View source for Georgetown, Delaware

{{short description|Town and county seat in Delaware, US}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Georgetown, Delaware
| settlement_type    = [[Town]]
| nickname           = 
| motto              = <!-- Images -->
| image_skyline      = Sussex County Courthouse.jpg
| imagesize          = 250 px
| image_caption      = [[Sussex County Courthouse and the Circle]]
| image_flag         = GeorgetownDEflag.gif
| image_seal         = GeorgetownDEseal.png
| image_map          = File:Sussex County Delaware Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Georgetown Highlighted 1029090.svg
| mapsize            = 260px
| map_caption        = Location of Georgetown in Sussex County, Delaware.
| pushpin_map        = Delaware#USA
| pushpin_label_position = top
| pushpin_label      = Georgetown
| pushpin_map_caption = Location within the state of Delaware

<!-- Location -->| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = [[United States]]
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Delaware]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Delaware|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Sussex County, Delaware|Sussex]]
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = Mayor
| leader_name        = William E. West
| leader_title1      = Town Council Members
| leader_name1       = Christina Diaz-Malone (Ward 1), Tony Neal (Ward 2), Eric Evans (Ward 3), Penuel Barrett (Ward 4)
| leader_title2      = Town Manager
| leader_name2       = Eugene S. Dvornick, Jr.
| leader_title3      = Town Clerk
| leader_name3       = 
| leader_title4      = Police Chief
| leader_name4       = Ralph W. Holm, Jr.
| established_title  = Founded
| established_date   = 1791

<!-- Area -->| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_10.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 31, 2021}}</ref>
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_magnitude     = 
| area_total_km2     = 13.01
| area_land_km2      = 13.01
| area_water_km2     = 0.00
| area_total_sq_mi   = 5.02
| area_land_sq_mi    = 5.02
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.00

<!-- Population -->| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 7134
| population_density_km2 = 548.50
| population_density_sq_mi = 1420.55
| timezone           = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
| utc_offset         = −5
| timezone_DST       = EDT
| utc_offset_DST     = −4
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_m        = 
| elevation_ft       = 52
| coordinates        = {{coord|38|41|24|N|75|23|08|W|region:US-DE_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP Code]]
| postal_code        = 19947
| area_code          = [[Area code 302|302]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 10-29090
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 213993<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|213993}}</ref>
| website            = [http://www.georgetowndel.com/ www.georgetowndel.com]
| footnotes          = 
| pop_est_as_of      = 
| pop_est_footnotes  = 
| population_est     = 
}}

'''Georgetown''' is a town in and the [[county seat]] of [[Sussex County, Delaware]], United States.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref> According to the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]], the population of the town is 6,422, an increase of 38.3% over the previous decade.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://census.delaware.gov/pages/state-data-center|title=The Delaware Census State Data Center|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161231141632/http://stateplanning.delaware.gov/census_data_center/|archive-date=December 31, 2016}}</ref>

Georgetown is part of the [[Salisbury metropolitan area|Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area]].

==History==
===Second county seat===
[[Lewes, Delaware|Lewes]], sited on the [[Delaware Bay]], was designated as the first county seat. It was the first colony in Delaware, founded by the [[Dutch People|Dutch]] in 1631, and it remained the only significant European settlement in the region for some time. When English colonist [[William Penn]] organized the three southern counties of [[Pennsylvania]], which are now Delaware, Lewes was the natural choice for the location of the Sussex County's [[County seat|Seat of Justice]].

[[Sussex County, Delaware|Sussex County]] was not well defined until after 1760, following resolution of a dispute between [[William Penn]]'s family and [[Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore]] after intervention from the Crown. This dispute over borders had delayed discussion over the location of a county seat. Earlier [[Charles Calvert, 5th Baron Baltimore]] had argued that the county ended with Lewes, while Penn's sons stated it continued into [[Fenwick Island, Delaware|Fenwick Island]], which it now does. The [[Mason–Dixon line]] was surveyed as part the agreement between the Penns and Lord Baltimore, and it has since defined the western and southern border of the county. Georgetown, located more centrally in the county, was later designated as its seat for court.

