Editing Townsend, Delaware (section)

==History==
Townsend was incorporated as a town on April 3, 1885.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}

The name comes from a businessman and Delaware [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]], Samuel John Townsend. Prior to 1885, the town was known as Charley Town. Between 1845 and 1855 brothers Samuel and John Townsend purchased several large tracts of farmland in the vicinity. The Delaware Railroad arrived here in 1856, bisecting Samuel Townsend's property. This led to a period of sustained growth for the town, as the railroad station became the principal shipping point for the area's agricultural products. In September 1856 the Post Office was established, and the first hotel opened in 1857. The station was named Townsend after the area's major land owners. The peach industry was a vital contributor to the area's growth and prosperity until disease destroyed many Delmarva orchards in the late 19th century. A free African American community was located there by the mid-19th century.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=141455 | title=Townsend Historical Marker }}</ref>

The town has since created a "Comprehensive Development Plan", as required by state law February 2003, for land preservation.<ref name="Town of Townsend Comprehensive Plan">{{cite web|url=http://www.ipa.udel.edu/localgovt/municipalities/townsend/townsend_plan-updateT.pdf|publisher=The University of Delaware’s Institute for Public Administration (IPA)|access-date=January 9, 2014|title=2010 Update to the 2003 Town of Townsend Comprehensive Plan}}</ref>

The [[Townsend Historic District]], which includes 216 buildings, was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 1986.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}

===Mayors of the town===
''Note: List of Mayors is incomplete. Please add cited sources to complete this list.''

0000? - 2007 Charles Murry (Town Records)
* 2007(?)-2009 - Dave Raughley<ref name="Town of Townsend Council">{{cite web|url=http://townsend.delaware.gov/town-council/|publisher=Town of Townsend|access-date=January 9, 2014|title=Town Council Minutes}}</ref>
* 2010–2011: John Hanlin
* 2011-2012: Steve High
* 2012-2014: Joel Esler
* 2014-2015: Jermaine Hatton
* 2016-2019: Rudy Sutton
* 2019–2021: Tom McDonald
* 2021-2022:  Patrick Miller
* Current: Scott Lobdell, P.E.<ref name="Town of Townsend Council Minutes">{{cite web | url=https://townsend.delaware.gov/events/town-council-meeting-39/ | title=Town Council Meeting }}</ref>