Seaford, Delaware
Encyclopedia
Seaford is a city located along the Nanticoke River
in Sussex County
, Delaware
. 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 the principal city of the Seaford Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is the largest micropolitan area
in the United States and includes all of Sussex County.
It is the largest city in Sussex County and was voted the 28th Best Small Town in America.. It hosted the Seaford Eagles of the Eastern Shore Baseball League
.
. In 1999-2000 Seaford's historic downtown area along High Street underwent major renovations, preserving the city's old fashioned charm with $1.5 million of landscaping, street paving, sidewalks, lamp posts, street lights, and utility upgrades.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 3.5 square miles (9.1 km²), of which, 3.5 square miles (9.1 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (1.14%) is water.
, Seaford's weather is moderated by the Atlantic Ocean. Seaford has a mild subtropical climate consisting of hot, humid summers and mild winters. The average daytime high in July is 87 °F (30.6 °C) and a low of 65 °F (18.3 °C); in January, the average high is 44 °F (6.7 °C) with an average low of 25 °F (-3.9 °C) The month of highest average rainfall is August with 5.59 inches (142.0 mm) of rain, while February is historically the driest month, receiving an average of only 3.17 inches (80.5 mm) of rain.
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.
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 people per square mile (743.2/km²). There were 2,809 housing units at an average density of 807.5 per square mile (311.7/km²). 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 out of which 31.5% had children under the age of 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 population was spread out with 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 age 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 age 65 or over.
is the main north-south thoroughfare within city limits, with Delaware Route 20
being the main east-west highway. US 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, DE. This airport has an jet service section, as part of the nearby industrial park.
Freight rail service in Seaford is provided by two carriers: Norfolk Southern and the Maryland and Delaware Railroad
. Norfolk Southern 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.
and services children in the Seaford and Blades. The District contains four elementary schools, one middle school and one high school.
http://www.whyy.org/ in Philadelphia and an affiliate of PBS
.
Nanticoke River
The Nanticoke River is a major tributary of the Chesapeake Bay on the Delmarva Peninsula. It rises in southern Kent County, Delaware, flows through Sussex County, Delaware, and forms the boundary between Dorchester County, Maryland and Wicomico County, Maryland. The river course proceeds southwest...
in Sussex County
Sussex County, Delaware
Sussex County is a county located in the southern part of the U.S. state of Delaware. As of 2010 the population was 197,145, an increase of 25.9% over the previous decade. The county seat is Georgetown. The Seaford Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Sussex County.Sussex County is...
, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
. 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 the principal city of the Seaford Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is the largest micropolitan area
United States micropolitan area
United States Micropolitan Statistical Areas , as defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget, are urban areas in the United States based around a core city or town with a population of 10,000 to 49,999. The micropolitan area designation was created in 2003...
in the United States and includes all of Sussex County.
It is the largest city in Sussex County and was voted the 28th Best Small Town in America.. It hosted the Seaford Eagles of the Eastern Shore Baseball League
Eastern Shore Baseball League
The Eastern Shore Baseball League was a Class D minor league baseball league that operated on the Delmarva Peninsula for parts of three different decades. The league's first season was in 1922 and the last was in 1949, although the years were not consecutive, and featured teams from Maryland,...
.
Once in Maryland
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 the 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.Governor Ross and the Civil War
Only 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) of land remain from the plantations original size of 1400 acres (5.7 km²). There are many notable buildings on this property, you can find a granary, stable, smokehouse, corn cribs, and Delaware's only documented surviving slave quarters.Downtown renovations
Seaford is one of seven Main Street communities that participated in the Delaware Main Street Program, part of the national Main Street plan to revitalize commercial districts. The program was developed in the 1970s by the National Trust Main Street Center, which was in turn a program of the National Trust for Historic PreservationNational Trust for Historic Preservation
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is an American member-supported organization that was founded in 1949 by congressional charter to support preservation of historic buildings and neighborhoods through a range of programs and activities, including the publication of Preservation...
. In 1999-2000 Seaford's historic downtown area along High Street underwent major renovations, preserving the city's old fashioned charm with $1.5 million of landscaping, street paving, sidewalks, lamp posts, street lights, and utility upgrades.
Geography
Seaford is located at 38°38′41"N 75°36′58"W (38.644654, -75.616107).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 3.5 square miles (9.1 km²), of which, 3.5 square miles (9.1 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (1.14%) is water.
Climatology
Situated on the Atlantic Coastal PlainAtlantic Coastal Plain
The Atlantic coastal plain has both low elevation and low relief, but it is also a relatively flat landform extending from the New York Bight southward to a Georgia/Florida section of the Eastern Continental Divide, which demarcates the plain from the ACF River Basin in the Gulf Coastal Plain to...
, Seaford's weather is moderated by the Atlantic Ocean. Seaford has a mild subtropical climate consisting of hot, humid summers and mild winters. The average daytime high in July is 87 °F (30.6 °C) and a low of 65 °F (18.3 °C); in January, the average high is 44 °F (6.7 °C) with an average low of 25 °F (-3.9 °C) The month of highest average rainfall is August with 5.59 inches (142.0 mm) of rain, while February is historically the driest month, receiving an average of only 3.17 inches (80.5 mm) of rain.
