:Laurel, Delaware

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|date=October 2017}} 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|date=October 2017}} 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.{{cite book |author=Federal Writers' Project |author-link=Federal Writers' Project |title=The ocean highway: New Brunswick, New Jersey to Jacksonville, Florida|url=https://archive.org/stream/oceanhighwaynewb00federich/oceanhighwaynewb00federich_djvu.txt |access-date=April 10, 2009 | year=1938 |publisher=Modern Age Books |location=New York City|series=American Guide Series|isbn=9780403022144 }}

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).{{cite news|title=North Laurel Votes In Favor Of Combine|agency=The News Journal(Wilmington, Delaware)|date= March 30, 1929}} 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.https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1940/population-volume-1/33973538v1ch03.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}

West Laurel is one of Delaware's oldest free black communities.{{Citation needed|date=November 2018}} According to the Delaware Historical Society, West Laurel dates back to the 1790s.{{Citation needed|date=November 2018}} 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|date=November 2018}} 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|date=November 2018}}

Laurel is located on the Atlantic Coastal Plain in southwestern Delaware at {{coord|38|33|23|N|75|34|17|W|type:city}} (38.5565041, −75.5713141).{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of {{convert|1.7|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|1.7|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|0.1|sqmi|km2}} (4.07%) is water.

{{US Census population

|1860= 970

|1870= 1080

|1880= 1022

|1890= 2388

|1900= 1825

|1910= 2166

|1920= 2253

|1930= 2542

|1940= 2884

|1950= 2700

|1960= 2709

|1970= 2408

|1980= 3052

|1990= 3226

|2000= 3668

|2010= 3708

|2020= 3865

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2016}}

}}

957 families, 1,389 households, 3,668 people reside in the town. The population density was {{convert|2,215.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,561 housing units at an average density of {{convert|943.0|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}. 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}

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.

Sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places include:{{NRISref|version=2010a}}

{{colbegin}}

• 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

{{colend}}

Laurel Public Library was established in 1909. A new library opened in 2006.{{cite web | title = History | publisher = Laurel Public Library | url = https://laurel.lib.de.us/history/ | accessdate = March 19, 2023}}

The District 3 All-Stars from Laurel won the senior Little League Softball World Series in 2011.{{Cite web |url=http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20110814/SPORTS11/108140368/Laurel-softball-top-world?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CHome |title=Archived copy |access-date=July 12, 2022 |archive-date=August 12, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812020011/http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20110814/SPORTS11/108140368/Laurel-softball-top-world?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CHome |url-status=dead }}

The Laurel Blue Hens were a member of the minor league Eastern Shore League in 1922 and 1923, playing at League Park.{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/venues/v-1417|title=League Park in Laurel, DE minor league baseball history and teams on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}

It is within the Laurel School District.{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st10_de/schooldistrict_maps/c10005_sussex/DC20SD_C10005.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Sussex County, DE|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=June 15, 2021}} Laurel High School is the local high school.

• 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")

File:2022-07-08 08 43 29 View north along U.S. Route 13 (Sussex Highway) just south of U.S. Route 9 (County Seat Highway) in Laurel, Sussex County, Delaware.jpg

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.{{cite web|url=http://www.dartfirststate.com/information/routes/index.shtml|title=Routes and Schedules|publisher=DART First State|access-date=August 16, 2013}} The Delmarva Central Railroad's Delmarva Subdivision line passes north–south through Laurel.{{cite web|title=Delmarva Central Railroad|date=November 8, 2016 |publisher=Carload Express|url=http://carloadexpress.com/railroads/delmarva-central-railroad/|access-date=March 27, 2017}}

File:Lover's Lane, up the Lake, Laurel, Del. (12660276273).jpg Bowden Postcard Collection]]

• Richard H. Ellis, General, United States Air Force
• Mark Briscoe, Professional wrestler{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/bios/m/mark-briscoe/|title=Mark Briscoe|publisher=Black Pants, Inc.|first1=David|last1=Buckler}}
• Jay Briscoe, Professional wrestler{{cite web|url=http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/bios/j/jay-briscoe/|title=Jay Briscoe|publisher=Black Pants, Inc.|first1=David|last1=Buckler}}
• Bert Carvel, former Governor of Delaware{{cite web|url=http://www1.udel.edu/PR/UDaily/2005/feb/carvel020905.html|title=In Memoriam Elbert N. Carvel|website=www1.udel.edu|access-date=February 13, 2019}}
• John Collins, former governor of Delaware (1821–1825)
• William B. Cooper, former governor of Delaware{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u9StYwbI_F8C&q=william+cooper+delaware+%22april+27%2C+1849%22&pg=PA109|title = Encyclopedia of Delaware|isbn = 9780403096121|last1 = Capace|first1 = Nancy|date = January 2001}}
• Timothy Dukes, Republican member of the Delaware House of Representatives
• Carlton Elliott, former NFL player{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/E/ElliCa20.htm|title=Carl Elliott Stats|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=May 20, 2021}}
• Alex Ellis, current NFL player{{cite web|title=Alex Ellis, TE for the New Orleans Saints|url=http://www.nfl.com/player/alexellis/2556737/profile|website=www.nfl.com|language=en}}
• Dallas Marvil, All-American football player, 1931{{cite news|title=This Dal Marvil of N. U. May Be Fat, but Look Out|newspaper=Chicago Daily Tribune |author=Charles Bartlett|date=October 7, 1931|page=28|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/181227817}}
• Joshua H. Marvil, former governor of Delaware{{cite web|url=https://classic.nga.org/cms/joshua-h-marvil|title=Joshua Hopkins Marvil|website=www.nga.org|language=en}}
• Nathaniel Mitchell, former governor of Delaware (1805–1808), Member of the Continental Congress{{cite web|url=https://www.sussexcountyonline.com/towns/laurel/mitchell.html|title=Nathaniel Mitchell, Laurel – Sussex County Online, Delaware|website=www.sussexcountyonline.com|access-date=February 13, 2019}}
• Ron Waller, former NFL player and coach{{Cite news|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/delawareonline/obituary.aspx?n=ron-waller&pid=191137361&fhid=7856|title=Ron Waller Obituary|date=December 17, 2018|work=Delaware Online|access-date=February 12, 2019}}

{{Reflist}}

{{commons category}}

{{Wikivoyage|Laurel (Delaware)}}

• {{Official website|http://www.townoflaurel.net/}}
• [http://www.laurelchamber.com/ Laurel Chamber of Commerce]

{{Sussex County, Delaware}}

{{Salisbury metropolitan area}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Towns in Sussex County, Delaware

Category:Towns in Delaware

Category:Salisbury metropolitan area