===Founding of Georgetown===
Lewes continued to serve as the county seat throughout much of the 18th century, although it was inconvenient for the growing population to the west; some persons had to travel more than a day over the poor roads to reach the town to conduct county business. After petitioning by western citizens of the county to the [[Delaware General Assembly]], a law was passed on January 29, 1791, to centralize the location of the county seat. At the time, the land in central Sussex County was for the most part swampy and uninhabited. The county government hired ten commissioners to purchase land, build a courthouse and jail, and sell lots in an area at "James Pettyjohn's old field or about a mile from where Ebenezer Pettyjohn now lives," as the original order states, to encourage related development.

On May 9, 1791, the commissioners, under the leadership of the [[Delaware State Senate|Delaware State Senator]] [[George Mitchell (Delaware State Senator)|George Mitchell]], purchased {{convert|76|acre|m2}} for a townsite. Commissioner [[Rhodes Shankland]] began the survey by laying out "a spacious square of 100 yards each way." Eventually Georgetown was laid out in a circle one mile in diameter and centered around the original square surveyed by Shankland. The area within this circle is now listed as a historic district on the [[National Register of Historic Places]]. The new location proved better as an administrative center; Georgetown is still said to be "sixteen miles from everywhere" in Sussex County.

The County Courthouse and Jail were built in the southeastern section of the town circle. Given this progress, the Seat of Justice was officially moved on October 26, 1791. The new community was named Georgetown in honor of the lead commissioner George Mitchell. Lots, measuring 60 by 120-foot, were surveyed and sold to give a return to the State's investment.

===Later history===
Because of Delaware's status as a [[border states (Civil War)|border state]] during the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], men enlisted on both sides of the war, with some fighting for the [[Union (American Civil War)|Union]] and others for the [[Confederate States of America|Confederates]]. The town and even some of its prominent families were divided by these split loyalties.

In 2007, a monument commemorating Sussex County Confederates and featuring the Confederate Battle Flag was constructed and installed at the Marvel Museum in Georgetown.

As of 2022, the town council continues to fund a museum that flies the Confederate battle flag. The museum had lost state funding in 2019.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://whyy.org/articles/southern-delaware-town-museum-confederate-flag/ |title=Southern Delaware town funds museum that continues to fly a Confederate flag |last=Eichmann |first=Mark |date=July 27, 2022 |website=WHYY.org |access-date=October 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220805231105/https://whyy.org/articles/southern-delaware-town-museum-confederate-flag/amp/ |archive-date=August 5, 2022 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Culture==
Since the mid 20th century, the two most intense industries in Georgetown have been the Sussex County Courts and the raising and processing of chickens, largely grown on area farms under contract to a processor such as Purdue Farms which has a large chicken processing plant in Georgetown. It has attracted numerous immigrants from [[Haiti]] and [[Guatemala]] as workers, stimulating growth of the population and changing the town's demographics. Georgetown has a more diverse population than might be expected in a small Delaware inland town. Some residents speak Haitian French or Creole, while many more have a primary language of Spanish, in addition to those whose first language is English. In 2000 slightly more than one-third of the population was ethnic Hispanic and one-fifth was African American (including Haitians).

Georgetown is the home of [[WZBH]] radio and the [[Georgetown Speedway]]. The latter attracts attendees from miles around during race season.
[[Image:Sussex County Courthouse 1907.jpg|upright|thumb|Sussex County Courthouse in Georgetown, early 20th century]]