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.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 6,699 people, 2,629 households, and 1,664 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,925.9 people per square mile (743.2/km²). There were 2,809 housing units at an average density of 807.5 per square mile (311.7/km²). 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
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 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 out of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
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 population was spread out with 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 age 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
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
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 age 65 or over.
Transportation
US Route 13U.S. Route 13
U.S. Route 13 is a north–south U.S. highway established in 1926 that runs for from Interstate 95 just north of Fayetteville, North Carolina to the northeastern suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Morrisville. In all, it traverses five states in the Atlantic coastal plain region,...
is the main north-south thoroughfare within city limits, with Delaware Route 20
Delaware Route 20
Delaware Route 20 is an east–west highway in Sussex County, Delaware. Its western terminus is the Maryland state line just west of Seaford where it continues as Maryland Route 392. Its eastern terminus is Delaware Route 54 west of Fenwick Island. The route passes through the towns of...
being the main east-west highway. US 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
Millsboro, Delaware
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,360 people, 1,045 households, and 619 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,367.9 people per square mile . There were 1,153 housing units at an average density of 668.3 per square mile...
to the east and tiny Reliance, Maryland
Reliance, Maryland
Reliance is an unincorporated community in Caroline County and in Dorchester County, Maryland, United States.-References:...
to the west.
The closest airport with commercial air service to Seaford is the Wicomico Regional Airport
Wicomico Regional Airport
Salisbury-Ocean City Wicomico Regional Airport , or, more succinctly Wicomico Regional Airport, is located in unincorporated Wicomico County, Maryland, 5 miles from downtown Salisbury, Maryland. This airport is the only commercially served airport on the Delmarva peninsula and brings on average...
in Salisbury, Maryland
Salisbury, Maryland
-Demographics:Salisbury is the principal city of the Salisbury-Ocean Pines CSA, a Combined Statistical Area that includes the Salisbury metropolitan area and the Ocean Pines micropolitan area , which had a combined population of 176,657 at the 2010 census.As of the census of 2000, there were...
. The closest public airport is Laurel Airport in Laurel, Delaware
Laurel, Delaware
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,668 people, 1,389 households, and 957 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,215.9 people per square mile . There were 1,561 housing units at an average density of 943.0 per square mile...
. There is also an airport in Georgetown, DE. This airport has an jet service section, as part of the nearby industrial park.
Freight rail service in Seaford is provided by two carriers: Norfolk Southern and the Maryland and Delaware Railroad
Maryland and Delaware Railroad
The Maryland and Delaware Railroad Company is a Class III short-line railroad, formed in 1977 to operate several branch lines of the former Penn Central Railroad in both Maryland and Delaware. These branches were omitted from the system plan for Conrail in 1976 and would have been discontinued...
. Norfolk Southern 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
Federalsburg, Maryland
Federalsburg is a town in Caroline County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,642 at the 2009 census. The ZIP code is 21632. The primary phone exchange is 754 and the area code is 410.-Town features:...
and Cambridge
Cambridge, Maryland
Cambridge is a city in Dorchester County, Maryland, United States. The population was 12,326 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Dorchester County and the county's largest municipality...
in Maryland.
Public
Seaford is home to the Seaford School DistrictSeaford School District
Seaford School District is a public school district situated in Sussex County in southern Delaware. The district encompasses a six-mile radius from the center of Seaford and serves more than 3,400 students residing within the towns of Seaford and Blades and their outlying neighborhoods.-Secondary...
and services children in the Seaford and Blades. The District contains four elementary schools, one middle school and one high school.
Private
The most notable private school is Seaford Christian Academy.Radio
The only radio station calling Seaford its home is WGBG 98.5 FM, which broadcasts from just outside the city limits. Calling itself BIG Classic Rock (Delmarva's Only Classic Rock Station), WGBG plays primarily classic rock.Television
WDPB-TV 64 is the only television station originating from Seaford. It is a subsidiary of WHYY-TVWHYY-TV
For the former channel 12 in Wilmington, see WVUE .WHYY-TV, channel 12, is a non-commercial educational television station licensed to Wilmington, Delaware, USA...
http://www.whyy.org/ in Philadelphia and an affiliate of PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
.
Newspapers
Seaford is home to one weekly newspaper, the Seaford Star. The Seaford Star is a publication of Morning Star Publications, Inc., which is owned by Seaford residents Bryant and Carol Richardson. The newspaper retails for 50 cents per issue and is also available by subscription.Within the city
- Seaford Christmas Parade - The biggest Christmas Parade on the Delmarva Peninsula. It is a night time parade, on the first Saturday of December. http://www.mychristmasparade.comhas more information, including the entry form for participants.
- Kiwanis Park - a beautiful Memorial Park located on Stein Highway.
- Gateway Park - a park complete with brick sidewalks and a fountain, forming the gateway into beautiful downtown Seaford.
- Soroptimist Park - a park located on Williams Pond complete with a playground and a pavilion for parties.
