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Milton, Delaware

Milton is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States, on the Delmarva Peninsula. It is located on the Broadkill River, which empties into Delaware Bay. The population was 3,291 at the 2020 census.

It is part of the rapidly growing Cape Region and lies within the Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area. Delaware Route 5 passes through Milton.

History
Located at the head of the Broadkill River, which enters Delaware Bay, the Milton area was first settled in 1672 by English colonists and founded as "Head of Broadkiln" in 1763. It became important for shipbuilding. The town was known by renamed by the Delaware Legislature in 1807, in honor of the English poet John Milton. The Delaware General Assembly passed a charter on March 17, 1865, that recognized the Town of Milton as a municipality.

History and Milton's shipbuilding heritage remain very important to the town, which is home to some of the finest Victorian and Colonial architecture in Delaware. Many of the homes have been restored to their original form, particularly those on Union and Federal streets.

Milton has 198 contributing structures listed within its Federal Register Historic District. Significant buildings and sites are the Lydia Black Cannon Museum, the Governor James Carey home, the Chestnut Street Cemetery, and the Governor David Hazzard Mansion. The Hazzard House and Gov. James Ponder House were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. The Milton Historic District was added in 1982.

Milton serves local residents and summer tourists in the Milton, Broadkill Beach and Primehook Beach areas with family-operated businesses and new office and shopping complexes. Several local businesses in the area are served by the Delmarva Central Railroad, which operates a branch that extends to Milton from Ellendale. Recreational opportunities abound with the Broadkill River, Wagamon's Pond, Diamond Pond and Lavinia Pond. Public boat docks and fishing piers are also available. It is within an easy drive to the coastal resorts of Lewes and Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

A footpath known as the Governors Walk follows the Broadkill River in central Milton. The Nature Conservancy established a preserve along the river downstream of Milton in 1998. , an annual canoe and kayak race was being held on the river in Milton. The river passes through and feeds Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge to the east before entering Delaware Bay.

Milton is the home of the Dogfish Head Brewery, a well-known East Coast beer-maker.

Transportation
Roads are the main means of transport to and from Milton. Delaware Route 5 is the main highway serving Milton, running on a north-south alignment through the center of town. Trucks are served by a bypass route, Delaware Route 5 Alternate, which bypasses downtown to the west. Delaware Route 16 also passes through Milton, skimming the north side of town on an east-west alignment. Delaware Route 30 passes just outside the town to the west, following a similar north-south alignment to parallel DE 5. DART First State provides bus service to Milton along Route 303, which runs north to Dover and south to Georgetown. The Delmarva Central Railroad's Milton Industrial Track line runs from Milton west to a junction with the Indian River Subdivision in Ellendale.

Geography
Milton is located along the Broadkill River.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.2 sqmi, of which 1.1 sqmi is land and 0.1 sqmi  (8.62%) is water.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,657 people, 700 households, and 438 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,568.5 PD/sqmi. There were 804 housing units at an average density of 761.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 67.11% White, 24.32% Black, 0.24% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 6.04% from other races, and 1.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.93% of the population.

There were 700 households, out of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.3% were married couples living together, 20.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.4% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.6% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 78.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 71.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $32,368, and the median income for a family was $40,313. Males had a median income of $26,065 versus $23,269 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,016. About 12.8% of families and 18.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.6% of those under age 18 and 14.0% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

 * Jimmie Allen, country singer
 * Joseph M. Carey, Governor of Wyoming from 1911 to 1915
 * David Hazzard (1781–1864), politician, Delaware Governor
 * Robert G. Houston, publisher, lawyer, politician
 * James Ponder (1819–1897), politician, Delaware Governor
 * Bryan Stevenson, lawyer, activist, author, law professor; founder and executive director of Equal Justice Initiative based in Montgomery, Alabama

Education
It is in the Cape Henlopen School District. The Milton School District was consolidated into the Cape Henlopen district in 1969.

Two elementary schools, Milton Elementary School and H. O. Brittingham Elementary School, serve sections of Milton.

Cape Henlopen High School is the sole comprehensive high school of the district.

Climate
In Milton, the summers are warm and muggy; the winters are very cold, wet, and windy; and it is partly cloudy year round. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 28 °F to 86 °F and is rarely below 15 °F or above 93 °F. Based on the tourism score, the best times of year to visit Milton for warm-weather activities are for the entire month of June and from mid August to early October.

The hot season lasts for 3.5 months, from June 1 to September 17, with an average daily high temperature above 77 °F. The hottest month of the year in Milton is July, with an average high of 86 °F and low of 70 °F. The cold season lasts for 3.2 months, from December 5 to March 10, with an average daily high temperature below 52 °F. The coldest month of the year in Milton is January, with an average low of 29 °F and high of 44 °F.

Rain falls throughout the year in Milton. The month with the most rain in Milton is August, with an average rainfall of 3.6 inches. The month with the least rain in Milton is February, with an average rainfall of 2.6 inches.

The snowy period of the year lasts for 3.2 months, from December 7 to March 15, with a sliding 31-day snowfall of at least 1.0 inches. The month with the most snow in Milton is February, with an average snowfall of 3.6 inches.

The growing season in Milton typically lasts for 7.3 months (223 days), from around March 31 to around November 9, rarely starting before March 13 or after April 18, and rarely ending before October 23 or after November 28.

title: Milton, Delaware


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Ocean View, Delaware

Ocean View is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. The population was 1,882 at the 2010 census, an increase of 87.1% over the previous decade. It is part of the Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area and lies in Baltimore Hundred.

Ocean View is fast becoming a bedroom community for the neighboring summer resort of Bethany Beach.

Geography
Ocean View is located at 38.545°N, -75.08917°W (38.5451122, –75.0890709). It lies 1 mi west of the Atlantic Ocean and 1 mi south of Indian River Bay. The Assawoman Canal borders Ocean View on the east and northeast, and Bethany Beach has a short contiguous border with it on the east. On the northwest and west, White's Creek borders the town, and Millville is contiguous with Ocean View on the west. On the south, Ocean View borders unincorporated portions of Sussex County.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.0 mi2, all of it land.

Ocean View contains three churches, a school, and a town park.

History
Until the late 17th century, European settlers bypassed the area where Ocean View now lies because of the poor quality of its sandy, salty soil and the salt air that blew in from the Atlantic Ocean; they preferred to settle a few miles farther inland, where the land was higher and drier and the soil richer. Would-be settlers also faced a legal complication in obtaining land in what is now Ocean View, because Lord Baltimore claimed the area as part of his Maryland colony, while William Penn asserted that the area belonged to the Delaware Colony; settlers opted to look elsewhere for land to which they could receive clear title from an undisputed authority.

Ocean View traces it origins to 1688, when Lord Baltimore gave a 500-acre (200-hectare) tract of land in what is now Ocean View to its first settler, Matthew Scarborough. Scarborough named his land "Middlesex," and the land became known as Middlesex Plantation. Although the dispute over control of the land eventually was decided in favor of Penn and the land became part of Delaware, Delaware authorities confirmed Scarborough's title to the land as granted by Lord Baltimore.

A few other settlers joined Scarborough around Middlesex Plantation in the years after he settled there. After Scarborough died, the land passed into the hands of the Hazzard family, and by the late 18th century salt-making crews had begun occasional visits to the area on their way to and from salt ponds located closer to the coast.

The Hall family eventually came into possession of the land. W. S. Hall opened a general store on his farm there shortly after 1800. A village known as Hall's Store – the future Ocean View – soon sprang up around the store, and for this reason the members of the Hall family are considered the founders of Ocean View. In 1822 a post office was established in Hall's Store.

