Laurel, Delaware

Laurel, Delaware
Town
Spring Garden
Etymology: Laurel bushes that grew alongside Broad Creek
Location of Laurel in Sussex County, Delaware.
Laurel Location within the state of Delaware Show map of Delaware Laurel Laurel (the United States) Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 38°33′23″N 75°34′17″W
Country	United States
State	Delaware
County	Sussex
Area [1]
• Total	2.86 sq mi (7.40 km^2)
• Land	2.77 sq mi (7.16 km^2)
• Water	0.09 sq mi (0.24 km^2)
Elevation	26 ft (8 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	3,865
• Density	1,397.32/sq mi (539.47/km^2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP code	19956
Area code	302
FIPS code	10-41310
GNIS feature ID	214203[2]
Website	www.townoflaurel.net

Laurel is a town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. The population was 3,708 at the time of the 2010 census.^[3] Laurel is part of the Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area. It once hosted the Laurel Blue Hens of the Eastern Shore Baseball League.

History

The site of the town of Laurel was a Nanticoke Indian settlement known as Broad Creek Town during most of the eighteenth century.^{[citation needed]} Its Nanticoke name is unknown. The Indian settlement was created on tracts known as Bachelor's Delight and Greenland in 1711 when the government of Maryland, who originally claimed this part of Delaware, set aside land for the Nanticoke Indians. Nearly all the Indian settlers left within 50 years, relocating to western Pennsylvania.^{[citation needed]} The present town was laid out along the Broad Creek in the 1790s and was named for the laurel bushes that grew alongside the creek.^[4]

On March 29, 1929, the town was merged with the neighboring town of North Laurel which comprised most of the current town north of Broad Creek (then known as Laurel River).^[5] This merger was not properly reported to the United States Census Bureau, which resulted in the North Laurel's population not being included with the population of Laurel in the 1930 United States Census. As such, the US Census Bureau did not immediately make a change to the 1930 population statistics once the error was discovered, however it acknowledged in 1940 that the correct population for Laurel in 1930 was 2,542.^[6]

West Laurel is one of Delaware's oldest free black communities.^{[citation needed]} According to the Delaware Historical Society, West Laurel dates back to the 1790s.^{[citation needed]} At some point in the 1870s Captain Theodore Marsh settled in West Laurel, brought property, broke the property down into plots and sold them to his shipmates.^{[citation needed]} The graveyard for New Zion United Methodist church in West Laurel, which has been around since the early 1800s is the resting place of Marsh and his shipmates.^{[citation needed]}

Geography

Laurel is located on the Atlantic Coastal Plain in southwestern Delaware at 38°33′23″N 75°34′17″W (38.5565041, −75.5713141).^[7]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.7 square miles (4.4 km²), of which 1.7 square miles (4.4 km²) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km²) (4.07%) is water.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1860	970		—
1870	1,080		11.3%
1880	1,022		−5.4%
1890	2,388		133.7%
1900	1,825		−23.6%
1910	2,166		18.7%
1920	2,253		4.0%
1930	2,542		12.8%
1940	2,884		13.5%
1950	2,700		−6.4%
1960	2,709		0.3%
1970	2,408		−11.1%
1980	3,052		26.7%
1990	3,226		5.7%
2000	3,668		13.7%
2010	3,708		1.1%
2020	3,865		4.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]

957 families, 1,389 households, 3,668 people reside in the town. The population density was 2,215.9 inhabitants per square mile (855.6/km²). There were 1,561 housing units at an average density of 943.0 units per square mile (364.1 units/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 55.56% White, 39.42% African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.95% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.20% from other races, and 2.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.32% of the population.^[9]

There were 1,389 households, out of which 37.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.4% were married couples living together, 26.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.1% were non-families. 26.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.19.

In the town, the age distribution of the population shows 33.2% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 16.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 72.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $28,321, and the median income for a family was $30,329. Males had a median income of $28,006 versus $18,550 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,594. About 18.7% of families and 21.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.6% of those under age 18 and 11.4% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places include:^[10]

• Chipman Potato House
• Chipman's Mill
• Collins Potato House
• Hearn Potato House
• E. L. Hitch Potato House
• Laurel Historic District
• Moore Potato House
• Old Christ Church
• Phillips Potato House
• Ralph Potato House
• Rider Potato House
• Ross Point School
• Spring Garden
• Stanley Potato House
• Wright Potato House

Library

Laurel Public Library was established in 1909. A new library opened in 2006.^[11]

Sports

The District 3 All-Stars from Laurel won the senior Little League Softball World Series in 2011.^[12]

The Laurel Blue Hens were a member of the minor league Eastern Shore League in 1922 and 1923, playing at League Park.^[13]

Education

It is within the Laurel School District.^[14] Laurel High School is the local high school.

