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New Castle County
Kent County
Sussex County
Chester County, PA
These pages, and
the links you'll find here, will give you a snapshot of Delaware and
nearby Pennsylvania, but for a better overview of communities, contact
me. Personal tours are the best way for you to find your next great
home in one of our outstanding communities!
Rockford Park in Winter by Mike Biggs
While
time does not allow me to write about every Delaware town, city,
community, or hundred, I have tried to provide meaningful information
on many of them. By using the inter-net or library, you can find
additional material.
Where Route 7 meets Route
40, you'll find the area known locally as Bear. Once just a tavern
(with a bear on its sign) and crossroads, Bear is a thriving suburb
today. Just six square miles in area, Bear offers a wide range of
affordable housing, a diverse population, and many retail opportunities.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bear,_Delaware
Between
the Delaware River and Route 13, north of Wilmington, is a small area
of about 1,288 people called Bellefonte. The median age is 38, the
median family income is $59,375, and about half the households have
children under the age of 18. In recent years Bellefonte has become a
haven for young families and first time home buyers because it's more
affordable than many other areas.
http://www.townofbellefonte.com/
In
Colonial days, Delaware was divided into Hundreds, a geographical area
of 100 families. Today, only one part of Delaware is still referred to
this way. Brandywine Hundred is an area across the northern arc of the
state on both sides of Route 202.
This area saw housing
developments spring up after World War II, many of the homes purchased
by DuPont executives. Sturdy and spacious, these homes still command a
premium today.
Information on the Hundreds
An informative newspaper article on three of Delaware's highest priced
areas
The Kennett Pike, aka Route 52, runs between
Wilmington and the Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania. When built in the early
1800's, Kennett Pike was a toll road. In 1919, Pierre S. DuPont
purchased the road and stopped the toll collection. Pierre S. DuPont
had the road paved after he bought it, some say to make travel easier
between his home at Longwood Gardens and the DuPont Company. Later the
road was sold back to the state.
Anchoring the Kennett Pike at the
south end nearest Wilmington is the small, elite community of
Greenville. Up-scale shops and services hug the road, but the roads
radiating from the highway lead to expensive homes and country clubs.
 A covered bridge in Centerville. Photo by Mike DiCostanza
Closer
to the Pennsylvania end of Kennett Pike, you'll find Centerville.
Quiet, sedate, and costly, the area is home to the DuPont Estates and
other high priced housing. Along the highway you can visit Winterthur,
the Delaware Museum of Natural History, and Buckley's Tavern among
other public establishments.
http://www.claymontdelaware.com/
http://www.claymontrenaissance.org/
Located
at the intersection of the Delaware River and the C & D Canal,
Delaware City hoped to become a major port, rivaling Philadelphia. That
never happened, but the town is a wonderful place to visit with many
historical buildings and antique shops.
Go to Delaware City to
ride the small ferry to Pea Patch Island. There you can tour Fort
Delaware, built to defend the county but used to house captured
Confederate soldiers during the Civil War.
Fort Delaware by Michael DiConstanza
http://www.delawarecity.info/history.html
More
of an area than a town, Hockessin is an upscale commuter suburb that
hugs the border with Avondale, Pennsylvania. Route 41 travels through
the center of "town" which you'll miss if you blink twice. You'll know
you're in Hockessin when you find yourself in a little valley with a
Wawa, a gas station, and the big Police Athletic League building, PAL,
on the hill. (My office is directly opposite PAL.)
