In 1878, a severe storm referred to by local residents as the "great tidal-wave" destroyed summer resorts on Collins and Fraland Beach.

In 1937, 12,000 acres (49 km2), mostly tidal salt marsh stretching eight miles (13 km) along Delaware Bay, were purchased to establish the Bombay Hook Migratory Waterfowl Refuge.

They cleared wooded swamps and built a dike to create Raymond and Shearness Pools and a causeway to separate Shearness and Finis Pools, creating three freshwater impoundments; they planted over fifty thousand trees; and they built a headquarters building, a boathouse and marine railway, an observation tower, and houses for the manager and a patrolman.

In 1986, Bombay Hook NWR represented the US in "World Safari", a satellite program by National Geographic, BBC, and Turner Broadcasting.

In 2015, the Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge was featured on the fourth (2015) release of the America the Beautiful quarters.

Tidal salt marsh is some of the most valuable wildlife habitat in Delaware; thus large portions of the refuge have been maintained in a near pristine state.

The water levels in the refuge's impoundments are manipulated to produce desirable emergent and underwater plants for waterfowl.

Refuge management programs are primarily aimed at developing and protecting habitat for waterfowl and other migratory birds, including the threatened bald eagle.

The refuge is a focal point for waterfowl migrating between their northern breeding grounds and southern wintering areas along the Atlantic Flyway.

Those most frequently seen, especially in the early morning and the late afternoon, are the cottontail rabbit, woodchuck, gray squirrel, red fox, and white-tailed deer.

A 12-mile (19 km) round-trip auto tour route and five nature trails ranging from 1⁄4 to 1 mile (6,400 to 1,600 m) in length, provide opportunities to observe and photograph wildlife.

Public hunting, primarily for waterfowl and deer, is permitted under special regulations on portions of the refuge during the Delaware state season.

Abraham Allee served as a member of the Assembly in 1726, was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1738, and was Chief Ranger for the county in 1749.

The cornice in this room has a dentil course that is particularly well formed, and the splendid panels of the chimney breast are joined on either side by two striking recessed, arched china closets.

These closets have paneled doors and graduated butterfly shelves against a barrel back with a fluted center post.

[6] Tours of the Allee House have been discontinued due to unsafe conditions related to sagging floors and chimney damage.

In 1831, President Andrew Jackson and his Secretary of Treasury, Louis McLane appointed Duncan Stewart as the first keeper of Bombay Hook Lighthouse.

In 1974, the Delaware State Division of Fish & Wildlife decided to demolish the lighthouse due to the hazard it evolved into over the years from vandalism and a series of fires.