===Return Day===
Every two years, Georgetown hosts Return Day, a half-day-long parade and festival two days after [[Election Day (United States)|Election Day]].<ref>J. Thomas Sharff, ''The History of Delaware'' (1888)</ref> It stems from colonial days, when the public would congregate in Georgetown two days after the election to hear the results (because it would take that long to deliver the results to the courthouse by horseback from the state capital in [[Dover, Delaware]]). The winners of that year's elections parade in horse-drawn carriages around The Circle. Together with the losers and the chairs of the county's political parties, they ceremonially "bury the hatchet" in a tub of sand.<ref>[http://www.returnday.com returnday.com]</ref> The afternoon of Return Day is a holiday for county and state workers in Sussex County. The day's events are marked by a traditional ox feast, and the beginning of the next round of campaigns.<ref>[http://www.newszap.com/articles/2004/11/05/dm/central_delaware/aadsn01.txt www.newszap.com "Return Day in Georgetown"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041127160206/http://www.newszap.com/articles/2004/11/05/dm/central_delaware/aadsn01.txt |date=November 27, 2004 }}, NewsZap, November 5, 2004</ref>

==Architecture==
[[File:The Circle Georgetown 2020a.jpg|thumb|left|Fountain at the center of the Circle]]
[[File:The Circle Georgetown 2020g.jpg|thumb|left|Buildings on the Circle including the [[Delaware Court of Chancery|Court of Chancery]] and Town Hall]]
[[File:Market Street Georgetown 2020d.jpg|thumb|left|Building on Market Street]]

Georgetown is unusual among Delaware municipalities as the town was constructed around a [[circle]], instead of the more traditional park square. Located at "The Circle" are the Town Hall, state and county buildings, and the historic Sussex County Courthouse. The original Courthouse was replaced by the current structure, which was built in 1837 on South Bedford Street. It was restored in 1976 and is managed by the Georgetown Historical Society. Lawyers' offices, the newer [[Delaware Court of Chancery|Court of Chancery]] and Family Court buildings, a bank, and the Brick Hotel, recently renovated into offices, also line the Circle. This layout is similar to that found in [[Annapolis, Maryland]]. The center of Georgetown's circle is a small green [[park]] with a [[fountain]]. Georgetown's oldest church, [[St. Paul's Episcopal Church (Georgetown, Delaware)|St. Paul's Episcopal Church]], was constructed in 1844 and remodeled in 1881 in the early [[Victorian Gothic]] style; its congregation organized in 1794, shortly after the close of the American Revolutionary War. It is listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] (NRHP).

Other recognized historic properties are the [[Joseph T. Adams House]], [[Brick Hotel]], [[Peter S. Faucett House]], [[First Broiler House]], [[Georgetown Coal Gasification Plant]], [[Stella Pepper Gyles House]], [[Judge's House and Law Office]], [[Dr. John W. Messick House and Office]], [[Old Sussex County Courthouse]], [[David Carlton Pepper Farm]], [[Redden Forest Education Center|Redden Forest Lodge, Forester's House and Stable]], [[Richards Mansion (Georgetown, Delaware)|Richards Mansion]], [[St. John's Methodist Church (Georgetown, Delaware)|St. John's Methodist Church]], [[Short Homestead]], [[Thomas Sipple House]], [[Sussex County Courthouse and the Circle]], [[Gardiner Wright Mansion]] and [[McColley's Chapel]], all listed on the NRHP.<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>

==Geography==

Georgetown is located at {{coord|38|41|24|N|75|23|08|W|type:city}} (38.6901134, –75.3854728).<ref name="GR1">{{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}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|4.1|sqmi|km2}}, all land.

===Climate===
{{Weather box
|location = Georgetown, Delaware ([[Delaware Coastal Airport]]), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1945–present
|single line = Y
|collapsed = Y
|Jan record high F = 77
|Feb record high F = 77
|Mar record high F = 88
|Apr record high F = 94
|May record high F = 98
|Jun record high F = 101
|Jul record high F = 104
|Aug record high F = 100
|Sep record high F = 98
|Oct record high F = 96
|Nov record high F = 86
|Dec record high F = 77
|year record high F = 104

|Jan avg record high F = 67.6
|Feb avg record high F = 67.8
|Mar avg record high F = 76.4
|Apr avg record high F = 84.6
|May avg record high F = 90.3
|Jun avg record high F = 94.4
|Jul avg record high F = 97.3
|Aug avg record high F = 94.2
|Sep avg record high F = 90.9
|Oct avg record high F = 84.3
|Nov avg record high F = 75.6
|Dec avg record high F = 68.9
|year avg record high F = 98.0

