Editing Claymont, Delaware (section)

==History==
The community now known as Claymont started on the banks of [[Naamans Creek]] where it empties into the [[Delaware River]]. This once rich ecosystem has been occupied steadily since before 1200 A.D. and has undergone numerous cultural and economic changes, most of which are still evident in the architecture and living patterns of the community today. The first residents were aboriginal Indians of the [[List of archaeological periods (North America)|Middle Woodland period]] (1100-1600 B.C.). Evidence of these early dwellers has been found along both sides of Naamans Creek. 

The Dutch colonists named the creek and settlement after the Chief of the [[Lenape]] Indians who occupied the region.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Ferris|first1=Benjamin|title=A History of the Original Settlements on the Delaware|date=1846|publisher=Wilson and Healde|location=Wilimington|page=[https://archive.org/details/historyoforigina00inferr/page/134 134]|url=https://archive.org/details/historyoforigina00inferr|access-date=22 June 2017}}</ref> The settlement grew rapidly from the 17th century through the 20th century, first with gristmills, farms, and related ancillary industries, and later with lumber mills, a steel mill, and a chemical plant.

In 1681, [[John Grubb]] purchased a one-third interest in a {{convert|600|acre|ha|adj=on}} tract of the [[Brandywine Hundred]], which came to be known as Grubb's Landing.<ref>{{cite web|title=Grubb Family Papers|url=http://www.lib.udel.edu/ud/spec/findaids/grubb.htm|website=www.lib.udel.edu|access-date=9 December 2017}}</ref>
Sitting strategically along the Delaware River, Claymont has been a two-way thoroughfare for travel to and from [[Philadelphia]] and [[Washington, D.C.]], since colonial days. 

During the colonial period, the town served as a stop along the [[King's Highway (Charleston to Boston)|King's Highway]] or Philadelphia Pike. The town became a site for intersections and connections with [[Interstate 95 in Delaware|Interstate 95]], [[Interstate 495 (Delaware)|Interstate 495]], [[U.S. Route 13 in Delaware|US 13]] (Governor Printz Boulevard), and [[U.S. Route 13 Business (Wilmington, Delaware)|US 13 Bus.]] Philadelphia Pike has long been a thoroughfare for travel between Philadelphia (20 miles to the north) and Washington, D.C. (100 miles to the south).

In 1838, the newly constructed [[Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad]] built a station in Claymont. The area developed from a primarily agricultural community to a suburban resort area for wealthy Philadelphia families. In the early 20th century, it developed as an industrial working community.<ref name="plan">[http://www.claymontrenaissance.org/pdfs/plandoc-redevelopment_plan.pdf Claymont Community Redevelopment Plan] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080706015243/http://www.claymontrenaissance.org/pdfs/plandoc-redevelopment_plan.pdf |date=2008-07-06 }}</ref> It has included the suburban subdivisions of Claymont Addition, Brookview, Worthland, and Woodstream Gardens.

Naamans was renamed as Claymont in 1856 after the Reverend John B. Clemson, pastor of the Episcopal church, relocated here with his family from their plantation, Claymont Court, in [[Charles Town, West Virginia]].<ref name="history">[http://www.claymontrenaissance.org/2007docs/cp-historical_society.pdf Claymont Historical Society] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080911010210/http://www.claymontrenaissance.org/2007docs/cp-historical_society.pdf |date=2008-09-11 }}</ref>

Claymont, with its diverse population, has continued to maintain a strong sense of community. The community's religious, civic, historic, and social organizations play a major role in supporting its unique character. 
[[File:Claymont Library Daytime.jpg|thumb|left|Claymont Library in Claymont, Delaware]]

===Renaissance===
Since the mid-1990s, several major revitalization efforts have been completed, including renovations of such historical sites as the [[Claymont Stone School]], the [[Darley House]] and the [[Robinson House (Claymont, Delaware)|Robinson House]]. The Claymont Renaissance Development Corporation, a nonprofit organization working to stimulate economic growth and residential improvement in Claymont, received a Sustainable Communities Award from the National Association of Counties.<ref>{{cite web|title=2005 Awards Program Publication|url=http://www.naco.org/Content/ContentGroups/Programs_and_Projects/Community_Development/Center_for_Sustainable_Communities/done.AWARDSFINAL.pdf|access-date=2009-02-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091018020334/http://www.naco.org/Content/ContentGroups/Programs_and_Projects/Community_Development/Center_for_Sustainable_Communities/done.AWARDSFINAL.pdf|archive-date=2009-10-18|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|title=Claymont Renaissance: Community revitalization gets national attention|journal=Living and Working in New Castle County|publisher=Journal Communications Inc.|url=http://www.claymontrenaissance.org/2007docs/press-images_new_castle_0107.pdf|access-date=2009-02-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725175843/http://www.claymontrenaissance.org/2007docs/press-images_new_castle_0107.pdf|archive-date=2011-07-25|url-status=dead}}</ref> 

In what has been called "the single largest redevelopment project in Brandywine Hundred in the last 40 years", the 633-unit, {{convert|66|acre|m2|adj=on}} community of Brookview was razed beginning in 2007 to make way for the new urbanist, mixed-use Darley Green development.<ref>{{cite news|title=Demolition of Brookview Townhomes Begins|journal=Brandywine Community News|date=2007-11-23|url=http://www.claymontrenaissance.org/2007docs/2007_11_23-brandywine.pdf|access-date=2009-02-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725175849/http://www.claymontrenaissance.org/2007docs/2007_11_23-brandywine.pdf|archive-date=2011-07-25|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2017, plans were announced for the redevelopment of the former 450-acre Claymont Steel site.<ref>{{cite web |title=Crossing / EVRAZ |url=https://www.cdcco.com/industrial/evraz-steel-claymont-de/ |website=Commercial Development Company, Inc. |access-date=16 June 2020}}</ref> In 2019 construction began on the $71M Claymont Regional Transportation Center, which will replace the current small commuter rail stop one half mile to the south.<ref>{{cite news |title=New Claymont Train Station Project to Begin in Spring 2019 |url=https://news.delaware.gov/2019/02/21/new-claymont-train-station-project-to-begin-in-spring-2019/ |access-date=16 June 2020 |agency=Delaware News |publisher=Delaware.gov |date=21 February 2019}}</ref>