A cannonball dating back to the early 1800s has gone missing from a historic site in Delaware, with many reportedly believing the artifact was stolen.
The Cannonball House in the historic town of Lewes, nestled along the Delaware coast, was so named because of the British cannonball lodged into its exterior wall — likely a remnant from a trade skirmish in the early 1800s. That cannonball mysteriously disappeared from its centuries-old resting place earlier in February, much to the dismay and heartache of the town’s residents who feel a piece of their town’s rich heritage has been destroyed, WDEL reported Feb. 20.
The famous “cannonball house” owned by the @HistoricLewes ? Well someone stole the cannonball that made this historic crib famous- make sure to watch @NBCPhiladelphia at 6! pic.twitter.com/nXgXIAti4y
— Tim Furlong (@tfurlong) February 20, 2023
“I think it’s probably devastating for a lot of folks; this house has come to represent Lewes Historical Society, the community of Lewes, [and] our maritime heritage, so it’s far more than just ‘I’ll steal an object,” Executive director of the Cannonball House museum, Andrew Lyter, told WDEL.
“It’s literally a symbol of the historical society of this town,” he added.
The cannonball became loose in the foundation of the house over time and was reinforced with an iron rod in the 1970s to mitigate the problem, the Lewes Historical Society told WRDE. It is not likely the artifact fell out of its spot in the wall due to the added reinforcement, Lyter said, according to WDEL.
The historic town lacks a widespread array of surveillance cameras, making the effort to catch an alleged thief all the more difficult, WRDE reported.
Lyter believes the artifact was stolen, expressing his wish that whoever did the taking will do the right thing in the end and return the cannonball, according to WDEL. (RELATED: Notebooks Belonging To Charles Darwin Return To Cambridge University Library After Disappearing 20 Years Ago)
“I’d love to come in tomorrow and see it on our doorstep,” Lyter told the outlet. “I wouldn’t think twice about it, but I just hope they do the right thing.”
“Morality is a dying art in society so hopefully they just do the right thing and we won’t ask any questions,” he added.