Legend has it that a young man climbed a tree in the area and saw the Atlantic Ocean, hence the name Ocean View. After the American Civil War (1861–1865) people began to take an interest in visiting the Atlantic beaches to the east of Hall's Store and it was discovered that the Atlantic Ocean was visible from the second story of some buildings in the village; because of this, Hall's Store was renamed Ocean View. Ocean View was incorporated on April 13, 1889, and held its first town council meeting on April 20, 1889.

The town was an isolated community for much of the 19th century; the nearest railroad, constructed in 1874, came no closer than Dagsboro, and although the opening of the Assawoman Canal – which ran past what had once been Scarborough's Middlesex Plantation – in the late 19th century improved access to Ocean View, it did little to boost the town's economy. Not until the rise of the automobile in the early 20th century did visitors begin to come to Ocean View in increasing numbers.

In 1923, Ocean View became the birthplace of the commercial broiler industry when Mrs. Cecilie Long Steele revolutionized the poultry industry by raising the first commercial flock of broiler-fryer-sized chickens there. Although Ocean View itself is no longer involved in the raising of chickens, the industry went on to become Delaware's most important agricultural activity.

After World War II, interest in land near the Delaware beaches increased exponentially as the Delmarva Peninsula became ever-more accessible to automobile traffic from large Eastern cities. The real estate boom spread to Ocean View, increasing land prices there substantially during the latter half of the 20th century.

Transportation
Roads are the main means of transportation to and from Ocean View. Delaware Route 26 is the primary state highway serving the town. It bisects the town on an east-west alignment, heading eastward toward Bethany Beach and west to U.S. Route 113 in Dagsboro. A short section of Delaware Route 54 Alternate also passes through the southeast edge of town.

2020 census
In 2020, there were 2,636 people and 1,217 households in Ocean View. The racial makeup of the town was 92.56% White, 0.72% Black, 0.04% Native American, 1.78% Asian, 0.19% Native Hawaiian, and 0.49% of some other race. 2.43% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

The median household income was $75,852. 12.1% of the town lived below the poverty line.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,006 people, 458 households, and 321 families residing in the town. The population density was 495.0 PD/sqmi. There were 751 housing units at an average density of 369.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 97.42% White, 1.09% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.50% Asian, and 0.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.19% of the population.

There were 458 households, out of which 19.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.0% were married couples living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% were non-families. 25.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.61.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 16.0% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 21.5% from 25 to 44, 29.7% from 45 to 64, and 27.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 51 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $47,500, and the median income for a family was $52,125. Males had a median income of $37,614 versus $31,333 for females. The per capita income for the town was $27,188. About 1.5% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.

Government
Ocean View has a council-manager form of government. It is governed by mayor and a four-person town council. The town charter of April 1, 2003, lays out the structure of the town's government.

Elected officials
The mayor presides over town council meetings and represents the town during emergencies and at ceremonial events, but otherwise has no policymaking powers or administrative responsibilities. The mayor is considered equal in powers and duties to each of the council members. The mayor is elected by a plurality of all registered town voters to a three-year term of office and may serve an unlimited number of terms, but may serve no more than two consecutive terms as mayor. After leaving office, a former mayor must wait at least one year before being eligible to seek another term as mayor. However, an outgoing mayor may run for a town council seat immediately upon leaving office as mayor. Anyone 18 years of age or older who is registered to vote and lived in Ocean View for at least two years may run for mayor.

The four town council members are each elected by a plurality of all registered town voters to three-year terms of office. The town is divided into four electoral districts, one for each council member's seat, which are redrawn every ten years based upon U.S. Census results as well as when town boundaries change. Although elected by a plurality of the entire town voters, each council member must reside in a specific council district. The terms of the council members are staggered so that at least one council member's seat is up for election every year. Like the mayor, each council member may serve an unlimited number of terms on the council, but no more than two terms consecutively, and must wait at least one year after leaving office before being eligible to run for another term on the council. However, a council member may run for mayor immediately upon leaving office as a council member. Anyone 18 years of age or older who is registered to vote and lived in Ocean View for at least one year may run for the town council.

Elections take place every year on the second Saturday in April. Elected candidates take office seven days after the election.

Walter F. Curran is currently the town's mayor; he took over for former mayor Gordon Wood, who reached his term limit in April 2014. Other council members include Frank Twardzik, Berton Reynolds, Bill Olsen, and Tom Maly.

Government operations
A town manager oversees day-to-day town operations. The town manager is assisted by three department heads: the Administratuve Official/Director of Public Works, the Director of Finance, and the Chief of Police.

The Ocean View Police Department polices the town. Ocean View has no fire department of its own, instead relying on the services of the Millville Volunteer Fire Company in neighboring Millville.

The town manager is Carol Houck. The police department is led by Chief Ken McLaughlin.

Education
Ocean View is in the Indian River School District.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Ocean View, Delaware


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Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

Rehoboth Beach is a city on the Atlantic Ocean along the Delaware Beaches in eastern Sussex County, Delaware, United States. As of 2020, its population was 1,108. Along with the neighboring coastal town of Lewes, Rehoboth Beach is one of the principal cities of Delaware's rapidly growing Cape Region. Rehoboth Beach lies within the Salisbury metropolitan area.

A popular, affluent vacation destination, especially for the communities of Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia, many individuals maintain summer homes in Rehoboth Beach, including current U.S. President Joe Biden. During on-season, Rehoboth Beach's population expands to over 25,000 within the city limits and thousands more in the surrounding area in the summer.

In 2011, the NRDC awarded Rehoboth Beach with a 5-Star rating in water quality. This award was given only to 12 other locations, one being neighboring Dewey Beach. Out of the 30 states with coastline, the Delaware Beaches ranked number one for water quality in 2011.

Colonial era
By the time the first Europeans arrived in the area in the 17th century, the coastline was at its present location and several Native American Indian tribes lived in the area, including the Lenape, the Sikkonese, the Assateagues, and the Nanticoke. The site was the location of what may have been the most important Native American fishing village on the Middle Atlantic coast, including at Wilgus Site, a prehistoric shell midden archeological location which is now inundated.

Pressure from English and Dutch settlers radiating outward from Cape Henlopen near Lewes, Delaware at the entrance to Delaware Bay forced the Lenape to migrate to upper New York state, eastern Canada, and eventually to the west in Indian Territory (later formed Oklahoma, Kansas, parts of Arkansas) while the Sikkonese and Assateagues were extirpated; the Nanticoke, however, still exist in the general area today.

The land later came under the control of the Duke of York, younger brother of King Charles II who also seized and occupied in 1664 the Dutch colony further north at the mouth of the Hudson River on Manhattan Island and adjacent Long Island as New Netherland with Fort Amsterdam and the village of New Amsterdam followed by the previous Swedish colony on the upper Delaware River at Fort Christina and New Sweden, which the Dutch attacked and occupied several years earlier. These later became part of the English and later British America colonies/provinces of New York state and New York town along with renamed Wilmington and New Castle along the Delaware River as part of the colonial Province of Pennsylvania and later in the future state of Delaware. Later, the Duke himself granted holdings to various landholders who endured into the 18th century, and ultimately ascended to the English throne himself as King James II of England and also James VII of Scotland.

Rehoboth (רְחוֹבוֹת) means "broad spaces." It appears three times in the Old Testament as a place name: a well dug by Isaac (at modern Wadi er-Ruheibeh) (Genesis 26:22), a city on the Euphrates River (Genesis 36:37; I Chronicles 1:48), and one of the cities of Asshur (Genesis 10:11) in Mesopotamia (modern Iraq). Hence the name may have had a special appeal for the religious founders of the city, although the adjacent bay had already borne the name Rehoboth for at least a century before the town was founded.

