Harrington, Delaware facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Harrington, Delaware
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| Etymology: Hon. Samuel M. Harrington | |
| Motto(s):
The Hub of Delaware
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Location of Harrington in Kent County, Delaware.
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 Harrington, Delaware
Location in Delaware
Harrington, Delaware
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Delaware |
| County | Kent |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor-council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.73 sq mi (7.07 km2) |
| • Land | 2.72 sq mi (7.05 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2) |
| Elevation | 59 ft (18 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,774 |
| • Density | 1,385.46/sq mi (534.95/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
19952
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| Area code(s) | 302 |
| FIPS code | 10-33120 |
| GNIS feature ID | 214060 |
Harrington is a city in Kent County, Delaware, United States. It's a part of the greater Dover area. Harrington is famous for hosting the yearly Delaware State Fair every July. In 2020, about 3,774 people lived there.
Contents
History of Harrington
Harrington got its name from a respected person named Hon. Samuel Maxwell Harrington. He was a former chancellor, which is a high-ranking legal official, for the state of Delaware. The town grew up around a railroad crossing. It became an important place for trading goods in the countryside.
Geography of Harrington
Harrington is located at 38°55′25″N 75°34′40″W / 38.92361°N 75.57778°W. This means it's in a specific spot on the map.
The city covers a total area of about 2.0 square miles (5.2 square kilometers). Most of this area is land. Only a very small part, about 0.04 square miles (0.10 square kilometers), is water.
City Services and Transport
Getting Around Harrington
Roads and Buses
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U.S. Route 13, also known as Dupont Highway, is the main road that goes north and south through Harrington. It connects the city to Dover in the north and Salisbury, Maryland in the south.
Delaware Route 14 is the main road that goes east and west. It leads to Denton, Maryland to the west and Milford to the east.
For public transport, DART First State offers bus service in Harrington. Route 117 goes north towards Camden. It also connects to other bus routes that serve the Dover area.
Railroad Connections
Harrington is an important spot for railroads. It's where the north-south Delmarva Central Railroad line crosses. This line runs from Porter (near Wilmington) all the way to Pocomoke City, Maryland.
Another railroad line, called the Indian River Subdivision, branches off at Harrington. It goes towards the coast and then south through Georgetown to Frankford, Delaware. The Delmarva Central Railroad manages its local operations from offices right here in Harrington.
You can still see the old Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) tower next to the Harrington train station. This tower used to control the train switches and signals by hand. It's now a preserved piece of history, along with an old PRR caboose. In the past, passenger trains like the Del-Mar-Va Express used to stop in Harrington.
City Utilities
Different companies provide essential services to Harrington.
- Electricity: Delmarva Power supplies electricity.
- Natural Gas: Chesapeake Utilities provides natural gas.
- Water and Sewer: The City of Harrington Public Works Department handles water and sewer services. The city used to have its own wastewater plant. Now, its sewage is sent to a larger plant in Frederica.
- Trash and Recycling: Charlie's Waste Services collects trash and recycling for the city.
Education in Harrington
Students in Harrington attend schools within the Lake Forest School District. The main high school for students in the area is Lake Forest High School.
Population Information
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 745 | — | |
| 1900 | 1,242 | — | |
| 1910 | 1,500 | 20.8% | |
| 1920 | 1,617 | 7.8% | |
| 1930 | 1,812 | 12.1% | |
| 1940 | 2,113 | 16.6% | |
| 1950 | 2,241 | 6.1% | |
| 1960 | 2,495 | 11.3% | |
| 1970 | 2,407 | −3.5% | |
| 1980 | 2,405 | −0.1% | |
| 1990 | 2,311 | −3.9% | |
| 2000 | 3,174 | 37.3% | |
| 2010 | 3,562 | 12.2% | |
| 2020 | 3,774 | 6.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
As of the year 2000, there were 3,174 people living in Harrington. These people lived in 1,223 households. About 37% of these households had children under 18 living there.
The population was spread out in terms of age. About 31% of the people were under 18 years old. The median age was 32 years. This means half the population was younger than 32 and half was older.
Fun Places and Famous Connections
South of Harrington, you'll find the Harrington Raceway & Casino. This is located on the grounds of the Delaware State Fair.
Delaware State Fair
The Delaware State Fair is a huge event that lasts for 10 days every July. It's a big deal and celebrated its 100th birthday in 2019! The fair has hosted many famous music stars. Artists like Taylor Swift, Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, and Brad Paisley have performed there. The fairgrounds also have the Centre Ice Rink, which is a place for ice skating.
Harness Racing and Famous Horses
Harrington Raceway has been home to harness racing for over 75 years. Harness racing is a type of horse racing where horses trot or pace while pulling a driver in a two-wheeled cart called a sulky.
Even though Harrington is a smaller town, some of its most famous residents have been horses! Several horses from Harrington have won the prestigious Dan Patch Award. This award is like being named "Horse of the Year."
- In 2004, a horse named Rainbow Blue won this top award.
- In 2015, Wiggle It Jiggleit also earned the title of Horse of the Year.
- In 2019, a horse named Shartin N achieved this impressive honor. Shartin N was even ranked the #1 horse in the country that year!
Another amazing horse from Harrington, Lather Up, made headlines in 2019. He equaled the fastest time ever in harness racing, finishing a race in just 1 minute and 46 seconds! It's interesting that Lather Up was trained just a few miles east of the raceway. Shartin N was trained a few miles west.
Harrington's rich history in harness racing goes back to the 1950s. Adios Harry was one of the town's first nationally recognized horses. He was even featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine in 1956! In 2021, another horse from Harrington, Lyons Sentinel, was ranked #1 in the country.
Public Art
The town's post office has a special painting inside called Men Hoeing. It was painted in 1941 by Eve Salisbury. This mural was part of a government project to create art in public buildings across the United States.
See also
In Spanish: Harrington (Delaware) para niños
