| Cape Henlopen's strategic location at the mouth of the Delaware Bay led to its role in local shipping & military history. The historic Henlopen Lighthouse no longer helps to guide vessels through the treacherous bay waters, but the two stone "breakwaters" barriers off the point of the Cape, completed in 1869 & 1901, still form a safe harbor for boats during rough seas.
With the onset of World War II, the U.S. Army established a military base at Cape Henlopen in 1941. Bunkers & gun emplacements were camouflaged among the dunes, & concrete observation towers were built along the coast to spot enemy ships. In 1964, the Department of Defense declared 543 acres of the Cape lands as surplus property. The State of Delaware accepted the property & established Cape Henlopen State Park. |
Cape Henlopen State Park Campground Web Site
Driving Direction GPS Coordinates:
38.780126, -75.124957
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Campground: Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes Delaware *