Hartly is a town in
Kent County,
Delaware
Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...
, United States. It is part of the
Dover, Delaware
Dover () is the capital and second-largest city of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County and the principal city of the Dover, DE, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Kent County and is part of ...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...
. The population was 74 at the
2010 census, making it the least populous municipality in Delaware.
Geography
Hartly is located at .
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the town has a total area of , all land.
Hartly is located at the intersection of
Delaware Route 11
Delaware Route 11 (DE 11) is a state highway in Kent County, Delaware. It is signed north-south and runs from Maryland Route 302 (MD 302) at the Maryland border near Templeville, Maryland northeast to DE 300 near K ...
and
Delaware Route 44
Delaware Route 44 (DE 44) is a state highway in Kent County, Delaware. It is signed east-west and runs from DE 300 at Everetts Corner southeast to DE 8 in Pearsons Corner. The route passes through rural areas of western K ...
. The town is home to approximately 31 residences, the Hartly Volunteer Fire Company, a post office, Hartly Elementary School, two daycares, Hartly Feed and Hardware, and a
Family Dollar
Family Dollar Stores, Inc. is an American variety store chain. With over 8,000 locations in all states except Alaska and Hawaii, it was the second largest retailer of its type in the United States until it was acquired by Dollar Tree in 2015 and i ...
store. There are several vacant and abandoned buildings along with empty lots in Hartly.
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Infrastructure
Transportation
Hartly is located at the intersection of Delaware Route 11
Delaware Route 11 (DE 11) is a state highway in Kent County, Delaware. It is signed north-south and runs from Maryland Route 302 (MD 302) at the Maryland border near Templeville, Maryland northeast to DE 300 near K ...
and Delaware Route 44
Delaware Route 44 (DE 44) is a state highway in Kent County, Delaware. It is signed east-west and runs from DE 300 at Everetts Corner southeast to DE 8 in Pearsons Corner. The route passes through rural areas of western K ...
. DE 11 passes southwest–northeast through the town on Arthursville Road, heading southwest toward the Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
border and Templeville, Maryland
Templeville is a town in Caroline and Queen Anne's counties, Maryland, United States. Templeville is located near the Maryland-Delaware line. The population was 138 at the 2010 census. It was known as Bullock Town until the name was changed in 1 ...
and northeast toward Kenton. DE 44 passes northwest–southeast through the town on Main Street, heading northwest to an intersection with Delaware Route 300 in Everetts Corner that provides access to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge (also known locally as the Bay Bridge) is a major twin bridges, dual-span bridge in the U.S. state of Maryland. Spanning the Chesapeake Bay, it connects the state's rural Eastern Shore of Maryland, Eastern Shore regio ...
and southeast to an intersection with Delaware Route 8
Delaware Route 8 (DE 8) is a state highway located in Kent County in the U.S. state of Delaware. It runs from Maryland Route 454 (MD 454) at the Maryland border in Marydel east to an intersection with DE 9 in Little ...
in Pearsons Corner that provides access to the city of Dover
Dover () is a town and major ferry port in Kent, South East England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies south-east of Canterbury and east of Maidstone ...
.
Utilities
Delmarva Power
Delmarva Power is an energy company that provides electricity and natural gas to customers on portions of the Delmarva Peninsula in the states of Delaware and Maryland. The company is a subsidiary of Exelon.
Electricity and natural gas
Delmarva P ...
, a subsidiary of Exelon
Exelon Corporation is an American Fortune 100 energy company headquartered in Chicago, Illinois and incorporated in Pennsylvania. It generates revenues of approximately $33.5 billion and employs approximately 33,400 people. Exelon is the larges ...
, provides electricity to Hartly. Chesapeake Utilities
Chesapeake Utilities Corporation is an American corporation formed in 1947. Chesapeake Utilities Corporation is a diversified energy company engaged, through our operating divisions and subsidiaries, in various energy and other businesses. Headq ...
provides natural gas to the town.
Education
Hartly is in the Capital School District
Capital School District is a public school district in Kent County, Delaware, Kent County, Delaware in the United States. It serves the greater Dover, Delaware, Dover area.
Geography
The district covers a area in central Kent County.
Communiti ...
. Dover High School is the comprehensive high school of the district.
Government
Hartly is governed by a five-member Town Council. As of 2022, the Town Council consists of President Mark A. Maguire, Vice President Raymond K. Morris, Treasurer Suzanne K. Morris, Secretary Megan S. Raughley, and Land Use Administrator Robert J. Graves. Town meetings are held once every two months at the Hartly Volunteer Fire Company.
In 2015, the town of Hartly had no functioning government after fatigue had hit the Town Council about three years earlier and many members did not return to their posts. As a result, the town government could not pay bills, collect taxes, enforce codes, or apply for state aid. The town had not collected taxes for two years and was in thousands of dollars of debt. As a result, the town needed to reform its government or unincorporate and be governed directly by Kent County. A meeting was held in January 2015 at the Hartly Volunteer Fire Company on reforming the town government. The meeting was attended by about 150 people, of which 16 lived in the town of Hartly and could run for office.
Demographics
At the 2000 census there were 78 people in 25 households, including 21 families, in the town. The population density was . There were 31 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup
A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
of the town was 91.03% White, 3.85% African American, 1.28% from other races, and 3.85% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.56%.
Of the 25 households 60.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples living together, 24.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.0% were non-families. 4.0% of households were one person and none had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 3.12 and the average family size was 3.29.
The age distribution was 34.6% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 39.7% from 25 to 44, 14.1% from 45 to 64, and 2.6% 65 or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 59.4 males.
The median household income was $29,375 and the median family income was $29,375. Males had a median income of $21,667 versus $24,167 for females. The per capita income for the town was $11,516. There were 14.3% of families and 19.5% of the population living below the poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 19.2% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.
1983 tornado
On July 21, 1983, an F2 tornado
A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. It is often referred to as a twister, whirlwind or cyclone, altho ...
struck Hartly, causing two deaths and nine injuries. It was the deadliest tornado in Delaware history.
References
External links
Official website
{{authority control
Towns in Kent County, Delaware
Towns in Delaware