- Nutter Park - named in honor of past Councilman Henry E. Nutter, Jr.; located in east Seaford with playground equipment and basketball courts.
- Williams Pond Park - a ballpark run by the Nanticoke Little League.
- Sports Complex - the newest park; includes the newly constructed Jay's Nest, the community-built playground. One softball field has been completed to date but three more softball fields, a youth football field, youth hockey field and volleyball court are planned.
- The Jays Nest - Seaford's community built playground.
- Hooper's Landing Golf & Country Club - home to a public access 18-hole course, pool, tennis courts and recently renovated driving range. - http://www.seafordde.com/index.cfm?ref=84100 ]
- Nanticoke RiverNanticoke RiverThe Nanticoke River is a major tributary of the Chesapeake Bay on the Delmarva Peninsula. It rises in southern Kent County, Delaware, flows through Sussex County, Delaware, and forms the boundary between Dorchester County, Maryland and Wicomico County, Maryland. The river course proceeds southwest...
- in downtown Seaford, the river is paralleled by the recently constructed Nanticoke River Walk. - Seaford Museum - the Seaford Museum is located at 203 High Street in the historic former post office and serves as a repository for items of significance in the history of Seaford; collections and exhibits highlight Seaford area history from Native Americans to present day; the original map of Seaford is on display; the museum is handicapped accessible. Seaford Museum Web Site: http://www.seafordhistoricalsociety.com/index.cfm?ref=89265
- Ross Mansion and Plantation - located at 1101 North Pine Street Extended in Seaford; former residence of former Delaware Governor William H. H. Ross; it is a 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) property that includes in addition to the Mansion, a granary with farm equipment exhibits, carriage house, a Victorian cottage and Delaware's only documented log slave quarters; the Mansion is a brick Italian Villa style structure completed in 1859; it is furnished in authentic Victorian style with many pieces having belonged to the Ross family. Ross Mansion Web Site: http://www.seafordhistoricalsociety.com/index.cfm?ref=42198
- Nanticoke Riverfest takes place the second weekend in July and the Nanticoke River is open for citizens to float down the river on inner tubes. There is also a three-day festival. The Carnival opens Thursday. Friday evening and all day Saturday merchants and vendors sell their products on High Street. Performers and comedians shows. Free concerts with live bands perform Friday night and Saturday night. There is also a Miss Riverfest Pageant for teenagers to enter, and a Little Miss Riverfest pageant for younger children to enter.
- The AFRAM Festival is a celebration of African American culture which is held the second weekend of August in Nutter Park.
Near the city
- Woodland FerryWoodland FerryThe Woodland Ferry is a cable ferry located in western Sussex County, Delaware, spanning the Nanticoke River, west of the city of Seaford. The ferry is currently operated by the Delaware Department of Transportation, and operates year-round...
- located west of Seaford, the ferry operates sunup to sundown, seven days a week with no fare charged; the 200-year-old cable-run ferry boat crossing the Nanticoke River, one of the last remaining ferries on the East Coast, was established circa 1793 by the Cannon family, and served as a major river crossing and trading center for travelers. - U.N.O.I. Mill - over 100 years old, still has the original corn stone in use to create products sold commercially today.
- Patty Cannon House - located outside of Seaford in Reliance, Delaware (formerly Johnson's Cross Roads), this house is where the noted kidnapping group including Patty Cannon had its headquarters; the group was involved in robbery and entrapment of free blacks in the area; this house was ideal because of its location: one side sits in Maryland while the other side sits in Delaware; today, the house still stands and is a historical landmark.
Notable people from Seaford
Seaford is the hometown of...- Former baseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player Delino DeShieldsDelino DeShieldsDelino Lamont DeShields is a former second baseman in Major League Baseball who enjoyed a 13-year career with 5 teams. He is currently the manager for the Dayton Dragons in the Cincinnati Reds organization.... - Former American footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player Lovett PurnellLovett PurnellLovett Shaizer Purnell is a former American football tight end in the National Football League. Purnell attended Seaford High but graduated from Valley Forge Military Academy and College in Wayne, Pennsylvania before attending West Virginia University... - Former OlympicOlympic GamesThe Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
baseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player Mike NeillMike NeillMichael Robert "Mike" Neill is a former Major League Baseball and Olympic baseball player. His baseball career included a stint with the Oakland Athletics and ended with the Olympic Gold Medal team in the 2000 games in Sydney, Australia. He was named Delaware Athlete of the Year in 2000... - San Francisco writer and performance artist Jon Longhi
- Aerospace Tycoon Capt.Lee F. Booth
- Philadelphia poet Eddie WatkinsEddie WatkinsEddie Watkins was a Welsh dual-code international rugby player who played club rugby under the union code for Cardiff and later professional league rugby with Wigan. As a union player Watkins was part of the 1939 team which won the Home Nations Championship and was more famously a member of the...
- DE Gatorade HS baseball player of the year and Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
draft pick Derrik Gibson (selected 77th in the 2008 MLB Draft by the Boston Red Sox) - Former Iranian Embassy Hostage Capt. Greg Persinger
- Adult film star Belladonna (actress)