Denton, Maryland: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 17:32, 11 March 2025

Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement Denton is a town in Caroline County, Maryland, United States. Its population was 4,418 as of the 2010 United States Census, and it is the county seat of Caroline County.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref>

History

Denton was established in 1781.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It was first called Eden Town, for Sir Robert Eden, the last royal governor of Maryland, and over time, Eden Town was shortened to Denton.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The town was incorporated in 1802.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The town benefited from trade shipped along the adjacent Choptank River. Shipyards along the river serviced smaller sail and steamships plying their trade on the river, with most traffic flowing down to the larger town of Cambridge. The Choptank was deep enough to pose a formidable barrier to enslaved people fleeing north to freedom.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> Irish-American abolitionist Hugh Hazlett and a group of escaped slaves were detained near the town in 1858, with a plaque commemorating the event.<ref name=":0" />

The steamship trade began in 1840s and ended in the 1920s. Steamships carried passengers and goods from Denton to Cambridge and other communities on the Chesapeake.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The Museum of Rural Life interprets the agriculture-based heritage of the town and surrounding area. A historic steamboat pier is preserved in the town.<ref name=":0"/>

Geography

Denton is located at Template:Coord (38.883853, -75.826556).<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is covered by water.<ref name="Gazetteer files">Template:Cite web</ref>

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen climate classification, Denton has a humid subtropical climate, Cfa on climate maps.<ref>Climate Summary for Denton, Maryland</ref>

Demographics

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2010 census

As of the census<ref name="wwwcensusgov">Template:Cite web</ref> of 2010, 4,418 people, 1,606 households, and 1,034 families were living in the town. The population density was Template:Convert. The 1,791 housing units had an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the town was 71.8% White, 22.9% African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 1.0% from other races, and 3.1% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 3.3% of the population.

Of the 1,606 households, 38.6% had children under18 living with them, 40.7% were married couples living together, 18.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.6% were not families. About 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.17.

The median age in the town was 35.8 years; 26.6% of residents were under 18; 8.2% were between 18 and 24; 27.1% were from 25 to 44; 23.1% were from 45 to 64; and 15.1% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the town was 46.7% male and 53.3% female.

2000 census

As of the census<ref name="GR2">Template:Cite web</ref> of 2000, 2,960 people, 1,140 households, and 697 families lived in the town. The population density was Template:Convert. The 1,264 housing units had an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the town was 71.66% White, 25.44% African American, 0.34% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.24% from other races, and 1.96% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 1.86% of the population.

Of the 1,140 households, 31.1% had children under 18 living with them, 37.7% were married couples living together, 17.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.8% were not families. About 33.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the town, the age distribution was 23.3% under 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 22.0% who were 65 age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.3 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 80.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $34,936, and for a family was $42,583. Males had a median income of $27,475 versus $20,504 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,631. About 6.6% of families and 8.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.4% of those under 18 and 7.6% of those 65 or over.

Government

File:CarolineCountyMDcourthouse.JPG

The Caroline County Courthouse in June 2012

File:Town Hall Denton MD.jpg

Town Hall

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Media

Denton is home to WKDI radio (840 AM). It also is served by a weekly newspaper, the Times-Record, and a monthly magazine, the Caroline Review.

Infrastructure

Transportation

File:2022-06-22 11 55 07 View south along Maryland State Route 313 and east along Maryland State Route 404 (Shore Highway) from the overpass for Camp Road in Denton, Caroline County, Maryland.jpg

MD 313 southbound and MD 404 eastbound in Denton

The town is served by Maryland Routes 404, 313, 328, 16, and 619. MD 404 bypasses Denton to the north and east and serves as the main route between the Chesapeake Bay Bridge to the west and the Delaware Beaches to the east. A business route, MD 404 Business, passes through the center of Denton. MD 313 follows MD 404 around the east side of Denton and runs north to Greensboro and south to Federalsburg. MD 328 begins at MD 404 in West Denton and heads southwest to Easton. MD 16 passes to the south of Denton and heads west to Preston and Cambridge and east along MD 404 toward the Delaware border. MD 619 heads from MD 404 Business in the center of Denton north to MD 313 and MD 404 on the northern part of the town. Denton borders the Choptank River.<ref>Template:Maryland road map</ref> Delmarva Community Transit provides bus service to Denton along multiple routes offering service to Easton, Federalsburg, Preston, and Greensboro.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The American Discovery Trail runs through the town.

Utilities

Delmarva Power, a subsidiary of Exelon, provides electricity to Denton.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Chesapeake Utilities provides natural gas to the town.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Denton Public Works provides water and sewer service along with trash collection to the town. The town's public works department provides water service to about 1,600 customers and can handle over 1,000,000 gallons in a day.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The town operates the Denton Wastewater Treatment Plant, which has an average daily flow of 800,000 gallons and can handle a peak hourly flow of 2.67 million gallons.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Curbside trash collection is provided once a week to households in Denton.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>