19th century
By the mid-19th century, the descendants of these landholders were farmers attempting to make a living off the relatively poor sandy infertile land. The town was founded in 1873 as the Rehoboth Beach Camp Meeting Association by the Rev. Robert W. Todd, of St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church of Wilmington, Delaware, as a site for Methodist Episcopal Church camp meetings in the spirit of similar resorts further north on the New Jersey shore, such as Ocean Grove. The Camp Meeting Association disbanded in 1881, and in 1891, the location was incorporated by the General Assembly of Delaware (state legislature) as "Cape Henlopen City". In 1893, it was renamed to Rehoboth Beach.

The first boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach was constructed in 1873 and has seen changes in configuration from weather and storms over the years. The Junction and Breakwater Railroad constructed a line from Lewes south to Rehoboth Beach in 1878, running down the center of today's Rehoboth Avenue. The arrival of the railroad allowed visitors to come in from northern Delaware and Pennsylvania and its cities and towns, leading to the beginning of Rehoboth Beach as a tourist destination. After the railroad came to Rehoboth Beach, the center of camp meetings and city life moved to nearby Baltimore Avenue. The original Henlopen Hotel opened in 1879, being replaced with another hotel of the same name on the current site.

20th century

A paved highway was built by the state between Georgetown and Rehoboth Beach in 1925, which helped bring in travelers from the west in the metropolitan areas of Washington, D.C.; Baltimore; other parts of Maryland; and Northern Virginia.

From 1942 to 1943, Rehoboth Beach Airport served as a base, designated as Coastal Patrol Base 2, for volunteers with the Civil Air Patrol, who flew aerial patrols using civilian aircraft in support of Army and Navy anti-submarine operations during the Battle of the Atlantic. Two CAP airmen, Captain Hugh R. Sharp of Greenville, Delaware and First Lieutenant Edmond Edwards of Newark, Delaware, would go on to be the first civilians to receive the Air Medal after a search and rescue mission on July, 21, 1942, where they rescued one crewmember of another CAP aircraft which crashed at sea.

Rehoboth Beach Airport shut down in 1987 and Rehoboth Shores Estates Community now stands on the former grounds. The Delaware Public Archives placed a historical marker on the site of the former airport commemorating Coastal Patrol Base 2 in 2006.

21st century
Avery's Rest Site, Dodd Homestead, Peter Marsh House, Thompson's Loss and Gain Site, Thompsons Island Site, Warrington Site, and Woman's Christian Temperance Union Fountain are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, maintained by the National Park Service of the United States Department of the Interior.

The town often bills itself as "The Nation's Summer Capital" because it is a frequent summer vacation destination for Washington, D.C., residents as well as visitors from Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Vacationers are drawn for many reasons, including the town's charm and the absence of a sales tax in Delaware. The Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk is a 1 mi long wooden boardwalk adjacent to the beach with restaurants, shops, amusements, and attractions. The Funland amusement park, which opened in 1962, is located along the boardwalk between Delaware and Brooklyn avenues. Several restaurants and shops are located along the town's main street, Rehoboth Avenue. Outside of Rehoboth Beach along Delaware Route 1, are the Tanger Outlets, which operate three locations along the highway with over 130 outlet stores.

Due to its proximity to Washington, D.C., Rehoboth Beach is a popular summer destination among members of the United States Congress. Joe Biden, the current President of the United States, and current First Lady of the United States, Jill Biden, have a beach house outside the corporate limits of Rehoboth Beach in the North Shores neighborhood. This beach house serves as their "Summer White House".

Rehoboth Beach is also known as one of the mid-Atlantic coast's popular LGBT-friendly getaways. LGBT tourists have been visiting and residing in the town for generations. However, the movement toward becoming gay-friendly began with the town's culinary Renaissance in the 1980s. The visible presence of more LGBT people during this era and the resulting community backlash coincided with the national AIDS crisis and the Moral Majority. During the 1990s, A coterie of gay and lesbian activists challenged the town's anti-gay policies and sentiments to Create A More Positive Rehoboth (CAMP). Through this organization's efforts as well as that other groups, two openly gay town commissioners the following decade and the town's position on LBGT issues changed. Today, there are a large number of LGBT-owned and operated businesses; LGBT people are well-represented in town governance. Summer activities include going to the LGBT-frequented stretch of beach near Queen Street at the south end of the boardwalk, known as Poodle Beach. Poodle Beach tends to attract gay men while North Shore Beach within Cape Henlopen State Park tends to attract lesbians.

Rehoboth Beach has a seasonal beach patrol who is in charge of lifeguarding the one and a half miles that make up the town's beachfront. They operate from Memorial Day weekend into the following fall season. The beach patrol is on duty every day between Memorial Day until Labor Day from 10 am until 5 pm on weekdays, and 10 am until 5:30 pm on weekends.

The Rehoboth Beach Bandstand is located on Rehoboth Avenue near the boardwalk and serves as a free open-air music and entertainment venue in the summer months, with performances from over 50 bands during the season. Performances have been held at the Rehoboth Beach Bandstand since 1963.

Reader's Digest named the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk as "Best of America" and featured it in the May 2006 issue. Additionally, AARP has named Rehoboth Beach as one of five dream towns as "Best Places to Retire".

The town has several festivals including the Sea Witch Festival, the Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival, and the Rehoboth Beach Autumn Jazz Festival every year.

The Clear Space Theatre Company, a professional theater company, offers a year-round schedule of musical and dramatic productions in the Rehoboth Theatre of the Arts.

Dogfish Head Brewery's original brewpub is located on the town's main strip Rehoboth Avenue. The location has grown in years as a popular destination for American craft beer enthusiasts. Grotto Pizza was founded in Rehoboth Beach in 1960 and has grown to 23 locations throughout the state of Delaware along with parts of Maryland and Pennsylvania. Grotto Pizza has three locations in Rehoboth Beach, of which two are along the boardwalk while the other is along Rehoboth Avenue. Nicola Pizza is a well-known business in Rehoboth Beach that opened in 1971, with two locations in the town. In 2022, Nicola Pizza has relocated to Lewes.

The restaurant scene in Rehoboth Beach was traditionally centered in the downtown area, which remains competitive. In the 21st century, a restaurant scene has begun to develop along the Delaware Route 1 corridor, where parking is more available and accessible.

In 2011, the city passed a smoking ban covering parks and playgrounds, but sparing the beach and boardwalk. The smoking ban was extended to the beach, boardwalk, and adjacent public areas in 2014. In 2017, the city implemented a ban on tents, canopies, and large umbrellas on the beach, the first such ban in Delaware.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.6 sqmi, of which 1.2 sqmi is land and 0.5 sqmi  (28.48%) is water. Rehoboth Beach is bordered on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the north by the town of Henlopen Acres, and on the west and south by unincorporated portions of Sussex County. Cape Henlopen State Park lies just to the north of Rehoboth Beach, and Dewey Beach is just to its south.

Climate
Situated on the Atlantic Coastal Plain, Rehoboth Beach's climate is moderated by the Atlantic Ocean and the Rehoboth Bay. According to both the Koppen climate classification and Trewartha climate classification systems, Rehoboth Beach has a humid subtropical climate with hot and moderately humid summers, cool winters and year-around precipitation (Koppen: Cfa, Trewartha: Cfak). During the summer months in Rehoboth Beach, a cooling afternoon sea breeze is present on most days, but episodes of extreme heat and humidity can occur with heat index values ≥ 100 °F (≥ 38 °C).

