Two sections of Lewes Beach have new names after town officials approved renaming Beach 1 and Beach 2 this week.
The Lewes Mayor and Council accepted the Lewes African American Heritage Commission’s recommendation that Beach 2 become Johnnie Walker Beach.
It was a segregated beach prior to the 1960’s and the new name reflects its history in the Black community.
The African American Heritage Commission worked with the Lewes Parks and Recreation Commission to make the name change happen.
Lewes Parks and Rec commissioner Kay Carnahan is glad to see the effort reach the finish line.
"I’m thrilled with the emotional response from it," said Carnahan. "I thought I was just asking for a name. And I was very amazed at what this has really meant to this community. And it’s exciting to be able to see the photos and hear the testimony. In the spring when crowds come back, we’ll have things set up and people can learn what happened.”
There’s also a plan to rebuild the pavilion that once stood at Johnnie Walker beach during the Jim Crow-era to honor its history. Lewes Mayor Ted Becker
says he is working with DNREC on that effort.
Becker and Council also unanimously approved naming Beach 1 Savannah Beach reflecting its location at the end of Savannah Road.
Beckers says the time is right to make these changes.
“The nice thing about our considering this tonight is, as we move to the end of the beach season and we move to the end of the year, all the maps that the Chamber put out and everybody else develops, will be reprinted in anticipation of the 2022 season,"said Lewes. So our taking action on this tonight enables the Chamber to move forward with getting those names changed.”