Media

• Laurel Star, a weekly local newspaper.
• Leader and State Register, a weekly local newspaper.
• WBOC-TV (Channel 16, CBS Affiliate) has its broadcast tower in Laurel.
• FOX 21 (Channel 21, FOX Affiliate) has its broadcast tower in Laurel.
• WKDB (95.3FM known as "Studio 95.3")

Infrastructure

Transportation

US 13 northbound at US 9 in Laurel

Roads are the primary means of travel to and from Laurel. U.S. Route 13 (Sussex Highway) is the most significant highway serving the town, connecting northwards towards Dover and southward to Salisbury. U.S. Route 9 also serves Laurel, heading northeastward from its terminus at US 13 toward Georgetown along County Seat Highway. Delaware Route 24 is the third numbered route to serve the town, traversing the region on an east–west alignment through the center of the town. DART First State operates the Route 212 bus that connects Laurel with Delmar and Georgetown.^[15] The Delmarva Central Railroad's Delmarva Subdivision line passes north–south through Laurel.^[16]

1907 postcard showing Laurel in the Miami University Bowden Postcard Collection

Notable people

• Richard H. Ellis, General, United States Air Force
• Mark Briscoe, Professional wrestler^[17]
• Jay Briscoe, Professional wrestler^[18]
• Bert Carvel, former Governor of Delaware^[19]
• John Collins, former governor of Delaware (1821–1825)
• William B. Cooper, former governor of Delaware^[20]
• Timothy Dukes, Republican member of the Delaware House of Representatives
• Carlton Elliott, former NFL player^[21]
• Alex Ellis, current NFL player^[22]
• Dallas Marvil, All-American football player, 1931^[23]
• Joshua H. Marvil, former governor of Delaware^[24]
• Nathaniel Mitchell, former governor of Delaware (1805–1808), Member of the Continental Congress^[25]
• Ron Waller, former NFL player and coach^[26]

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
2. "Laurel". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
3. "The Delaware Census State Data Center". Archived from the original on December 31, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2013.
4. Federal Writers' Project (1938). The ocean highway: New Brunswick, New Jersey to Jacksonville, Florida. American Guide Series. New York City: Modern Age Books. ISBN 9780403022144. Retrieved April 10, 2009.
5. "North Laurel Votes In Favor Of Combine". The News Journal(Wilmington, Delaware). March 30, 1929.
6. https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1940/population-volume-1/33973538v1ch03.pdf ^{[bare URL PDF]}
7. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
8. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
9. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
10. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
11. "History". Laurel Public Library. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
12. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
13. "League Park in Laurel, DE minor league baseball history and teams on StatsCrew.com". www.statscrew.com.
14. "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Sussex County, DE" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
15. "Routes and Schedules". DART First State. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
16. "Delmarva Central Railroad". Carload Express. November 8, 2016. Retrieved March 27, 2017.
17. Buckler, David. "Mark Briscoe". Black Pants, Inc.
18. Buckler, David. "Jay Briscoe". Black Pants, Inc.
19. "In Memoriam Elbert N. Carvel". www1.udel.edu. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
20. Capace, Nancy (January 2001). Encyclopedia of Delaware. ISBN 9780403096121.
21. "Carl Elliott Stats". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
22. "Alex Ellis, TE for the New Orleans Saints". www.nfl.com.
23. Charles Bartlett (October 7, 1931). "This Dal Marvil of N. U. May Be Fat, but Look Out". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 28.
24. "Joshua Hopkins Marvil". www.nga.org.
25. "Nathaniel Mitchell, Laurel – Sussex County Online, Delaware". www.sussexcountyonline.com. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
26. "Ron Waller Obituary". Delaware Online. December 17, 2018. Retrieved February 12, 2019.

External links

• Official website
• Laurel Chamber of Commerce