Editing Bridgeville, Delaware (section)

==History==
The town of Bridgeville is the oldest community in western Sussex County. Records of land transactions which were made in the first quarter of the 18th century suggest that a significant agricultural community already existed in the area by that period. A small group of houses had been built along the present Main Street by the turn of the 19th century; this settlement was known as "Bridge Branch" for the nearby stream, which was crossed by a bridge as early as 1730. By 1804, the community had grown sufficiently to merit the establishment of a post office. 

The village was formally recognized in 1810, when an Act of the Assembly was passed to establish its name as "Bridgeville".  Early 19th century industries included a water-powered mill, tanyard, charcoal furnace, and fruit-drying business. The growth of the town accelerated greatly upon the arrival of the [[Delaware Railroad]] in Bridgeville in 1856.  The town was subsequently laid out for development by [[William Cannon]] (1809-1865).<ref name=NRHPnom>{{cite web|url={{NRHP url|id=94000361}} |title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Bridgeville Historic District|author=Peter E. Kurtze and Gabrielle Lanier|date=August 1993}}</ref>

Bridgeville's population was 613 in 1900.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9AzrWecxN1wC |title=Cram's Modern Atlas: The New Unrivaled New Census Edition |date=1902 |publisher=J. R. Gray & Company |page=84 |language=en}}</ref>

Bridgeville was named for a bridge that was built in 1730 that was located over a tributary of the Nanticoke River.<ref>{{cite web|url=  http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=9028|title= Profile for Bridgeville, Delaware, DE
|publisher= ePodunk |access-date= September 12, 2012}}</ref>

The [[Bridgeville Historic District]], [[Bridgeville Public Library]], [[Old Bridgeville Fire House]], and [[Sudler House]] are listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]]. A number of buildings in the surrounding rural areas are also listed including [[Eratt House]],  [[Ricards House-Linden Hall]], [[Scott's Store]], and [[Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church (Bridgeville, Delaware)|Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church]].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>