|Jan high F = 45.2
|Feb high F = 47.8
|Mar high F = 55.2
|Apr high F = 66.3
|May high F = 74.5
|Jun high F = 83.1
|Jul high F = 87.7
|Aug high F = 85.7
|Sep high F = 79.5
|Oct high F = 69.3
|Nov high F = 58.7
|Dec high F = 49.9
|year high F = 66.9
|Jan mean F = 36.9
|Feb mean F = 38.9
|Mar mean F = 45.8
|Apr mean F = 55.8
|May mean F = 64.5
|Jun mean F = 73.6
|Jul mean F = 78.6
|Aug mean F = 76.7
|Sep mean F = 70.3
|Oct mean F = 59.3
|Nov mean F = 49.2
|Dec mean F = 41.3
|year mean F = 57.6
|Jan low F = 28.6
|Feb low F = 30.0
|Mar low F = 36.3
|Apr low F = 45.3
|May low F = 54.5
|Jun low F = 64.0
|Jul low F = 69.5
|Aug low F = 67.7
|Sep low F = 61.2
|Oct low F = 49.4
|Nov low F = 39.6
|Dec low F = 32.7
|year low F = 48.2

|Jan avg record low F = 9.1
|Feb avg record low F = 12.9
|Mar avg record low F = 19.9
|Apr avg record low F = 29.9
|May avg record low F = 39.0
|Jun avg record low F = 49.0
|Jul avg record low F = 57.7
|Aug avg record low F = 55.8
|Sep avg record low F = 46.3
|Oct avg record low F = 32.8
|Nov avg record low F = 23.8
|Dec avg record low F = 17.0
|year avg record low F = 6.6

|Jan record low F = −13
|Feb record low F = −8
|Mar record low F = 3
|Apr record low F = 20
|May record low F = 26
|Jun record low F = 35
|Jul record low F = 43
|Aug record low F = 42
|Sep record low F = 32
|Oct record low F = 21
|Nov record low F = 14
|Dec record low F = -7
|year record low F = -13
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 3.01
|Feb precipitation inch = 2.58
|Mar precipitation inch = 3.86
|Apr precipitation inch = 3.29
|May precipitation inch = 3.63
|Jun precipitation inch = 4.07
|Jul precipitation inch = 4.14
|Aug precipitation inch = 3.99
|Sep precipitation inch = 4.54
|Oct precipitation inch = 4.11
|Nov precipitation inch = 3.19
|Dec precipitation inch = 3.47
|year precipitation inch = 43.88
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 9.4
|Feb precipitation days = 10.0
|Mar precipitation days = 11.3
|Apr precipitation days = 11.1
|May precipitation days = 11.8
|Jun precipitation days = 13.1
|Jul precipitation days = 11.2
|Aug precipitation days = 11.8
|Sep precipitation days = 12.0
|Oct precipitation days = 11.3
|Nov precipitation days = 9.1
|Dec precipitation days = 10.1
|year precipitation days = 132.2
|source 1 = [[NOAA]]<ref name= NOWData>
{{cite web
| url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=phi
| title = NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = June 18, 2021}}</ref><ref name=NCEI>
{{cite web
| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USW00013764&format=pdf
| title = Station: Georgetown Sussex CO AP, DE
| work = U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991–2020)
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = June 18, 2021}}</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1850= 777
|1860= 553
|1870= 710
|1880= 895
|1890= 1353
|1900= 1658
|1910= 1609
|1920= 1710
|1930= 1763
|1940= 1820
|1950= 1923
|1960= 1765
|1970= 1844
|1980= 1710
|1990= 3732
|2000= 4643
|2010= 6422
|2020= 7134
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{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}}</ref>
}}

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 4,643 people, 1,489 households, and 957 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|1,123.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,591 housing units at an average density of {{convert|385.1|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the town was 56.19% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 20.87% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 2.07% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.26% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.04% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 18.03% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 2.54% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 31.73% of the population.