Hockessin in Fall Colors by Debra Abbott
Many
beautiful subdivisions surround the valley, and that's why Hockessin
has become a destination of choice for families who can afford it. It's
an easy commute into Wilmington, Kennett Square, Newark and other
nearby towns.
http://www.townsusa.org/city/Delaware/Hockessin/
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/99999999/
HOMES05/60117014/1182
Consisting
of 1,700 homes, in five separate Clusters, Limestone Hills straddles
Limestone Road in the area known as Pike Creek. The communities are
deed restricted and consist of condos, townhouses, and single family
homes. With 300 acres of private open space, the community offers many
recreation opportunities: playgrounds, tennis courts, basketball
courts, picnic grounds, and miles of hiking/jogging trails.
http://www.limestonehills.com/
Located
about 24 miles south of Wilmington, Middletown began life as a tavern
stop in the 1600's. Its name derives from its location, in the middle
between two ports. Crossing here was the shortest way to the Chesapeake
Bay prior to construction of the C & D Canal. Today Middletown is
one of Delaware's fastest growing areas, with farms becoming
subdivisions at a rapid pace.
http://www.middletownde.org/
Visitors
to Old New Castle usually fall in love with its old world charm.
Careful town restrictions keep intact some of the brick sidewalks and
cobbled streets of its early years. Houses must stay true to their
period, and it's a delightful day when you take a walking tour of this
quaint town.
 Battery Park. Photo by Marie Hanna
Don't
miss the town's Battery Park, which stretches along the Delaware River.
The views are wonderful and usually include a freighter or tanker
making its way toward the port of Philadelphia or south to open water.
There you'll also find walkers, skaters, bikers, the New Castle Sailing
Club, and much more. If you're there on the right day, you may find a
sailing regatta in progress or an amazing craft show, but every day is
wonderful in Old New Castle.
New Castle
Walking tours, photos, events, building codes, etc.
City of New Castle Visitor's Information
Newark
looks like a textbook example of small town America. The textbook
analogy works well, since Newark is home to the University of Delaware
and its "Fighting Blue Hens" sport teams.
The University of
Delaware is especially well known for its programs in chemical
engineering and biochemistry, but students can study a wide range of
undergraduate and graduate subjects.
Newark Football. Photo by Debra Abbott
Main
Street is vibrant during the academic year, filled with students and
shoppers. Many interesting stores and restaurants vie for their
attention. Be sure to eat at California Tortilla when you visit for the
largest and best burritos anywhere. (My son owns this restaurant, so
please forgive my prejudice.)
Opening Day for California Tortilla. Mayor Vance Funk on the far left, my son Jim,
proud Mom (that's me), and Jim's very patient wife Rosemary
Just
west of Main Street begins the campus that is home to about 17,000
undergraduates and another 3,000 or so part-time students. Its Dutch
Colonial architecture and old shade trees combine to create a campus of
great beauty.
Housing developments fan out around the town and provide homes for about 30,000 residents.
http://www.cityofnewarkde.us/
Pike
Creek, close to the Pennsylvania border, is one of Delaware's few areas
of hills and valleys. Before 1970, the area was comprised of farms, but
today the area is completely built up, home to over 20,000 people.
Pike
Creek is home to Limestone Hills, a planned community of housing,
retail shops, churches, a fire department and much more. Goldey-Beacom
College has its main campus there, too.
The link below has a
map of Pike Creek's extensive walking trails, part of the Greenway
Project. Above is a link to the Limestone Hills web site.
http://www.delawaregreenways.org/DGI_projects.htm
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/99999999/
HOMES05/60117014/1182
Founded
by the Swedes in 1638, Wilmington has grown from a small fort to a
vibrant city of about 73,000 people. It offers nightlife, a diverse
population, hoards of Philadelphia sports fans, and interesting ethnic
neighborhoods. Once a stop on the Underground Railroad, Wilmington is
proud of its cultural and industrial heritage.
 Wilmington Skyline by Mike DiCostanza
Home
to The DuPont Company and AstraZeneca, Wilmington is often called "The
Chemical Capital of the World". Today, Wilmington is also home to some
of the country's biggest credit card banks.
Recent years have
witnessed amazing growth along the city's waterfront with a new park,
high rise condos and townhouses, and many new businesses and
restaurants. The city's waterfront is home to Delaware's tall ship, The
Kalmar Nyckel, a replica of a Dutch ship that landed in Delaware in
1631.
Wilmington, DE Visitors Center
Greater Wilmington Convention & Visitors Bureau
Kalmar Nyckel, the tall ship site
The Kalmar Nyckel (foreground) is staffed by trained volunteers.Like to sail? Sign on!
