Editing Felton, Delaware

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Felton, Delaware
| settlement_type    = [[Town]]
| nickname           = 
| motto              = <!-- Images -->
| image_skyline      = File:Felton, Delaware Main Street 2015 - Felton Historic District.jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = Main Street in downtown Felton, July 2015
| image_flag         = 
| etymology          = President of the [[Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad]] [[Samuel Morse Felton Sr.|Samuel M. Felton Sr.]]<ref name=WelcomeFelton2014>{{cite web |url=https://felton.delaware.gov/2014/09/04/hello-world/ |title=Welcome to the Town of Felton |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=September 4, 2014 |website=delaware.gov |publisher=Government Information Center |access-date=August 7, 2019}}</ref>
| image_seal         = FeltonDEseal.png
| image_map          = File:Kent County Delaware Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Felton Highlighted 1026620.svg
| map_caption        = Location of Felton in Kent County, Delaware.
| pushpin_map        = Delaware#USA
| pushpin_label_position = 
| pushpin_label      = Felton
| pushpin_map_caption = Location within the state of Delaware

<!-- Location -->| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = {{flag|United States}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = {{flag|Delaware}}
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Delaware|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = {{flagicon image|}} [[Kent County, Delaware|Kent]]
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = 
| leader_name        = 
| leader_title1      = 
| leader_name1       = 
| established_title  = Incorporated
| established_date   = February 2, 1861<ref name=WelcomeFelton2014 />
| 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     = 2.02
| area_land_km2      = 2.02
| area_water_km2     = 0.00
| area_total_sq_mi   = 0.78
| area_land_sq_mi    = 0.78
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.00

<!-- Population -->| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 1568
| population_density_km2 = 650.07
| population_density_sq_mi = 1682.86
| timezone           = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
| utc_offset         = &minus;5
| timezone_DST       = EDT
| utc_offset_DST     = &minus;4
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_m        = 
| elevation_ft       = 56
| coordinates        = {{coord|39|00|30|N|75|34|41|W|region:US-DE_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 19943
| area_code          = [[Area code 302|302]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 10-26620
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 215321<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|215321}}</ref>
| website            = {{URL|https://felton.delaware.gov/}}
| footnotes          = 
| pop_est_as_of      = 
| pop_est_footnotes  = 
| population_est     = 
}}

'''Felton''' is a town in [[Kent County, Delaware]], United States. It is part of the [[Dover metropolitan area|Dover metropolitan statistical area]]. The population was 1,568 in 2020.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stateplanning.delaware.gov/census_data_center/ |title=The Delaware Census State Data Center |access-date=April 29, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161231141632/http://stateplanning.delaware.gov/census_data_center/ |archive-date=December 31, 2016 }}</ref>

==History==
Established in 1856 as a whistle stop along the [[Delaware Railroad]], Felton was named after [[Samuel Morse Felton Sr.|Samuel M. Felton Sr.]], then-president of the [[Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad]]. As president, he was responsible for developing the Railroad in Delaware's rural areas, and by extension, the town's existence. Felton was incorporated on February 2, 1861, and passenger rail service would continue to the town until the early 1950s.<ref name=WelcomeFelton2014 />

The [[Coombe Historic District]], [[Thomas B. Coursey House]], [[Felton Historic District]], [[Felton Railroad Station]], and [[Hughes Early Man Sites]] are listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref>

==Geography==
Felton is located at {{coord|39|00|30|N|75|34|41|W|type:city}} (39.0084464, –75.5779807).<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|0.6|sqmi|km2}}, all  land.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| align = left
| 1870 = 437
| 1880 = 383
| 1890 = 403
| 1900 = 400
| 1910 = 451
| 1920 = 771
| 1930 = 463
| 1940 = 442
| 1950 = 453
| 1960 = 423
| 1970 = 495
| 1980 = 547
| 1990 = 683
| 2000 = 784
| 2010 = 1298
| 2020 = 1568
| 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>
}}{{Update section|date=January 2024|reason=Relies on Census data from 2000}}
At the [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]] there were 784 people in 297 households, including 217 families, in the town.  The population density was {{convert|1,268.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 312 housing units at an average density of {{convert|504.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census#2000 census|racial makeup]] of the town was 82.53% White, 11.61% African American, 1.02% Native American, 1.28% Asian, 0.89% from other races, and 2.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.17%.<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 the 297 households 42.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples living together, 18.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.9% were non-families. 20.9% of households were one person and 9.4% were one person aged 65 or older.  The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.04.