There were 1,489 households, out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.0% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 16.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.7% were non-families. 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.97 and the average family size was 3.29.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.4% under the age of 18, 14.3% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 16.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 107.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $31,875, and the median income for a family was $37,925. Males had a median income of $20,886 versus $19,944 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $15,288. About 20.9% of families and 25.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 34.8% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over.

In 2000, 21.6% of Georgetown residents identified as being of [[Guatemala]]n heritage. This was the highest percentage of [[Guatemalan American]]s in any place in the country. The most reported ancestries in [[2020 United States census|2020]] were:<ref>{{cite web |title=TOTAL POPULATION |url=https://data.census.gov/table?t=-06:-1000E:-3000F:-4000G:-5000K:-7000E:-8000B&g=160XX00US1029090&d=DEC+Detailed+Demographic+and+Housing+Characteristics+File+A |website=data.census.gov |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau}}</ref>
* [[Guatemalans|Guatemalan]] (33.3%)
* [[English people|English]] (9%)
* [[Mexicans|Mexican]] (7.9%)
* [[African Americans|African American]] (6.3%)
* [[Irish people|Irish]] (6.1%)
* [[Germans|German]] (5.5%)
* [[Italians|Italian]] (2.2%)
* [[Haitians|Haitian]] (2.1%)
* [[Maya people|Maya]] (1.9%)
* [[Scottish people|Scottish]] (1.2%)

==Infrastructure==
===Transportation===
[[File:2022-07-08 10 10 37 View south along U.S. Route 113 (DuPont Boulevard) at Delaware State Route 18 and Delaware State Route 404 (Seashore Highway-Bridgeville Road) in Georgetown, Sussex County, Delaware.jpg|thumb|right|US 113 southbound in Georgetown]]
The main north–south road in Georgetown is [[U.S. Route 113|US 113]], which passes through the western part of town on Dupont Boulevard and heads south to [[Millsboro, Delaware|Millsboro]] and [[Pocomoke City, Maryland]] and north to [[Milford, Delaware|Milford]], where it connects to [[Delaware Route 1|DE 1]] that heads north to [[Dover, Delaware|Dover]] and [[Wilmington, Delaware|Wilmington]]. [[U.S. Route 9 in Delaware|US 9]] runs southwest–northeast through Georgetown on Market Street, heading southwest to [[Laurel, Delaware|Laurel]] and northeast to [[Lewes, Delaware|Lewes]] and the [[Cape May–Lewes Ferry]] across the [[Delaware Bay]]. [[Delaware Route 18|DE 18]] begins at US 9 at The Circle in the center of Georgetown and heads northwest on Bedford Street before heading west toward [[Bridgeville, Delaware|Bridgeville]]. [[Delaware Route 404|DE 404]] passes through Georgetown as part of a route linking the [[Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area]] and the [[Chesapeake Bay Bridge]] to the [[Delaware Beaches]], entering town from the west [[concurrency (road)|concurrent]] with DE 18 to The Circle, where it joins US 9 and heads northeast along with that route toward the beaches. [[U.S. Route 9 Truck (Georgetown, Delaware)|US 9 Truck]] and [[Delaware Route 404 Truck|DE 404 Truck]] provide a bypass of Georgetown to the south for truck traffic.<ref name="DE 2008 map">{{Delaware road map|year=2008|access-date=May 26, 2016}}</ref> Parking in portions of downtown Georgetown near the Sussex County Courthouse are regulated by two-hour [[parking meter]]s on weekdays.<ref>{{cite web|title=Chapter 215: Vehicles and Traffic - Article V: Parking Meters|publisher=Town of Georgetown, Delaware|url=https://ecode360.com/26961459|access-date=August 22, 2018}}</ref>
[[File:Georgetown Station.jpg|thumb|left|Georgetown's historic railroad station]]
The [[Delaware Coastal Airport]] is located to the east of Georgetown, offering general aviation. The nearest airport with commercial air service is the [[Wicomico Regional Airport]] in [[Salisbury, Maryland]].<ref name="DE 2008 map"/>

