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Adventures with Flat Stanley in Historic Lewes, Delaware

For an audio tour of our adventures, click here: media type="file" key="Flat Stanley Audio ETanner.mp3" width="240" height="20" Resource: MacLeod, K. (Composer) (2011). //Somewhere sunny (version 2)// [Web]. Retrieved from [|http://incompetech.com/m/c/royalty-free/index.html?keywords=somewhere sunny&Search=Search]



This is Stanley learning about the bombardment of Lewes during the War of 1812. During the war, several British ships demanded supplies from the town of Lewes; when they were refused, they subjected the town to a three-day cannon bombardment.



Stanley saw one of the cannonballs from the bombardment still lodged in the foundation of the Cannonball House on Front Street in Lewes (and touched it for good luck!). After that, we traveled to Cape Henlopen State Park.



Next, Erin and Stanley saw the gun installments at Fort Miles, a World War II-era military installation created to defend the East Coast from possible attack, which was located on the spot that is now Cape Henlopen State Park. The park was originally created when Fort Miles was decommissioned and the land became available. (We realized afterward that you're really not supposed to climb on the guns.)



Next, we walked to the Fort Miles observation tower, created so that the Fort Miles soldiers could look out for German submarines, bombers, and warships. Fort Miles was also important in protecting the cities of Wilmington and Philadelphia during World War II, so it was important to be able to see as far as possible out over the water.



This is Stanley and Erin in front of the observation tower. The tower is really tall! Seventy-five feet tall, to be exact. This might not seem very big when you think about it on the ground, but Stanley learned that it seems MUCH higher once you climb to the top and the wind is whistling through the railings.



We learned about history of Fort Miles and the observation tower structure. There's a lot of interesting information to be learned!



This shot shows the interior of the observation tower and the spiral staircase that leads to the top. It was a very long walk up the stairs, but Stanley was lucky enough to get a piggyback ride.



After we climbed many, many steps to the top of the tall tower, we looked out over Cape Henlopen State Park and Delaware Bay. Stanley, happily, did not suffer from a fear of heights! He was also lucky that Erin had a good hold on him, or he might have wafted on the wind all the way to Cape May, New Jersey! (You can see Cape May on a clear day from the top of the tower.)



The observation tower is the perfect spot to enjoy a beautiful sunset. We stopped to think about all the sunsets the Fort Miles soldiers must have seen from that very spot. What did they think about while they were up there on watch duty? Their wives, girlfriends, or mothers? Betty Grable's legs? Or just what was going to be served for dinner at the mess hall that evening? Whatever they thought about, we are lucky that they stayed there, day after day and night after night, to keep us all safe.



Next, we left the state park and took a walk down Lewes Beach, which runs along the bay. Stanley inspected a horseshoe crab, and learned that Delaware Bay is the primary East Coast habitat and mating site for horseshoe crabs, which are very important in medical technology. Their blood is used to test medicines to see if they're safe to use on humans. (Stanley was happy to learn that it doesn't hurt the horseshoe crabs when we "borrow" a little of their blood.)



Stanley met Clementine, Erin's Pembroke Welsh corgi, while walking on the beach. Clementine was eventually persuaded that Stanley was not edible, and the two became good friends after that.



Then, as the sun went down and Stanley's visit drew to a close, we watched the lights come on at the Harbor of Refuge and Delaware Breakwater lighthouses. Stanley had a marvelous time learning about the history and ecosystem of the Lewes, Delaware area, and hopes to visit again soon!