Smyrna, Delaware
Population: 5,231
Located in New Castle County
Smyrna is experiencing a renaissance, bringing our community into the 21st century with an energy and enthusiasm, which is creating a new era in our Town?s history. Our entire community has embraced the positive changes in our town. Such as the reopening of our historic opera house, the millions of dollars of reinvestment in our downtown, the revitalization of our shopping centers, the expansion and modernization of our services, and the creation of quality employment opportunities for our citizens.
The Town of Smyrna is rich with history. Our community thrives because of our historic past and our vibrant future. The Town of Smyrna has over 490 buildings on the federal historic register and the most technologically up-to-date schools, making ours, one of the best school districts in the state. Smyrna?s small town, family-orientated atmosphere makes it a wonderful place to live, work, and pursue many diverse recreational opportunities.
According to early history, Smyrna was first settled prior to the American Revolution on the southern bank of Duck Creek near the fork of Green?s Branch. In 1716, this tiny village was first named ?Salisbury;? however, it was also known to its inhabitants as ?Duck Creek.? Duck Creek soon became a thriving community of merchant vessels. Along with shipping grain, lumber, peaches, and eventually fertilizer, shipbuilding became a prominent business. Two major thoroughfares formed what was known as ?Duck Creek Crossroads? and later came to be called the ?Four Corners? of the Town. In 1806, the Delaware Assembly changed the name of the town to ?Smyrna.? The original boundaries were one-fourth of a mile in each direction from the Four Corners. In 1857, the Town limits were extended another one-fourth mile in each direction, making the Town equivalent to one square mile.
Today Smyrna is at least three times its pre-1900?s size and growing rapidly. The Town?s increasingly strategic location in the northeast, in addition to its location 12 miles north of the State Capital of Dover and 30 miles south of the major business center of Newark and Wilmington, makes it a competitive location for business. Smyrna?s historic small town atmosphere and its great pride in its quality of life and educational system make it highly desirable for families and homeowners. Committed to prudent progress, the Town is upgrading its physical and technological infrastructure in order to prepare for growth demands in advance of the need. Home to approximately 6,000 residents, Smyrna was recently ranked 31st in the nation and number one in the State among towns ranging between 5,000 and 15,000 people. Enjoy Smyrna - a place where the past co-exists pleasantly with the present while diligently preparing to leap into the future.
Smyrna has been very successful in academics, the arts and athletics. In 1989 the district was recognized at the International Competition for Odyssey of the Mind. League champion have been won in athletics. All students have educational opportunities that are varied with an extensive range of curriculum-related experiences. The programs encompass developmental early childhood through college preparatory. Academically motivated students may enroll in Honors and Advanced placement courses. Special programs provide for children who have exceptional learning styles or who have special needs. There are also private schools nearby. The Smyrna School District is dedicated to setting high expectations for all students. The Board of Education, administration, faculty and the community work cooperatively to provide a comprehensive educational program.
Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge is a 16,000-acre haven along the Delaware Bay coast east of Smyrna, with salt marshes, ponds, fields, and forests. Visitors come from all over the world to see the variety of migratory shorebirds and waterfowl that stop to feed at the refuge, an important feeding stop on the Atlantic Flyway. Established in 1937, the refuge offers walking and auto tours, bird watching, nature programs, and a visitor center with a gift shop. Twelve miles of auto tour roads within the refuge, with hiking trails, observation towers, and spotting scopes along the route, lets visitors get close to the birds and other wildlife. Refuge staff conducts programs about the unique horseshoe crab and shorebird connection each spring on Central Delaware?s bay beaches.
The Smyrna Museum Complex is owned and operated by the Duck Creek Historical Society. This Georgian brick structure was erected by George Wilson in the late 1790?s. The original configuration, three rooms long and one room deep, was architecturally known as a Modified Quaker Hall and Parlor Plan. It contains one interior end wall fireplace, along with a back-to-back fireplace sharing a wall between the hall and parlor. In 1808 the house was assessed as ?the Barrix.? In 1810 the spelling had been changed to ?the Bare Ox,? and by 1818 the building was known as ?The Barracks. ? That name continued until 1989 when it became the Smyrna Museum.
The Old Town Hall was built between 1869 and 1879. The first floor housed the Town Office, the Smyrna Library, and the Police Station including the jail. In 1887, an addition was completed to add the Fire Department. The Smyrna Opera House was located on the second floor, and the third floor was used as a meeting room for various local lodges. Tragically, in 1948, a devastating fire broke out on Christmas Night destroying the bell tower, the entire third floor, and the balcony. Although the first floor occupants continued in the building, its usefulness was drastically curtailed.
Source: smyrnadelaware.com
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