Dover by Sherrie A. Stanley
If
you like history and Colonial architecture, visit Dover, our state
capital. The government buildings, hundreds of years old, represent the
best in Dutch Colonial, brick construction. Silver Lake anchors the old
town and provides recreation, too.
Dover Tulips by Greg Hughes
Dover
is home to Dover Air Force Base, founded during WWII, and also home to
Delaware State University, the Laytex Corporation, and Dover Downs. On
race weekends, during NASCAR season, Dover's population swells from its
usual 34,000 to over 200,000. Fans from across the country arrive by
camper, car, bus, and air. Dover Downs, the site of slots gambling,
also attracts some of the biggest names in music entertainment.
http://www.cityofdover.com/
hotel, casino, racetrack, slots, speedway
aka The Monster Mile
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Drive
south from Wilmington along Route 1 for two hours, and you'll come to
Delaware's beach communities. Lewes, an old fishing village, comes
first. There you can catch the ferry to Cape May, New Jersey, eat
wonderful seafood, and shop the quaint stores.
Lewes Light and Tall Ships
Driving
a little further south brings you to Cape Henlopen, which marks the end
of the Delaware River and the start of the Atlantic Ocean. A state park
with modern, public facilities spans the beach for your enjoyment.
Rehoboth
Beach is a destination resort for vacationers from across the region
and beyond. Bethany, known as "The Quiet Resort" follows. Just before
the Maryland border lies Fenwick Island.
Rehoboth Beach in Midsummer
http://www.cityofrehoboth.com/
Silver Lake in Winter by Elizabeth Damico
Just
a mile or two south of Rehoboth is the locally famous (and much
maligned for its bars and rowdy revelers) Dewey Beach. Motels have
become condos, however, as the town council made new rules to restrict
the partiers.
Dewey Beach with the Atlantic in the foreground and Rehoboth Bay beyond
http://www.deweybeach.com/
http://www.townofbethanybeach.com/
http://www.fenwickislandde.com/
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Photo by Rand Snyderman
http://dsf.chesco.org/
http://www.chestercountylinks.com/chester/area/west-chester/
Words
can't capture the beauty of this rural area. Winding roads, farms,
hills, creeks and parks abound. Upscale housing developments are tucked
here and there in pockets between farms. The schools are first class
and the commute a reasonable one.
Fountains at Longwood Gardens
What a delightful
combination of small town America and the best in rural/suburban life.
A first class school district attracts many families, including mine.
We lived in nearby Landenberg during the '70's, 80's, and 90's, and my
three children graduated from Kennett High School. Each left with a
solid foundation in academics, arts, sports and friendships that
allowed them to succeed in college and in later life.
Don't
miss Kennett Square and its many antique shops, art galleries,
festivals, Longwood Gardens, and rural beauty. Even if you live in
Delaware, Kennett will be a source of many pleasures for you.
http://www.historickennettsquare.com/
Located
off Route 7, just north of the DE/PA border, Somerset Lake is a housing
community of upscale townhouses, carriage houses, and single family
homes surrounding a beautiful, small lake. Many of the residences have
water views, but all of the homes there are in great demand.
Children
in Somerset Lake attend Kennett Consolidated School District, but many
of their parents commute into Delaware for work and tax free shopping.
http://delaware.craigslist.org/rfs/473450532.html
William A. Hamett's "A Man's Table Reversed"
at Brandywine River Museum
This
area straddles Route 1 and is made up of gorgeous rolling countryside
and prestigious schools and housing. Renown for Longwood Gardens,
antique stores, and artist Andrew Wyeth, the Chadds Ford/Unionville
area will delight the visitor. Don't pass up a tour of the Chadds Ford
Winery.
http://www.ucfsd.org/
This is another wonderful
small town with beautiful countryside and first-rate schools. West
Chester is charming, a great place for dining, shopping, enjoying its
architecture and local ambiance.
http://www.downtownwestchester.com/
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