Jimtown, Delaware facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jimtown, Delaware
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Country | United States |
State | Delaware |
County | Sussex |
Elevation | 20 ft (6 m) |
Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
Area code(s) | 302 |
GNIS feature ID | 216126 |
Jimtown is a small, unincorporated community located in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. Being "unincorporated" means it's not an official town or city with its own local government. Instead, it's part of the larger county.
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Where is Jimtown?
Jimtown is found in the southwestern part of Lewes. You can find it along Jimtown Road, which is close to Delaware Route 23. A small stream called Goslee Creek runs nearby. Just a little south of Jimtown, there's a peaceful spot called Goslee Mill Pond.
A Look at Jimtown's History
How Jimtown Started
People began settling in the Jimtown area a long time ago, around the 1690s. Early settlers wanted to build mills to grind grain. One of the first mills was built by Jonathan Bailey on a stream called Bundick's Branch. This mill helped the community grow by processing wheat and corn for everyone.
Even though people lived there, Jimtown wasn't considered a village until much later. In fact, a history book from 1888 said there was no village in this part of Delaware at that time.
A Community's Identity
From its early days, Jimtown became a community where many African-American families lived. In the early 1900s, during a time when schools were separated by race in Delaware, Jimtown had a schoolhouse specifically for African-American children. This shows how important the community was to its residents.
Jimtown Today
In the 21st century, Jimtown has faced some changes and challenges.
- In 2004, residents talked with the Delaware Department of Transportation about plans to improve Jimtown Road. They were concerned because the road upgrades only covered a small part of the road, even though many new houses were being built nearby.
- Later, in 2014, people in Jimtown discussed issues like streetlights, sidewalks, and sewer connections with the developers of a new neighborhood called Coastal Club. The idea was to connect Jimtown to these new services.
- More recently, in 2018, county officials approved plans for another new neighborhood, called Marine, right next to Jimtown. This shows that the area around Jimtown continues to grow and develop.