[[DART First State]] provides bus service to Georgetown out of the Georgetown Transit Hub along Route 206, which connects the town to the [[Lewes Transit Center]] near Lewes; Route 212, which links Georgetown to [[Bridgeville, Delaware|Bridgeville]], [[Seaford, Delaware|Seaford]], Laurel, and [[Delmar, Delaware|Delmar]]; Route 303, which connects the town to Dover.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dartfirststate.com/information/routes/index.shtml|title=Routes and Schedules|publisher=DART First State|access-date=August 16, 2013}}</ref> DART First State also operates a [[microtransit]] service called [[DART Connect]] serving the Georgetown and Millsboro areas.<ref name=dartconnect>{{cite web|title=DART Connect|publisher=DART First State|url=https://www.dartfirststate.com/Programs/dartconnect/pdfs/DART%20Connect%20Coming%20Soon%20Flyer.pdf?cache=1618255544578|accessdate=April 12, 2021}}</ref>

Until the late 1940s, the [[Pennsylvania Railroad]] operated passenger trains from [[Harrington, Delaware]] through Georgetown along the train line of the former [[Delaware, Maryland and Virginia Railroad]] (DMV). Travellers from [[New York City|New York]] or [[Philadelphia]] could take trains to Wilmington, whereupon they would take a train to Harrington for the DMV line train. The route continued south to [[Berlin, Maryland]] (near [[Ocean City, Maryland]]) and to [[Franklin City, Virginia]].<ref>{{cite journal |title=Pennsylvania Railroad, Tables 78, 81: Delaware, Maryland & Virginia Branch|journal=Official Guide of the Railways |publisher=National Railway Publication Company |volume=78 |issue=12 |date=May 1946}}</ref>

Today, the [[Delmarva Central Railroad]] operates a freight rail line called the Indian River Subdivision (the former DMV line) that runs north–south through Georgetown. In Georgetown, the Delmarva Central Railroad's Lewes Industrial Track branches east from the Indian River Subdivision and heads east to [[Cool Spring, Delaware|Cool Spring]].<ref name=dcrmap>{{cite map|title=Delmarva Central Railroad|publisher=Carload Express|url=http://carloadexpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Delmarva-Central-1-1-19.pdf|access-date=December 16, 2018}}</ref>

===Utilities===
[[Delmarva Power]], a subsidiary of [[Exelon]], provides electricity to Georgetown.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.delmarva.com/connect-with-us/about-us/service-territory/|title=Service Territory|publisher=Delmarva Power|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140525061222/http://www.delmarva.com/connect-with-us/about-us/service-territory/|archive-date=May 25, 2014|url-status=dead|access-date=August 15, 2017}}</ref> [[Chesapeake Utilities]] provides natural gas to the town.<ref>{{cite web|title=Delmarva Service Territory|publisher=Chesapeake Utilities|url=http://www.chpk.com/delmarva-service-territory/|access-date=August 14, 2017|archive-date=August 15, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170815063806/http://www.chpk.com/delmarva-service-territory/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Town of Georgetown Water Department provides water service to the town, operating three water plants.<ref>{{cite web|title=Water|publisher=Town of Georgetown, Delaware|url=http://www.georgetowndel.com/Water/|access-date=March 1, 2018}}</ref> The Town of Georgetown Wastewater Department provides sewer service to the town and some surrounding areas, operating the Georgetown Wastewater Reclamation Facility.<ref>{{cite web|title=Wastewater|publisher=Town of Georgetown, Delaware|url=http://www.georgetowndel.com/Wastewater/|access-date=March 1, 2018}}</ref> Trash and recycling collection in Georgetown is provided under contract by [[Waste Industries]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Utilities|publisher=Town of Georgetown, Delaware|url=http://www.georgetowndel.com/Utilities/|access-date=March 1, 2018}}</ref>

