Editing Hockessin, Delaware

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Hockessin, Delaware
|settlement_type          = [[Census-designated place|CDP]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Hockessin Friends from south.JPG
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = [[Hockessin Friends Meetinghouse]]
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = New Castle County Delaware incorporated and unincorporated areas Hockessin highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 300px
|map_caption              = Location in [[New Castle County, Delaware|New Castle County]] and the state of [[Delaware]].
| pushpin_map             = Delaware#USA
| pushpin_label_position  = 
| pushpin_label           = Hockessin
| pushpin_map_caption     = Location within the state of Delaware

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Delaware]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Delaware|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[New Castle County, Delaware|New Castle]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- 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           = 26.02
|area_land_km2            = 26.01
|area_water_km2           = 0.02
|area_total_sq_mi         = 10.05
|area_land_sq_mi          = 10.04
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.01

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 13478
|population_density_km2   = 518.26
|population_density_sq_mi = 1342.30

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 259
|coordinates              = {{coord|39|47|15|N|75|41|48|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 19707
|area_code                = [[Area code 302|302]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 10-35850
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 214099<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|214099}}</ref>
|website                  = 
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
}}

'''Hockessin''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|h|oʊ|k|ɛ|s|ᵻ|n}}) is a [[census-designated place]] (CDP) in [[New Castle County, Delaware|New Castle County]], [[Delaware]], United States. The population was 13,478 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 Census]].

==History==
Hockessin came into existence as a little village in 1688 when several families settled in the area. The village was named after the [[Delaware languages|Lenape]] word ''hokes'', meaning good bark or good bark hill.<ref>{{cite book |last=Lake |first=Joseph |date=1997 |title=Hockessin: A Pictorial History (Second Ed.) |location= Dover Litho Printing Co Dover, DE |publisher=Friends of the Hockessin Library |pages=6–7}}</ref> There is a second and more likely origin for the name. While the word Hockessin does look like a Native American word, the name Hockessin did not show up on any early maps until many years after the Hockessin Meeting House was built and what is now the Village of Hockessin was never settled by the Native Americans, while they did have a hunting camp nearby.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Custer |first1=Jay F. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YJ3ZAAAAMAAJ&pg=PP3 |title=Final Archaeological Investigations at the Hockessin Valley Site (7 NC-A-17), New Castle County, Delaware |last2=Hodny |first2=Jay |date=1989 |publisher=Division of Highways |language=en}}</ref> There was no town name Hockessin and the area was referred to as Mill Creek Hundred. The actual name is believed to be derived from one of the first settled properties which was named Occasion and settled by William Cox in 1726 and also the location of the first Quaker meetings in the area before Hockessin Meeting House was built a few years later. The earliest known use of the word Occasion was in 1734 in a property deed for this property. And the road to the Hockessin Meeting House, currently Old Wilmington Road, was written as Ockession Road on a map in 1808.<ref>{{cite book |last=Weslager |first=C.A |date=June 1961 |title=The Old Hollingsworth Plantation |url=https://www.wwrr.com/downloads/monograph_hollingsworth.pdf |location=Wilmington, DE |publisher=Historic Red Clay Valley, Inc |page=11}}</ref> The first [[Roman Catholic]] church in Delaware was located in Hockessin. [[Missionary]] priests from [[Maryland]] established the Coffee Run Mission in 1790.<ref>{{Cite news| last = Mertz| first = Ann Morris| title = Pioneer Catholic church nears 200th anniversary| newspaper = Brandywine Crossroads| location = Wilmington, DE| date = September 25, 1986| url = http://nc-chap.org/church/stpeter/crossroads.php| access-date = 26 April 2010 }}</ref>

The [[A. Armstrong Farm]], [[Coffee Run Mission Site]], [[Hockessin Friends Meetinghouse]], [[T. Pierson Farm]], [[Public School No. 29]], [[Springer Farm (Newark, Delaware)|Springer Farm]], and [[Wilmington and Western Railroad]] are listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 1978.<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref> More recently added sites to the National Register of Historic Places include: Tweed's Tavern, the home of Negro league baseball player James "Nip" Winters, Colored School #107C, St. John the Evangelist Church, the Daniel Nichols house, and the Cox/Phillips/Mitchell Agricultural Complex.<ref>"Delaware National Register of Historic Places" https://history.delaware.gov/preservation/natlregister/</ref>

==Geography==
The community is near the northwestern border of Delaware, within {{convert|1.2|mi|abbr=on}} of the [[Pennsylvania]] border on the east bank of [[Mill Creek (White Clay Creek tributary)|Mill Creek]].<ref>''Kennett Square, PA,'' 7.5 Minute Topographic Quadrangle, USGS, 1954 (1987 rev.)</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the CDP has a total area of {{convert|10.0|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|10.0|sqmi|km2}}  is land and 0.10% is water.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|1990= 10051
|2000= 12902
|2010= 13527
|2020= 13478
|footnote=source:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing (1790–2000)|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=2012-05-20}}</ref>
}}