The age distribution was 29.3% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 36.9% from 25 to 44, 16.7% from 45 to 64, and 8.8% 65 or older.  The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.5 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.2 males.

The median household income was $42,589 and the median family income  was $44,875. Males had a median income of $32,857 versus $24,375 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,854.  About 9.5% of families and 10.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 15.2% of those under age 18 and 13.8% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
Public school students in Felton are served by the [[Lake Forest School District]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st10_de/schooldistrict_maps/c10001_kent/DC20SD_C10001.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Kent County, DE|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=June 16, 2021}}</ref> Schools include [[Lake Forest High School (Delaware)|Lake Forest High School]] as well as Lake Forest North, the elementary school (Grades K–3), and Lake Forest Central, the older elementary school (Grades 4–5). Other schools in the district are located in Harrington and Frederica.

==Infrastructure==
===Transportation===
[[File:2022-07-17 15 05 52 View north along U.S. Route 13 (DuPont Highway) at Delaware State Route 12 (Midstate Road-Main Street) in Felton, Kent County, Delaware.jpg|thumb|left|US 13 northbound in Felton]]
[[U.S. Route 13 in Delaware|U.S. Route 13]] runs north-south through Felton on Dupont Highway, heading north toward [[Dover, Delaware|Dover]] and south toward [[Harrington, Delaware|Harrington]]. [[Delaware Route 12]] runs east-west through Felton on Main Street, heading west toward [[Greensboro, Maryland]] and east toward [[Frederica, Delaware|Frederica]].<ref name="DE 2017 map">{{Delaware road map|year=2017}}</ref> [[DART First State]] provides bus service to Felton along Route 117, which heads north toward [[Camden, Delaware|Camden]] to connect to the local bus routes serving the Dover area and south toward Harrington.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kent County Bus System Guide|publisher=DART First State|url=https://www.dartfirststate.com/information/routes/pdfs/winter/rt999.pdf?date=1523320189247|access-date=April 9, 2018}}</ref> The [[Delmarva Central Railroad]]'s Delmarva Subdivision line passes north-south through Felton.<ref name=dcr>{{cite web|title=Delmarva Central Railroad|date=November 8, 2016 |publisher=Carload Express|url=http://carloadexpress.com/railroads/delmarva-central-railroad/|access-date=March 27, 2017}}</ref>

===Utilities===
[[Delmarva Power]], a subsidiary of [[Exelon]], provides electricity to Felton.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.delmarva.com/connect-with-us/about-us/service-territory/|title=Service Territory|publisher=Delmarva Power|access-date=August 15, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140525061222/http://www.delmarva.com/connect-with-us/about-us/service-territory/|archive-date=May 25, 2014}}</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 Felton Water Department provides water to Felton, serving 550 homes, multiple businesses, and three schools.<ref>{{cite web|title=Water|publisher=Felton, Delaware|url=https://felton.delaware.gov/water/|access-date=August 30, 2018}}</ref> Trash and recycling collection in Felton is provided under contract by [[Waste Management (corporation)|Waste Management]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Trash Collection|publisher=Felton, Delaware|url=https://felton.delaware.gov/trash-collection/|access-date=August 30, 2018}}</ref>

==Notable people==
* [[M. Evelyn Killen]] (1871-1951), President, Felton [[Woman's Christian Temperance Union|W.C.T.U.]]; President, Delaware State W.C.T.U.

==See also==
* [[List of towns in Delaware]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Felton, Delaware}}
* {{official website|https://felton.delaware.gov/}}

{{Kent County, Delaware}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Kent County, Delaware]]
[[Category:Towns in Delaware]]