1813. Many cannon balls from the attack were collected by local residents and have been preserved to this day.
The site was a defense battery during the War of 1812 and is marked by a granite monument placed by the U.S. Daughters of 1812. Four large guns sit on the upper terrace with a small gun that is believed to have been taken from a pirate vessel between them. A three-inch naval gun sits on the lower terrace, which was used during World War I, and was placed by the American Legion in 1930.