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 12,902 people, 4,464 households, and 3,731 families residing in the CDP.  The population density was {{convert|1,286.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 4,575 housing units at an average density of {{convert|456.3|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the CDP was 88.8% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 2.7% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.2% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 7.2% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], <0.1% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.5% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.8% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 2.0% of the population. From 1990 to 2016, the population of Hockessin has grown by about 35%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bestplaces.net/people/city/delaware/hockessin|title=Sperling's Best Places: Hockessin, Delaware}}</ref>

There were 4,464 households, out of which 40.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 77.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 4.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.4% were non-families. 13.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 26.9% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 28.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.6 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.9 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $100,844, and the median income for a family was $108,784. Males had a median income of $76,617 versus $46,988 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the CDP was $40,516.  About 1.0% of families and 1.7% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 2.0% of those under age 18 and 1.3% of those age 65 or over.

==Economy==
Although Hockessin is primarily a [[bedroom community]], there are several [[Fungiculture|mushroom farms]] operating in the area.{{citation needed|date=October 2018}}

Hockessin contains the Lantana Square Shopping Center,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://untappd.com/v/lantana-square-shopping-center/1945612|title=Lantana Square Shopping Center|last=Team|first=The Untappd|website=Untappd|language=en|access-date=2018-08-02}}</ref> and the Hockessin Athletic Club,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hachealthclub.com/|title=Hockessin Athletic Club|website=Hockessin Athletic Club|language=en|access-date=2018-08-02}}</ref> which contains a pool, indoor gym, and walking trail.

==Arts and culture==
[[File:Swift_Memorial_Park_in_Hockessin.JPG|thumb|left|Swift Memorial Park in Hockessin]]
[[File:Hindu Temple Delaware Pic -2.jpg|thumb|[[Hindu Temple of Delaware]] in Hockessin]]
Hockessin hosts several [[Fourth of July]] activities for the area residents. Local groups parade down Old Lancaster Pike, neighborhoods compete in different athletic events, and there is a fireworks display in the evening in Swift Park.

==Education==
Hockessin is served by the [[Red Clay Consolidated School District]] for public education.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st10_de/schooldistrict_maps/c10003_new_castle/DC20SD_C10003.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: New Castle County, DE|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2021-06-18}}</ref>

Elementary schools serving Hockessin for grades K through 5 include Cooke Elementary School and North Star Elementary School.<ref>{{cite web|title=Approved 2015–16 Elementary Attendance Zones|publisher=Red Clay Consolidated School District|url=https://www.redclayschools.com/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=1183&dataid=1343&FileName=AZ_Elementary_Approved.pdf|access-date=March 25, 2018}} - For more detail: {{cite web|url=https://www.redclayschools.com/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=1183&dataid=3883&FileName=Cooke_2016.pdf|title=Cooke_2016.pdf|publisher=[[Red Clay Consolidated School District]]|accessdate=2021-06-21}} and {{cite web|url=https://www.redclayschools.com/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=1183&dataid=3894&FileName=North_Star_2016.pdf|title=North_Star_2016.pdf|publisher=[[Red Clay Consolidated School District]]|accessdate=2021-06-21}}</ref> Public school students in grades 6 through 8 are zoned to Henry B. duPont Middle School.<ref>{{cite web|title=Henry B. duPont Middle School Attendance Zone|publisher=Red Clay Consolidated School District|url=https://www.redclayschools.com/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=1183&dataid=3886&FileName=HB_duPont_Sub_2016.pdf|access-date=March 12, 2018}}</ref> Students in grades 9 through 12 in Hockessin are zoned to [[Thomas McKean High School]] to the south of Hockessin or [[Alexis I. duPont High School]] in [[Greenville, Delaware|Greenville]], with students in the western part of Hockessin attending [[John Dickinson High School]] in [[Pike Creek, Delaware|Pike Creek]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Thomas McKean High School Attendance Zone|publisher=Red Clay Consolidated School District|url=https://www.redclayschools.com/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=1183&dataid=1353&FileName=McKean_Sub_2016.pdf|access-date=March 12, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Alexis I. duPont High School Attendance Zone|publisher=Red Clay Consolidated School District|url=https://www.redclayschools.com/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=1183&dataid=1348&FileName=AIHS_2016.pdf|access-date=March 12, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=John Dickinson High School Attendance Zone|publisher=Red Clay Consolidated School District|url=https://www.redclayschools.com/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=1183&dataid=1349&FileName=Dickinson_Sub_2016.pdf|access-date=March 12, 2018}}</ref> [[Cab Calloway School of the Arts]] and [[Conrad Schools of Science]] are [[magnet schools]] that take middle and high school students. 