The highest air temperature ever recorded in Rehoboth Beach was 102 F on June 21, 1997. During the winter months, episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with wind chill values < 0 °F (< -18 °C). The plant hardiness zone in Rehoboth Beach is 7b with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of 8.1 °F (-13.3 °C). The lowest temperature ever recorded in Rehoboth Beach was -11 F on January 17, 1982. The average seasonal (Nov–Apr) snowfall total is 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 cm) and the average snowiest month is February which corresponds with the annual peak in nor'easter activity. Large amounts of snowfall are infrequent, but recent significant snowstorms include 10 in of snowfall on February 24, 1989, 18 in of snowfall on February 3, 1996, and 16 in of snowfall on December 26, 2010.

Ecology
According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware has a dominant vegetation type of Oak/Hickory/Pine (111) with a dominant vegetation form of Southern Mixed Forest (26).

Demographics
As of the census of 2021, there were 1,392 people residing in the city. The population density was 1,266.5 PD/sqmi. There were 3,167 housing units at an average density of 2,682.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 96.16% White, 0% African American, 0% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 3.02% from other races, and 0.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.13% of the population.

There were 847 households, out of which 6.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.8% were married couples living together, 3.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 59.4% were non-families. 47.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 23.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.76 and the average family size was 2.04.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 7.0% under the age of 18, 3.7% from 18 to 24, 18.5% from 25 to 44, 33.3% from 45 to 64, and 37.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 57 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $43,194 and the median income for a family was $255,755.00. Males had a median income of $83,750 versus $27,447 for females. The per capita income for the city was $140,284.00. About 1.42% of families and 2.44% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.82% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.

Government
Rehoboth Beach is governed by a mayor and a city manager. As of 2020, the mayor is Stan Mills and the city manager is Sharon Lynn. There are several departments, city boards, commissions, and committees that oversee the daily functions of the city government. Some of these officials are elected while others are appointed.

Police services in Rehoboth Beach is provided by the Rehoboth Beach Police Department, which consists of 17 full-time officers and nine full-time dispatchers, along with additional seasonal police officers in the peak summer months. Fire protection to Rehoboth Beach and nearby areas is provided by the Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Company, which maintains three stations.

Parks and recreation
In addition to beaches along the Atlantic Ocean, there are several parks located in Rehoboth Beach. Grove Park is home to a playground, pavilion, restrooms, and benches. Stockley Street Park is located along Silver Lake and has benches and a playground. Teardrop Park offers a dock along Silver Lake. Lake Gerar Park is located along Lake Gerar and has benches and a playground. There are tennis courts that are located at Deauville Beach. Deer Park and Central Park offer wooded areas that allow for wildlife viewing. Lee Street Park offers trees for shade. Martin's Lawn, located near the Anna Hazzard Museum and the Senior Center, offers a grassy area and trees.

Transportation
Delaware Route 1 (Coastal Highway) passes along the southwestern edge of the city. Delaware Route 1A crosses through Rehoboth Beach in an L shape, running east from DE 1 and heading across a drawbridge over the Lewes and Rehoboth Canal into the city, where it heads east along Rehoboth Avenue to 2nd Street, then south along 2nd Street, Bayard Avenue, and Silver Lake Drive to another junction with DE 1 in Dewey Beach. Delaware Route 1B provides another route into Rehoboth Beach via State Road, connecting to DE 1 south of a high-level crossing of the Lewes and Rehoboth Canal. On-street parking in the downtown area is regulated by parking meters from the Friday before Memorial Day to the second Sunday after Labor Day. Between the Friday before Memorial Day and Labor Day, parking permits are required for all non-metered on-street parking spaces in Rehoboth Beach. A parking lot is also available at Deauville Beach in the northern part of the city, with parking permits required between the Friday before Memorial Day and the second Sunday after Labor Day.

The Delaware Department of Transportation operates a park and ride lot called the Rehoboth Beach Park and Ride just outside the city limits, located along Shuttle Road off of DE-1. During the peak summer months, DART First State operates Beach Bus service that provides frequent service in and out of the city and to the rest of the Delaware Beaches area and to Ocean City, Maryland, where it connects to Ocean City Transportation's Coastal Highway Beach Bus, from the Park and Ride lot. On summer weekends and holidays, DART First State operates the Route 305 "Beach Connection" service, which runs from Wilmington to the Lewes Transit Center, with intermediate stops at the Christiana Mall, Middletown, and Dover; connections can be made at the Lewes Transit Center to local bus service to Rehoboth Beach. DART First State also operates the year-round Route 201 service running between Rehoboth Beach and the Lewes Transit Center and the year-round Route 215 service which connects Rehoboth Beach with Millsboro; both of these routes offer expanded summer Beach Bus service.

The Delaware River and Bay Authority operates a shuttle bus during the summer months to the Tanger Outlets and the park and ride lot in Rehoboth Beach from the Cape May–Lewes Ferry, which provides ferry service across the Delaware Bay to Cape May, New Jersey.

The Jolly Trolley is a private shuttle service that provides frequent transport in Rehoboth Beach and to neighboring Dewey Beach. The service operates daily through the summer tourist season between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day and on weekends in the shoulder season before Memorial Day and after Labor Day.

BestBus offers intercity bus service to Rehoboth Beach from Washington Union Station and Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C., and 34th Street in Midtown Manhattan in New York City on weekends in the summer months.

The Junction and Breakwater Trail is a rail trail for bicyclists and hikers that connects Lewes and Rehoboth Beach, running 6 mi mostly along a former Penn Central Railroad right-of-way.

Utilities
Delmarva Power, a subsidiary of Exelon, provides electricity to Rehoboth Beach. Chesapeake Utilities provides natural gas to the city. The city's Water Department provides water service and the city's Waste Water Department provides sewer service in Rehoboth Beach and nearby outlying areas including North Shores and Breezewood. The city's Streets Department provides trash and recycling collection to homes and businesses in Rehoboth Beach.

Education
Rehoboth Beach is located in the Cape Henlopen School District. The Rehoboth School District was consolidated into the Cape Henlopen district in 1969.

Rehoboth Beach is zoned to Rehoboth Elementary School. It is on a 25 acre plot of land. The current building was to open in 2019. It has 92000 sqft of space. In the same location as the former building, uses the same design as Brittingham and Love Creek schools. It had a cost of $33 million.

Cape Henlopen High School, located in Lewes, is the sole comprehensive high school of the district.

Seaside Jewish Community, established in 1997, established a Hebrew school for children in 2002.

Notable people

 * Sarah Aldridge, writer of mainly lesbian fiction under pen name Anyda Marchant
 * Joe Biden, 46th President of the United States (2021–present), 47th Vice President of the United States (2009–2017), United States Senator from Delaware (1973–2009), and Jill Biden, educator and First Lady of the United States (2021–present), Second Lady of the United States (2009–2017) own a beach house in the North Shores neighborhood, just north of the Rehoboth Beach city limits
 * Tony Coelho, United States Representative for California's 15th congressional district (1979–1989)
 * John Delaney, United States Representative for Maryland's 6th congressional district (2013–2019) and candidate for President of the United States in 2020, owns a beach house in the North Shores neighborhood, just north of the Rehoboth Beach city limits
 * A. Felix du Pont, member of the du Pont family who served as vice president and director of E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., owned a summer home in Rehoboth Beach
 * Mary Beth Ellis, long-distance triathlete
 * Jake Gelof (born 2002), baseball third baseman
 * Zack Gelof (born 1999), baseball second baseman for the Oakland A's
 * Robert Gover, journalist and novelist
 * Aurelio Grisanty, artist who painted the Beach Town Posters series
 * Robert Cutler Hinckley, artist who painted portraits
 * Tony Kornheiser, co-host of Pardon the Interruption on ESPN and former sportswriter
 * Kathy McGuiness, Delaware State Auditor (2019–2022) and convicted criminal
 * Robert McG. Thomas Jr., journalist, owned a summer home in Rehoboth Beach
 * William H. Vernon, member of the Delaware House of Representatives (1977–1981)

title: Rehoboth Beach, Delaware


text:
Seaford, Delaware

Seaford is a city located along the Nanticoke River in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to the 2010 Census Bureau figures, the population of the city is 6,928, an increase of 3.4% from the 2000 census. It is part of the Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area.

