Hockessin, Delaware facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hockessin, Delaware
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Hockessin Friends Meetinghouse
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Location in New Castle County and the state of Delaware.
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 Hockessin, Delaware
Location in Delaware
Hockessin, Delaware
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Delaware |
| County | New Castle |
| Area | |
| • Total | 10.05 sq mi (26.02 km2) |
| • Land | 10.04 sq mi (26.01 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2) |
| Elevation | 259 ft (79 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 13,478 |
| • Density | 1,342.30/sq mi (518.26/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
19707
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| Area code(s) | 302 |
| FIPS code | 10-35850 |
| GNIS feature ID | 214099 |
Hockessin (pronounced "HOE-kess-in") is a community in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. It's called a census-designated place (CDP), which means it's an area identified by the census bureau for statistics. In 2020, about 13,478 people lived here.
Contents
History of Hockessin
Hockessin started as a small village in 1688. Several families moved to the area and settled down.
What's in a Name?
The name "Hockessin" might come from an old Lenape word, hokes, which means "good bark" or "good bark hill." This sounds like a Native American word.
However, there's another idea about the name. The word "Hockessin" didn't appear on maps until many years after the Hockessin Meeting House was built. Native Americans didn't settle the exact village area, though they had a hunting camp nearby. The area was first known as Mill Creek Hundred.
Many believe the name came from one of the first properties settled here. This property was called "Occasion" and was settled by William Cox in 1726. It was also where the first Quaker meetings happened before the Hockessin Meeting House was built. The name "Occasion" was first used in a property deed in 1734. Later, in 1808, a map showed the road to the Meeting House as "Ockession Road."
Early Religious Sites
Delaware's first Roman Catholic church was in Hockessin. Missionary priests from Maryland started the Coffee Run Mission in 1790.
Historic Places in Hockessin
Many important places in Hockessin are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are protected because of their historical value. Some of these include:
- The A. Armstrong Farm
- The Coffee Run Mission Site
- The Hockessin Friends Meetinghouse
- The T. Pierson Farm
- Public School No. 29
- Springer Farm
- The Wilmington and Western Railroad
More recently, places like Tweed's Tavern, the home of baseball player James "Nip" Winters, Colored School #107C, St. John the Evangelist Church, the Daniel Nichols house, and the Cox/Phillips/Mitchell Agricultural Complex were also added.
Geography of Hockessin
Hockessin is located near the northwestern edge of Delaware. It's about 1.2 miles (1.9 km) from the Pennsylvania border. The community is on the east side of Mill Creek.
The area of Hockessin is about 10 square miles (26 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a very small amount of water.
Hockessin's Population
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1990 | 10,051 | — | |
| 2000 | 12,902 | 28.4% | |
| 2010 | 13,527 | 4.8% | |
| 2020 | 13,478 | −0.4% | |
| source: | |||
In 2000, there were 12,902 people living in Hockessin. By 2020, the population was 13,478. From 1990 to 2016, the number of people living in Hockessin grew by about 35%.
The average age of people in Hockessin in 2000 was 42 years old. About 26.9% of the population was under 18 years old.
Economy in Hockessin
Hockessin is mostly a "bedroom community." This means many people who live here travel to nearby cities for work.
Even so, Hockessin has several mushroom farms. You can also find the Lantana Square Shopping Center here, which has many stores. The Hockessin Athletic Club is another big place, offering a pool, an indoor gym, and a walking trail for fitness and fun.
Arts and Culture in Hockessin
Hockessin celebrates the Fourth of July with many activities for local residents. There's a parade down Old Lancaster Pike, and neighborhoods compete in different sports. In the evening, a fireworks show lights up the sky in Swift Park.
Education in Hockessin
Public schools in Hockessin are part of the Red Clay Consolidated School District.
Elementary Schools
For students in kindergarten through 5th grade, Cooke Elementary School and North Star Elementary School serve the Hockessin area.
Middle Schools
Students in grades 6 through 8 can attend Henry B. duPont Middle School, Cab Calloway School of the Arts, or Conrad Schools of Science.
High Schools
Some high schools, like Cab Calloway School of the Arts and Conrad Schools of Science, also serve grades 9-12. Other high schools for Hockessin students include Thomas McKean High School, Alexis I. duPont High School in Greenville, and John Dickinson High School in Pike Creek.
Private Schools
Hockessin also has several private schools. These include CACC (Chinese American Community Center) Montessori School, Hockessin Montessori School, Sanford School, and Wilmington Christian School.
Transportation in Hockessin
The main road in Hockessin is Delaware Route 41 (Lancaster Pike). This road goes southeast towards Wilmington and northwest towards the Pennsylvania border. Once it crosses into Pennsylvania, it becomes Pennsylvania Route 41.
Another important road, Delaware Route 7, runs through the western part of Hockessin. It goes north to the Pennsylvania border and south towards Pike Creek and Christiana.
Railroad and Bus Service
The Wilmington and Western Railroad has its northern end in Hockessin. This is a special tourist railroad that follows the Red Clay Creek valley south to Greenbank.
For bus travel, DART First State offers bus service in Hockessin. Route 20 follows Lancaster Pike to Wilmington. It ends at the Wilmington station, where you can connect to Amtrak and SEPTA Regional Rail trains. The Route 20 bus also stops at park and ride lots at Hockessin Memorial Hall and the Wells Fargo bank.
Notable People from Hockessin
Many interesting people have connections to Hockessin:
- Neilia Hunter Biden: The first wife of Joe Biden, who became the 46th President of the United States.
- Chris Coons: A US Senator representing Delaware.
- Matt Denn: A former Lieutenant Governor of Delaware.
- Trevon Duval: A basketball player who played for the Duke Blue Devils.
- Tony Graffanino: A former Major League Baseball player.
- Bernard Hopkins: A famous professional boxer.
- Kent A. Jordan: A Federal Judge.
See also
In Spanish: Hockessin para niños