The Bruce A. Henry Solar Farm near Georgetown became operational in 2013, and expanded from 23 to 40 acres in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wgmd.com/dec-and-constellation-complete-expansion-of-sussex-county-solar-farm/|title=DEC and Constellation Complete Expansion of Sussex County Solar Farm|last=Petree|first=Rob|date=January 22, 2020|website=WGMD|language=en-US|access-date=January 27, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://publicpolicy.wharton.upenn.edu/live/news/1095-a-visit-to-the-bruce-a-henry-solar-energy-farm|title=A Visit to the Bruce A. Henry Solar Energy Farm|last=Yaffe|first=Edi|date=December 5, 2015|publisher=Wharton Public Policy Initiative|language=en|access-date=January 28, 2020}}</ref>

==Education==
The Jack F. Owens campus of [[Delaware Technical Community College]] is located in Georgetown.

It is in the [[Indian River School District (Delaware)|Indian River School District]].<ref>{{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]]|accessdate=June 15, 2021}}</ref> [[Sussex Central High School (Delaware)|Sussex Central High School]] is located in Georgetown

The [[Delaware General Assembly]] created the Georgetown Special School District on April 14, 1919, from Georgetown School District 67. Georgetown School District 223 merged into that district on July 1, 1919. Georgetown Special merged into the Indian River district on July 1, 1969.<ref>{{cite web|last=Mowery|first=Roger|url=https://archivesfiles.delaware.gov/ebooks/Delaware_School_Districts_1974.pdf|title=Delaware School District Organization and Boundaries|publisher=[[Delaware State Department of Instruction]]|place=[[Dover, Delaware]]|year=1974|page=10 (PDF p. 18/97)|access-date=2025-04-01}}</ref>

In the period of de jure [[educational segregation in the United States]], K-12 students of black African descent attended [[History of African-American education|segregated schools]]. [[William C. Jason Comprehensive High School District 192]] in Georgetown housed high school students of black African descent during the period 1951 to 1967. Desegregation occurred after 1967.<ref>{{cite web|last=Mowery|first=Roger|url=https://archivesfiles.delaware.gov/ebooks/Delaware_School_Districts_1974.pdf|title=Delaware School District Organization and Boundaries|publisher=[[Delaware State Department of Instruction]]|place=[[Dover, Delaware]]|year=1974|page=6 (PDF p. 12/97)|access-date=2025-03-30}}</ref>

==Notable people==
* [[Wilbur L. Adams]], lawyer and U.S. Representative from Delaware
* [[Matt Barlow]], former [[Iced Earth]] vocalist, works as a Georgetown police officer
* [[Robert H. Pepper]], lieutenant general, USMC during World War II
* [[Luke Petitgout]], NFL offensive tackle for [[New York Giants]] and [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]]
* [[Bryan Stevenson]], civil rights attorney
* [[Charles C. Stockley]], 45th [[Governor of Delaware]], was born in Georgetown
* [[George Alfred Townsend]], journalist and novelist, namesake of [[Gathland State Park]] in Maryland
* [[Caleb Merrill Wright]], jurist and lawyer

==See also==
* [[Delaware Confederate Monument]]
* [[Sussex Correctional Institution]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Georgetown, Delaware}}
* [http://www.georgetowndel.com/ Official Website of the Town of Georgetown]
* [http://www.georgetowncoc.com/ The Greater Georgetown Chamber of Commerce]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20081225005801/http://www.georgetownlocalnews.com/ Georgetown Local News] (2008)
* [http://www.thebrickhotel.com/history.php The Brick Hotel on the Circle] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100220143720/http://www.thebrickhotel.com/history.php |date=February 20, 2010 }}
* [https://www.integrity-pestsolutions.com/ Integrity Pest Solutions Local Pest Control Company Servicing the Georgetown area]

{{Sussex County, Delaware}}
{{Delaware}}
{{Salisbury metropolitan area}}
{{Delaware county seats}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Georgetown, Delaware| ]]
[[Category:County seats in Delaware]]
[[Category:Guatemalan-American culture]]
[[Category:Salisbury metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Towns in Delaware]]
[[Category:Towns in Sussex County, Delaware]]