It is the largest city fully within Sussex County.

History
Seaford is named after Seaford, East Sussex in England.

All land in current western and southern Sussex County was first settled as part of Maryland. Seaford, along with Bridgeville, Greenwood, Middleford, and others, were all part of Dorchester County in the Province of Maryland. Blades, Laurel, and Concord areas, on the other hand, were part of Somerset County. It is reported that an error in a map coordinate resulted in the east-west line of Delaware being from current Delmar to Fenwick. The original agreement had the eastwest line at Cape Henlopen, not at the false cape. If the line had survived, Seaford would now be in Maryland. After many years in the courts of London, the boundary lines are as the surveyors Mason and Dixon defined in 1763.

Seaford is one of seven Main Street communities that participated in the Delaware Main Street Program to revitalize commercial districts. From 1999 to 2000, Seaford's downtown was renovated to preserve historic details through $1.5 million of landscaping, street paving, sidewalks, lamp posts, street lights, and utility upgrades.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.5 sqmi, of which 3.5 sqmi is land and 0.04 sqmi  (1.14%) is water.

Climate
Situated on the Atlantic Coastal Plain, Seaford's weather is moderated by the Atlantic Ocean. Seaford has a mild subtropical climate consisting of hot, humid summers and cool winters.

The highest official temperature ever recorded in Seaford was 104 °F (40.0 °C) on July 22, 2011, while the all-time low was -13 °F (-25.0 °C) on January 28, 1987.

According to the Köppen climate classification, Seaford has a humid subtropical climate (abbreviated Cfa).

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,699 people, 2,629 households, and 1,664 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,925.9 PD/sqmi. There were 2,809 housing units at an average density of 807.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 64.04% White, 30.02% African American, 0.37% Native American, 1.49% Asian, 0.19% Pacific Islander, 1.72% from other races, and 2.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.25% of the population.

There were 2,629 households, of which 31.5% had children under 18 living with them, 37.8% were married couples living together, 22.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.7% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 25.6% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 24.1% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 22.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 77.6 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 69.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,402, and the median income for a family was $39,688. Males had a median income of $30,467 versus $23,490 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,022. About 22.0% of families and 27.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 43.4% of those under age 18 and 13.2% of those aged 65 or over.

Crime
According to National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), violent crime in the United States is most likely to be committed in urban areas. Violent crime is made up of rape, robbery, aggravated assault, and murder. To determine the most dangerous cities in Delaware in 2023, a review of the NIBRS data was conducted of violent crimes reported in 2022, 2021, and 2020 per 1,000 residents, with Uniform Crime Reporting Program data. Wilmington, the most populous city in Delaware, registered 2,412 violent cases Seaford was ranked second in the state behind Dewey Beach.

A combination of factors has led to Seaford being listed as the second-worst place to live in the state. Seaford has the highest rate of violent crimes and the fourth-highest property crime rate in Delaware. There were 498 crime cases in 2021, violent crime occurred at the rate of about 59.34 per 1000 residents in 2021. Seaford recorded 14 Kidnapping, 16 sex offenses, and 1 rape case, and in the crime against property, there were 1 arson, 20 motor vehicle theft, 13 robberies, and 262 drug/narcotic offenses.

National Register of Historic Places
Sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places include:

 * Building at 200–202A High Street
 * Building at 218 High Street
 * Building at High and Cannon Streets
 * Burton Hardware Store
 * J. W. Cox Dry Goods Store
 * First National Bank of Seaford
 * Hearn and Rawlins Mill
 * Lawrence
 * Maston House
 * Jesse Robinson House
 * Edgar and Rachel Ross House
 * Gov. William H. Ross House
 * St. Luke's Protestant Episcopal Church
 * Seaford Station Complex
 * Sussex National Bank of Seaford

Points of interest

 * Nanticoke River Arts Council/Gallery 107.
 * Seaford Christmas Parade.
 * Nanticoke River Walk - a pedestrian walkway beside the Nanticoke River in downtown Seaford.
 * Seaford Museum – located in a former post office.
 * Ross Mansion and Plantation – former residence of former Delaware Governor William H. H. Ross; the 20 acre property includes the Gov. William H. Ross House, a granary with farm equipment exhibits, carriage house, a Victorian cottage and Delaware's only documented log slave quarters.
 * Nanticoke Riverfest takes place in July and the Nanticoke River is used for inner tube floating. There is also a three-day festival.
 * The AFRAM Festival is a celebration of African American culture held in August.

Library
Seaford District Library was founded in the early 1900s. It holds 28,000 items, and has a community center.

Parks and recreation

 * Kiwanis Park – a memorial park.
 * Gateway Park – a park with brick sidewalks and a fountain, forming the gateway into downtown Seaford.
 * Soroptimist Park – a park located at Williams Pond complete with a playground and a pavilion.
 * Nutter Park – contains a playground and basketball courts.
 * Williams Pond Park – a ballpark run by the Nanticoke Little League.
 * Sports Complex – includes the Jay's Nest community-built playground, and softball facilities.
 * Hooper's Landing Golf and Country Club – a public 18-hole course, pool, tennis courts and driving range.

Government
Seaford has a mayor-council system of government with a mayor and a city council, the mayor has no official authority outside the council, serving a chiefly ceremonial role as council chairperson.

Government controversy
Seaford’s controversial Mayor David Genshaw was accused of possible quid pro quo after the Attorney General’s Office announced it was suing the city over a controversial abortion-rights ordinance that Councilman King claims the mayor spearheaded because of his own personal agenda. As of December 14, 2021, the city had over $10,000 tied up in this controversial ordinance. “It’s very sad when your AG’s office has to step in, again, and sue one of their own cities,” King stated. “We’re using taxpayer dollars and resources to fund this, and at the end of that what does that look like? Dave [Mayor Genshaw] has a history of this, with right-to-work we’ve seen it, spending money and passing an ordinance and then the state stepping in and saying ‘those behaviors are illegal’ we can’t do that. We’ve seen this before, it’s dangerous behavior.” Mayor Genshaw has continuously defended the ordinance and flaunted the possibility of a private donor funding legal expenses for the city to fight the lawsuit. City Councilman King continued to question the mayor and the legal ramifications. “Dave [Mayor Genshaw] is saying ‘hey, you know what, we’ve got this magical donor that’s willing to pick up all the expense, and that whole conversation didn’t feel right, so I’m like ‘who is this person, is it a quid-pro-quo? What are they trying to get out of this?’ And he’s like, look I’ll tell you this information, but you got to be sworn to silence, secrecy, and I’m like, man, that’s not what we’re elected for, I’ve got constituents, people in the community that are asking who this person is, and if you’re going to tell me and you’re asking me to be silent with that information, then don’t tell me.” “You’ve got the AG’s office suing, asking for our fees reimbursed, so what are you going to deplete resources, reserves, for legal fees that aren’t going to amount to anything.” Attorney General Kathy Jennings moved forward with the lawsuit after multiple warnings that the ‘anti-choice ordinance’ violates state law. This ordinance is part of a national wave of anti-abortion policies that have been weaponized in the politics of the United States of America.

