Townsend is a town in
New Castle County, Delaware
New Castle County is the northernmost of the three List of counties in Delaware, counties of the U.S. state of Delaware (New Castle, Kent County, Delaware, Kent, and Sussex County, Delaware, Sussex). As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...
, United States. The population was 2,049 at the
2010 census, an increase of 492.2% from 2000. The
center of population
In Demography, demographics, the center of population (or population center) of a region is a geographical point that describes a centerpoint of the region's population. There are several ways of defining such a "center point", leading to dif ...
of Delaware is located in Townsend.
Geography
Townsend is located at (39.3951115, –75.6915973).
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the town has a total area of , all land.
History
Townsend was incorporated as a town on April 3, 1885.
The name comes from a businessman and Delaware
Democrat, Samuel John Townsend. Prior to 1885, the town was known as Charley Town. Between 1845 and 1855 brothers Samuel and John Townsend purchased several large tracts of farmland in the vicinity. The Delaware Railroad arrived here in 1856, bisecting Samuel Townsend's property. This led to a period of sustained growth for the town, as the railroad station became the principal shipping point for the area's agricultural products. In September 1856 the Post Office was established, and the first hotel opened in 1857. The station was named Townsend after the area's major land owners. The peach industry was a vital contributor to the area's growth and prosperity until disease destroyed many Delmarva orchards in the late 19th century. A free African American community was located there by the mid-19th century.
The town has since created a "Comprehensive Development Plan", as required by state law February 2003, for land preservation.
The
Townsend Historic District, which includes 216 buildings, was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
in 1986.
Mayors of the town
''Note: List of Mayors is incomplete. Please add cited sources to complete this list.''
0000? - 2007 Charles Murry (Town Records)
* 2007(?)-2009 - Dave Raughley
* 2010–2011: John Hanlin
* 2011-2012: Steve High
* 2012-2014: Joel Esler
* 2014-2015: Jermaine Hatton
* 2016-2019: Rudy Sutton
* 2019–2021: Tom McDonald
* 2021-2022: Patrick Miller
* Current: Scott Lobdell, P.E.
Infrastructure
Transportation
Delaware Route 71
Delaware Route 71 (DE 71) is a state highway in New Castle County, Delaware, New Castle County, Delaware. The route runs from U.S. Route 13 in Delaware, U.S. Route 13 (US 13) south of Townsend, Delaware, Townsend north to an ...
runs northwest–southeast through the eastern part of Townsend. Main Street is the main east–west road through Townsend. Townsend is at the junction of the
Delmarva Central Railroad
The Delmarva Central Railroad is an American short-line railroad owned by Carload Express that operates of track on the Delmarva Peninsula in the states of Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. The railroad operates lines from Porter, Delaware to Ha ...
's Delmarva Subdivision and the
Maryland and Delaware Railroad
The Maryland and Delaware Railroad Company is a Class III railroad, Class III short-line railroad, formed in 1977 to operate several branch lines of the former Penn Central Railroad in both Maryland and Delaware, United States. These branches wer ...
's Northern Line.
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 public utility headquartered in Chicago, and incorporated in Pennsylvania. Exelon is the largest electric parent company in the United States by revenue and is the largest regulated electric utility in the Uni ...
, provides electricity to Townsend.
Chesapeake Utilities provides natural gas to the town.
Artesian Water Company, a subsidiary of
Artesian Resources, provides water to Townsend. Trash and recycling collection in Townsend is provided by
Waste Industries.
Education
Townsend is within the
Appoquinimink School District.
Odessa High School has a Townsend postal address.
MOT Charter School is an area charter school.
Demographics
At the
2000 census there were 346 people, 132 households, and 95 families living in the town. The population density was . There were 151 housing units at an average density of . The
racial makeup of the town was 84.10% White, 11.56% African American, 0.87% Native American, 0.87% Asian, 2.60% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.60%.
Of the 132 households 36.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.1% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% were non-families. 20.5% of households were one person and 7.6% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.06.
The age distribution was 26.9% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 32.1% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males.
The median household income was $47,500 and the median family income was $48,875. Males had a median income of $27,250 versus $28,409 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,671. About 2.1% of families and 1.7% of the population were 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 ...
, including none of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
*
Samuel John Townsend (1812–1881), for whom the town was named
*
Happy Townsend (1879–1963), baseball player
*
David P. Buckson (1920–2017),
Governor of Delaware
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the type of political region or polity, a ''governor'' ma ...
, was born in Townsend
['Dover Downs founder, politician Buckson dies at 96,' ''Delaware State News'', Andrew West, January 18, 2017]
References
External links
Official website
{{authority control
Towns in New Castle County, Delaware
Towns in Delaware