Division completes exterior rehabilitation of the Zwaanendael Museum
During the week of Sept. 14, 2020, contractors working for the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs completed the exterior rehabilitation of the Zwaanendael Museum located at 102 Kings Highway in Lewes, Del.
Rehabilitation work, which began on June 22, 2020, included cleaning of the entire exterior of the building with attention paid to its ornamental-design features, replacement of weather-damaged shutters and repainting all remaining window frames and shutters according to existing colors and design.
The Zwaanendael Museum was built in 1931 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the state’s first European colony, Swanendael, established by the Dutch along Hoorn Kill (present-day Lewes-Rehoboth Canal) in 1631. Designed by E. William Martin (architect of Legislative Hall and the Hall of Records in Dover), the museum is modeled after the town hall in Hoorn, the Netherlands, and features a stepped façade gable with carved stonework and decorated shutters. Crowning the building is a statue of David Pieterszoon de Vries, general administrator of the Swanendael colony. The museum’s exhibits and presentations provide a showcase for Lewes-area maritime, military and social history.