Education
Seaford is home to the Seaford School District. The Seaford School District, based in the town of Seaford, Delaware, encompasses 82 square miles in the southwest corner of Sussex County. It serves the communities of Seaford and Blades and consists of four elementary, one middle, and one high school, serving approximately 3,500 students in grades pre-K through 12.

Radio
WGBG 92.7 FM broadcasts from just outside the city limits.

Television
WDPB-TV 64 is the only television station originating from Seaford. It is a subsidiary of WHYY-TV in Philadelphia and an affiliate of PBS.

Newspapers
The Seaford Star is a weekly newspaper. Morning Star Publications has been in business for approximately 27 years.

Website: starpublications.online
 * Name: Morning Star Publications Inc.
 * Trade Name: Seaford Star, Laurel Star, Morning Star Report, Business Report, and Salisbury Star

Transportation
U.S. Route 13 is the main north-south thoroughfare within city limits, with Delaware Route 20 being the main east-west highway. U.S. Route 13 connects Seaford with Bridgeville to the north and Laurel to the south as part of the Sussex Highway. State Route 20 connects Seaford with Millsboro to the east and tiny Reliance, Maryland to the west.

The closest airport with commercial air service to Seaford is the Wicomico Regional Airport in Salisbury, Maryland. The closest public airport is Laurel Airport in Laurel, Delaware. There is also an airport in Georgetown called the Delaware Coastal Airport. This airport has a jet service section, as part of the nearby industrial park.

DART First State operates the Route 212 bus that connects Seaford to Georgetown and Delmar and the Route 903F bus that runs on a loop through Seaford.

Freight rail service in Seaford is provided by two carriers: the Delmarva Central Railroad and the Maryland and Delaware Railroad. The Delmarva Central Railroad runs north-south through the city, parallel to US 13. It interchanges with the Maryland and Delaware Railroad in Seaford, which heads west to Federalsburg and Cambridge in Maryland.

Utilities
The City of Seaford Electric Department provides electricity to approximately 6,700 customers in the city. The electric department owns three substations and more than 37 mi of transmission and distribution lines. The city purchases its electricity and is a member of the Delaware Municipal Electric Corporation. The Public Works department provides water and sewer service to the city. Natural gas service in Seaford is provided by Chesapeake Utilities.

Health care
TidalHealth Hospital and TidalHealth Cancer Care Center, both operated by TidalHealth Health Services, are located in Seaford.

Notable people

 * Lee F. Booth, Aerospace Tycoon
 * Delino DeShields, Former baseball player
 * Stephanie Hansen, Delaware state senator
 * Horace G. Knowles, U.S. Ambassador
 * Mike Neill, Former Olympic baseball player
 * Lovett Purnell, former American football player
 * Darnell Savage, American football player

title: Seaford, Delaware


text:
Selbyville, Delaware

Selbyville is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. Its population was 2,167 at the 2010 census, an increase of 31.7% over the previous decade. It is part of the Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History
Selbyville was founded in 1778 and incorporated in 1902.

It was originally known as Sandy Branch, due to its location on a branch of that name emanating in the Cypress Swamp at the head of the St. Martin's River. A grist mill and saw mill opened there in the late 18th century. In 1842, Sampson Selby began marking packages for delivery to his country store, Selby-Ville.

By 1918, Selbyville was the major supplier of strawberries for the east coast, an industry that remained strong until the 1930s.

Today, one of its main employers is Mountaire Farms, a poultry company with a processing plant on Hosier Street.

The town is also home of the Mumford Sheet Metal Works, which held the world record for the largest frying pan in 1950.

Selbyville is also home to Doyle's Restaurant, recognized by the State of Delaware as the state's oldest operating diner. (The original 1930s diner is attached to a modern expansion.)

Transportation
The main means of transport to and from Selbyville is by road. U.S. Route 113 is the primary highway serving the town, connecting north towards Georgetown and south into Maryland. Delaware Route 54 also serves the town, traversing east to west along the southern edge of the state. Finally, Delaware Route 17 extends northeastward from Selbyville to Millville. The Snow Hill Line of the Maryland and Delaware Railroad runs north-south through Selbyville.

Geography
Selbyville is located at 38.46028°N, -75.22083°W (38.4603917, –75.2207438).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.4 sqmi, all land.

Demographics
At the 2000 census there were 1,645 people, 615 households, and 439 families living in the town. The population density was 1,176.9 PD/sqmi. There were 664 housing units at an average density of 475.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 72.89% White, 15.38% African American, 0.73% Asian, 0.55% Pacific Islander, 9.48% from other races, and 0.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 21.09%.

Of the 615 households 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.9% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.6% were non-families. 24.6% of households were one person and 13.8% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.05.

The age distribution was 24.3% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% 65 or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.8 males.

The median household income was $36,250 and the median family income was $41,522. Males had a median income of $25,368 versus $20,660 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,965. About 10.6% of families and 11.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.4% of those under age 18 and 12.4% of those age 65 or over.

Education
It is in the Indian River School District.

Public library
The former home of Senator John G. Townsend, Jr., located at 11 South Main Street at the intersection with West McCabe Street, became the site of the Selbyville Public Library in 1966. A plaque in the library identifies Senator Townsend's dining room, where former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt dined with the senator in 1946. Other distinguished visitors included future president Richard Nixon. The home was built in 1904. The senator's family donated it to the library after his death.

title: Selbyville, Delaware


text:
Slaughter Beach, Delaware

Slaughter Beach is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States, located on the southwest shore of Delaware Bay. The population was 207 at the 2010 census, an increase of 4.5% over the past decade. It is part of the Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History
Slaughter Beach was founded in 1681 and incorporated in 1931. There are at least three stories of where the town's name came from: The first is that it was named after William Slaughter, a local postmaster in the mid-19th century. The second story claims "the name may stem from the annual springtime appearance of hordes of horseshoe crabs that emerge from the waters of Delaware Bay to lay their eggs on the beach. Changing tides leave many crabs stranded, so that they fall victim to the beating sun or marauding foxes and raccoons—hence the name 'Slaughter Beach.'" The third story, and the most contested source of the town's name, stems from a local legend which tells of a man named Brabant who, in the mid-18th century, "slaughtered" several indigenous inhabitants by cannon in order to prevent an impending massacre. In 2018, PETA wrote to the mayor and followed up with a press release requesting the town change its name to "Sanctuary Beach" and offered to help pay for new signage if the name was adopted.

Mispillion Lighthouse
Slaughter Beach was home to the last wooden frame lighthouse in Delaware, the Mispillion Lighthouse. The lighthouse, which overlooked the Mispillion River and Cedar Creek, was established in 1831 with a 65-foot tower. The lighthouse was on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2002 the lighthouse was partially destroyed when it was hit by lightning. The lighthouse was later purchased privately, transported down the bay via barge, and incorporated into a private residence in the town of Lewes.

Wildlife
Slaughter Beach is also home to the Milford Neck Wildlife Area. Tourists are attracted to this area for birding, as many birds stop over to eat the eggs of horseshoe crabs as they lay their eggs on the beaches. Along with Broadkill, Fowler, Kitts Hummock, Pickering, and Primehook beaches, this area is officially designated as a sanctuary for horseshoe crabs, the state marine animal of Delaware and a "signature species" of the Delaware Bay Estuary. Because Slaughter Beach is such an important area for the continued survival of horseshoe crabs and the migrating birds that depend on their eggs, the town has adopted the horseshoe crab as its official town symbol.