Private schools in Hockessin include CACC (Chinese American Community Center) Montessori School, Hockessin Montessori School, [[Sanford School]], and Wilmington Christian School.

Hockessin School District 29 and Hockessin School District 107 merged into the Alexis I. DuPont Special School District effective April 24, 1958 and March 5, 1959, respectively. The Alexis DuPont Special school district was reorganized on July 1, 1969 as the Alexis I. DuPont School District.<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=7 (PDF p. 15/97)|access-date=2025-03-30}}</ref> The Alexis I. DuPont district merged into the [[New Castle County School District]] in 1978. That district was divided into four districts, among them the Red Clay district, in 1981.<ref name=Delgovhist>{{cite web|url=https://archives.delaware.gov/delaware-agency-histories/new-castle-county-school-district/|title=New Castle County School District|publisher=Government of Delaware|access-date=2025-03-31}}</ref>

In the era of [[de jure]] [[educational segregation in the United States]] (before circa 1970), there was the Hockessin Colored Elementary School for African-American students.<ref>{{cite book|chapter=Delaware: Conflict in a Border State|title=Separate is Not Equal: Brown v. Board of Education|page=[https://americanhistory.si.edu/brown/history/4-five/delaware-2.html 2]|publisher=[[Smithsonian Institution]]|access-date=2025-04-03}}</ref>

New Castle County Library maintains the Hockessin Library.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newcastlede.gov/329/Hockessin-Library|title=Hockessin Library|publisher=New Castle County Library|access-date=2025-03-29|quote=1023 Valley Rd  Hockessin, DE 19707}}</ref>

==Infrastructure==
[[File:Lancaster_Pike_in_Hockessin%2C_facing_north.JPG|thumb|right|Lancaster Pike ([[Delaware Route 41|Route 41]]) in Hockessin, facing north towards the business/retail area]]

===Transportation===
The main road through Hockessin is [[Delaware Route 41]] (Lancaster Pike) which heads southeast toward [[Wilmington, Delaware|Wilmington]] and northwest toward the [[Pennsylvania]] border, where it becomes [[Pennsylvania Route 41]] and continues toward [[Lancaster, Pennsylvania|Lancaster]]. South of Hockessin, [[Delaware Route 48]] splits from DE 41 to follow Lancaster Pike to Wilmington while DE 41 continues along Newport Gap Pike to Prices Corner. [[Delaware Route 7]] passes through the western part of Hockessin along Limestone Road, heading north to the Pennsylvania border and south toward [[Pike Creek, Delaware|Pike Creek]] and [[Christiana, Delaware|Christiana]]. The northern terminus of the [[Wilmington and Western Railroad]], a tourist railroad, is in Hockessin; the railroad follows the [[Red Clay Creek]] valley south to [[Greenbank, Delaware|Greenbank]].<ref name=DelDOT>{{Delaware road map|year=2008}}</ref> [[DART First State]] provides bus service to Hockessin along Route 20, which follows Lancaster Pike to Wilmington and ends at the [[Wilmington station (Delaware)|Wilmington station]] served by [[Amtrak]] and [[SEPTA Regional Rail]]'s [[Wilmington/Newark Line]]. DART First State's Route 20 bus serves [[park and ride]] lots located at Hockessin Memorial Hall and the [[Wells Fargo]] bank.<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>

==Notable people==
* [[Neilia Hunter Biden]], the first wife of [[Joe Biden]], the 46th  President of the United States
* [[Delsworth Buckingham]], Delaware state representative
* [[Chris Coons]], US Senator from Delaware
* [[Matt Denn]], Lieutenant Governor of Delaware
* [[Trevon Duval]], basketball player for the [[Duke Blue Devils men's basketball|Duke Blue Devils]]
* [[Tony Graffanino]], [[Major League Baseball]] player
* [[Bernard Hopkins]], professional boxer
* [[Kent A. Jordan]], Federal Judge on the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit]]
* Sohan S. Shah, medical student at [[Sidney Kimmel Medical College]] and 2014 [[National Geographic Bee]] state winner

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{Portal|Philadelphia}}
{{Wikivoyage|Hockessin}}
*[http://www.city-data.com/city/Hockessin-Delaware.html/ Hockessin, Delaware profile on City-Data.com]

{{New Castle County, Delaware}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Census-designated places in New Castle County, Delaware]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in Delaware]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1688]]
[[Category:Delaware placenames of Native American origin]]