Geography
Slaughter Beach is located at 38.91278°N, -75.30417°W (38.9128903, –75.3040800).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.3 sqmi, all land.

Transportation
The main method of transportation in and out of Slaughter Beach is by road. Bay Avenue is the main road through the town, traversing a northwest-southeast alignment parallel to the bay shore. Just northwest of the town, Bay Avenue connects with Delaware Route 36, which leads westward to Milford and Delaware Route 1.

Demographics
At the 2000 census there were 198 people in 108 households, including 64 families, in the town. The population density was 147.9 PD/sqmi. There were 253 housing units at an average density of 189.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 99.49% White, and 0.51% from two or more races. Of the 108 households 3.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were married couples living together, 3.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.7% were non-families. 30.6% of households were one person and 13.9% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 1.83 and the average family size was 2.23.

The age distribution was 4.0% under the age of 18, 1.5% from 18 to 24, 17.2% from 25 to 44, 50.0% from 45 to 64, and 27.3% 65 or older. The median age was 58 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.3 males.

The median household income was $41,250 and the median family income was $50,625. Males had a median income of $30,417 versus $37,188 for females. The per capita income for the town was $27,290. About 10.9% of families and 13.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under the age of eighteen or sixty five or over.

Education
Slaughter Beach is in the Milford School District.

In popular culture
Slaughter Beach, Dog is a folk rock band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania named after the town.

Sunrise on Slaughter Beach is an album by American rock band Clutch.

title: Slaughter Beach, Delaware


text:
South Bethany, Delaware

South Bethany is an incorporated town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the town is 449, a decrease of 8.7% over the previous decade. It is part of the Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area.

South Bethany is popularly considered one of "The Quiet Resorts", along with its direct neighbor to the north, Bethany Beach, and its neighbor to the south, Fenwick Island. This is in contradistinction to the crowded atmosphere of the more popular Dewey Beach and the cosmopolitan bustle of nearby Rehoboth Beach. Assisting South Bethany's reputation as a "quiet" place is the presence of Delaware Seashore State Park – a six-mile-long barrier island providing a substantial buffer from Dewey Beach's noise – to the north of Bethany Beach, as well as the relative quiet provided by a large unincorporated area of private condominiums and multimillion-dollar beach homes between the park and Bethany Beach. To the south, South Bethany is insulated from busy Ocean City, Maryland, by Fenwick Island State Park and Fenwick Island itself.

Unlike Bethany Beach and neighboring Fenwick Island, South Bethany is almost exclusively residential. It refers to itself as "The Best Little Beach in Delaware."

Geography
South Bethany is located at 38.51639°N, -75.05306°W (38.5165008, –75.0529585).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.5 sqmi, of which nearly the full 0.5 sqmi is land and 1.89% is water. The views and landscapes of the area are very popular with the locals and vacationers.

As the community is located on the local barrier islands, it is subject to tides, which can fluctuate up to multiple feet per day.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 492 people, 253 households, and 170 families residing in the town. The population density was 948.6 PD/sqmi. There were 1,137 housing units at an average density of 2,192.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 99.19% White, 0.20% Asian, and 0.61% from two or more races.

There were 253 households, out of which 9.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.9% were married couples living together, 3.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.8% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.94 and the average family size was 2.32.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 8.7% under the age of 18, 2.0% from 18 to 24, 14.0% from 25 to 44, 40.0% from 45 to 64, and 35.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 60 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $67,125, and the median income for a family was $89,666. Males had a median income of $61,250 versus $37,500 for females. The per capita income for the town was $53,624. None of the families and 1.6% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 3.1% of those over 64.

Government
South Bethany has a town manager form of government. In addition to an elected mayor, the town has a six-member elected town council. It has a local police department as well as a beach patrol.

 * Mayors
 * James Cleveland (1969–1972) (became mayor when the community was founded)
 * Harold B. Barber (1972–1973)
 * Walter J. Scott (1973–1974)
 * John C. Williamson (1974–1975)
 * Robert S. Terrill (1975–1976)
 * Robert J. McCarthy (1976–1977)
 * Ronald L. Steen (1977–1980)
 * Margaret C. Gassinger (1980–1986)
 * Herbert "Joe" Schaefer (1986–1988)
 * Mary Jane Lindblad (1988–1989)
 * Harry Woodruff (1989–1990)
 * Herbert "Joe" Schaefer (1990–2000)
 * Theodore J. Marcucilli (2000–2001)
 * Sal V. Aiello (2001–2002)
 * Donald H. Beck (2002–2004)
 * Gary L. Jayne (2004–2010)
 * Jay Headman (2010–2012)
 * Kathy Jankowski (2012–2014)
 * Pat Voveris (2014–2018)
 * Tim Saxton (2018–present)

Transportation
Delaware Route 1 (Coastal Highway) serves as the main north–south road in South Bethany, heading north along the coast to Bethany Beach, Dewey Beach, and Rehoboth Beach and south along the coast to Fenwick Island and Ocean City, Maryland. Parking permits are required along selected streets in South Bethany between May 15 and September 15. DART First State provides bus service to South Bethany in the summer months along Beach Bus Route 208, which heads north to the Rehoboth Beach Park and Ride and the Lewes Transit Center Park and Ride near Lewes to connect to other Beach Bus routes and the Route 305 bus from Wilmington and south to the 144th Street Transit Center in Ocean City, Maryland to connect to Ocean City Transportation's Coastal Highway Beach Bus.

Utilities
Delmarva Power, a subsidiary of Exelon, provides electricity to South Bethany. Chesapeake Utilities provides natural gas to the town. Artesian Water Company, a subsidiary of Artesian Resources, provides water to South Bethany. Sussex County operates the South Bethany Sanitary Sewer District, which provides sewer service to the town. Trash and recycling collection in South Bethany is provided by Republic Services.

Early history
There is no record of Native American activity in what is now South Bethany, but Native Americans are known to have visited the bays and rivers of the Atlantic coast of Delaware during the summer to fish, and it is possible that this included visits to the South Bethany area.

The portion of Delaware in which South Bethany lies was subject to a lengthy legal dispute, Penn vs. Baltimore, that broke out in 1683, as to whether the land belonged to the Province of Maryland or the Province of Pennsylvania. While it dragged on, William Penn granted the Delaware Colony its own legislature in 1701, establishing it as a separate colony. The dispute over the boundaries of the three colonies was not resolved until 1759, when the parties to the dispute agreed that the area where South Bethany now lies was part of Delaware.

Outside of Penn vs. Baltimore, recorded European interest in the land that was to become South Bethany dates to at least 1687, when an Englishman, Matthew Scarborough, had much of the area of what are now Bethany Beach and South Bethany surveyed, the 500 acres (202 hectares) surveyed in the northern part of the area becoming known as "Scarborough's Adventure," while a 500 acre parcel to its south became known as "Middlesex." He "took up" – i.e., took possession of – the two parcels of land in 1688, and they were renamed "North Petherton" and "South Petherton." The part of the area that would become South Bethany was included in a 430 acre portion of South Petherton at the head of Little Assawoman Bay about 2 mi south of what is now Bethany Beach granted to Scarborough under a Maryland land patent in 1695.

English settlers established farms in parts of what is now South Bethany. In 1741, Englishman William Evans was granted a land patent under a survey that combined North and South Petherton into a single parcel of land.

In 1926, George McClellan of Long Island, New York, bought four adjoining tracts of land in what is now South Bethany covering a combined 140 acres (56.7 hectares). McLellan conveyed the land to the Delaware Shore Land Corporation.

Founding of South Bethany
In 1952, the first span of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge opened, greatly improving access to the Delmarva Peninsula from Baltimore, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., and spurring a great deal of growth and new investment in the Bethany Beach area. That year, Richard Hall and Elizabeth "Iggie" Hall purchased about 130 acres (52.6 hectares) of marsh land and old farm land from the Delaware Shore Land Corporation. Doing business as the South Bethany Corporation, the Halls sold 50-by-100-foot (15.2-by-30.5-meter) lots to people wishing to build vacation houses on the Delaware coast and named the new community "South Bethany" in order to exploit the popularity among vacationers of Bethany Beach, just to the north. The Halls conceived of South Bethany as strictly residential, with no businesses of any kind within its boundaries. For the next 10 years, the South Bethany Corporation worked to drain and raise marshland to allow additional buildable lots and dug 5 mi of canals in the community to ensure that people who purchased a lot in South Bethany would have either direct access to the beach along the Atlantic Ocean – where the community provided no lifeguard service, its only safety measure being a torpedo-style life preserver hanging from a post on the beach – or would reside along a canal offering access to inland bays and rivers by boat. By 1959, when a lot cost $1,050 and required a $200 down payment, they had sold 500 lots in South Bethany.

Access to the community was via Delaware Route 14, known as Coastal Highway, a paved two-lane road with no shoulders. As the community grew, Route 14 became inadequate for the automobile traffic South Bethany generated, and in 1958 Route 14 was expanded into a four-lane divided highway; it was redesignated as a portion of Delaware Route 1 in the 1970s. At the time, the Delaware Army National Guard would drive its tracked self-propelled anti-aircraft guns from its barracks north of Bethany Beach down Coastal Highway through Bethany Beach and South Bethany to its training grounds just south of South Bethany, where it would engage in antiaircraft training, firing at target drones flying over the Atlantic.

1960s through 1990s
Although Iggie Hall of the South Bethany Corporation tried to have South Bethany incorporated as a town even in its early years in order to improve services in the community, she had no success. Meanwhile, a group of South Bethany residents formed the South Bethany Association to address community services and needs.

A destructive nor'easter known as the Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962 struck the area from March 6 to 8, 1962. Delaware's Atlantic coast experienced severe damage from very high tides and waves more than 40 ft high breaking on its beaches. In South Bethany, the storm destroyed 37 oceanfront homes. The 1962 storm gave a new impetus to incorporation, because as an unincorporated community South Bethany could not receive federal funding to recover from the disaster. The Delaware General Assembly rebuffed the initial efforts to incorporate the community after the storm, claiming that its tiny year-round population disqualified it from incorporation. The assembly eventually did pass an incorporation bill, which the governor of Delaware, Charles L. Terry, Jr., signed in December 1965. In the first public referendum in South Bethany on incorporation, held in June 1966, voters decisively rejected it. But in 1969 another referendum on the matter won, and on June 18, 1969, Governor Russell W. Peterson signed a bill providing for incorporation of the community as the Town of South Bethany. Elections for town offices soon took place, and James "Jim" Cleveland was elected as the town's first mayor. At the time, South Bethany had 240 houses and 496 property owners, although its year-round population consisted of just 15 families.

Plans for a beach and tennis community, Sea Colony, centered on nine high-rise condominiums situated on a private beach between South Bethany and Bethany Beach, began in 1969; these buildings, the area's first and only high-rises, opened in the early 1970s. The 1,200-townhome Sea Colony West low-rise beach and tennis resort development later was added just inland. Plans for Sea Colony met bitter opposition from longtime South Bethany and Bethany Beach residents, who were dismayed at the thought of high-rises and large crowds in the area. Opponents of Sea Colony marched in protest and engaged in protracted legal efforts to block construction of the resort, but the property lay outside the town limits of both South Bethany and Bethany Beach, and their efforts to block the construction of Sea Colony failed. Sea Colony went on to become a very successful resort.

In 1971, South Bethany hired its first police officer. On June 18, 1971, its first lifeguards went to work to ensure safety on the town's Atlantic beach.

In 1972, South Bethany expanded southward, annexing the York Beach community – a plot of land known from 1812 to 1946 as "Derickson's Venture" – and the Paradise Shores community adjacent to and to the west of York Beach. The annexation of York Beach brought York Beach Mall – opened in 1959 and expanded in 1965 – into South Bethany, giving the town its first and only commercial area. In the same year, South Bethany began installing a central sewer system, and Sussex County prohibited construction in the town within 1,000 ft of the ocean in the hope of restoring the main dune.

In 1977, South Bethany's sewer system was completed, and the community installed its first two traffic signals, located on Coastal Highway at the north and south ends of the town. Also in that year, South Bethany received a federal grant to construct its first town hall, located on land Iggie Hall had donated for that purpose; the town hall opened in 1978. In January 1981, the Delaware Supreme Court lifted Sussex County's ban on construction on the dune, and development of the beach area resumed.

In August 1983, property owners formed the South Bethany Property Owners Association, and that year the town annexed the neighboring Sand Piper Pines community. At the time South Bethany consisted of 1,282 separate properties, 748 houses, and 105 year-round residents. During the mid-1980s, a beach replenishment project took place along the town's Atlantic coast to recover sand lost during major storms. On November 19, 1987, South Bethany expanded its boundary westward by annexing the Cat Hill community, and on March 22, 1992, Cat Hill conveyed 22 acres (8.9 hectares) of wetlands to the town.

In 1998, South Bethany voted for the installation of a water tower and central water system. Also in that year, the installation of propane lines began in South Bethany; the town began installation of an underground propane storage tank behind the town hall to feed the system in October 2003, and the system began supplying propane to residents and businesses in the early 2000s.

Since 2000
In 2000, South Bethany's Community Enhancement Committee launched the town's Adopt-A-Canal/Road-End Program, in which community volunteers renovate and maintain the landscaping at the ends of canals and roads in South Bethany; by October 2015, volunteers had adopted 32 of the town's 48 canal ends and road ends. In 2007, South Bethany demolished its original town hall and replaced it with a new town hall and police building. Around this time period, the community became famous for its nudist beaches.

In 2008, the State of Delaware and United States Army Corps of Engineers constructed 16-foot (4.9-meter) sand dunes along South Bethany's beach to protect the town from high tides and large waves during hurricanes and nor'easters. The State of Delaware issued a mandatory evacuation order for beachfront residents and visitors in the town when Hurricane Sandy threatened the area on October 28 and 29, 2012.

In 2014, South Bethany's Community Enhancement Committee created the Art Board initiative, which invited artists from the area to submit artwork with a coastal theme for display on outdoor trash receptacles along Ocean Drive and Seaside Drive. By 2015, the town consisted of approximately 1,387 properties with fewer than 175 vacant lots remaining, and its year-round population was 600.

A nor'easter hit the Delaware coast from October 2 to 4, 2015, and severely eroded South Bethany's beach and dune. The beach and dune suffered additional damage during a winter storm that struck the area from January 22 to 24, 2016. In February 2016, officials announced that there was no funding available for replenishment of South Bethany's beach and dune during 2016, and that replenishment would not take place until 2017, in accordance with the schedule established before the two storms hit.

In 2020, the United States Army Corps of Engineers awarded a contract to a local developer to maintain the beach and dunes damaged in the storms.

Education
Residents are in the Indian River School District.

title: South Bethany, Delaware