Pearsons Corner, Delaware facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pearsons Corner, Delaware
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Westbound Delaware Route 8 in Pearsons Corner
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 Pearsons Corner, Delaware
Location in Delaware
Pearsons Corner, Delaware
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Delaware |
| County | Kent |
| Elevation | 66 ft (20 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Area code(s) | 302 |
| GNIS feature ID | 216176 |
Pearsons Corner is a small, quiet place in Kent County, Delaware, United States. It's not a city or town with its own government. Instead, it's an unincorporated community. This means it's a group of homes and businesses that are part of the larger county. Pearsons Corner is found where two important roads, Route 8 and Route 44, meet. It's located just west of the city of Dover.
Discovering Pearsons Corner's Past
In 2009, a special study was done by the Delaware Department of Transportation. This study helped us learn a lot about what life was like in Pearsons Corner long ago. Much of the information you'll read here comes from that interesting report.
Early Days in Kent County
Pearsons Corner is in West Dover Hundred, which is a part of Kent County, Delaware. It's about ten miles west of Dover. In the 1600s, not many people lived in Kent County. A count in 1680 showed only 99 people! More settlers slowly arrived, mostly from Maryland. They often built their homes near streams and rivers.
How Pearsons Corner Grew in the 1800s
In the early 1800s, a new road was built. This road connected Dover to a community called Dinah's Crossroads. Pearsons Corner was still mostly large farms back then. Families like the Rash and Pearson families owned a lot of land and became very important in the area.
By the mid-1800s, Pearsons Corner started to look more like a small village. A road was built connecting it south to Hazlettville. At this crossroads, you could find homes, a blacksmith shop, a wheel repair shop, a store, and a place to store grain. These businesses served both local farmers and people traveling through.
Many farms dotted the roads leading out of Pearsons Corner. For example, in 1840, John H. Rash owned a 75-acre farm at the northeast corner of the area. He sold it to Moses Rash in 1845. Moses Rash was a farmer who grew grains and fruits. In 1849, he built a "fine residence" on his property. This house stood for many years.
Another important family was the Crouch family. In 1846, Elijah Crouch bought a 100-acre farm. He built a new house on this property between 1850 and 1859. This house is still standing today at 3299 Hartly Road!
The Pearson family also played a big role. In 1870, William Pearson sold 108 acres of his farm to Abraham Pearson. Five years later, William Pearson sold a small piece of land at the southeast corner of Pearsons Corner. This spot became home to a building that was used as a store as early as 1859. By 1899, this building was a three-story structure used as both a store and a home.
Pearsons Corner in the 1900s
At the start of the 1900s, Pearsons Corner was still a small farming community. But as the century went on, things began to change. Roads were improved, and more people started moving to the suburbs after World War II. These changes affected the community, but they didn't completely erase its history.
Amish Families Settle Down
In 1915, the first Amish families came to Kent County, Delaware. They moved from the western United States and settled near Dover. More families soon followed, drawn by good, affordable land. This land was perfect for growing fruit crops. By 1924, sixteen Amish families lived in Delaware. This number grew to 111 families by 1988! Today, it's harder for Amish farmers to expand near Dover because of new buildings and businesses. Many have switched from growing fruits and vegetables to grains, and some have opened small shops to support their families.
The Old Pearson Store
The original Pearson store and house at the southeast corner of Pearsons Corner were taken down by 1922. A new building was likely built there around 1923 by Willard C. Hurd. By 1933, this property had a two-story store, two gas pumps, and a shed. It became a busy spot for travelers.
Road Changes
One of the biggest changes in the 1900s was the building of Delaware Route 8 (Halltown Road). This new road connected Pearsons Corner to Marydel. Later, between 1939 and 1941, Delaware Route 44 and Route 8 were made wider. These improvements made it much easier to travel to and from Pearsons Corner.
New Homes and Businesses After World War II
After World War II, more people wanted to live in the Pearsons Corner area. Land prices went up. Ralph J. Vincent started selling off parts of his large farm for new houses. The first new homes appeared on the northwest side of Delaware Route 8 by 1952. More houses were built throughout the 1950s and 1960s.
The crossroads also became a popular spot for new businesses. These businesses often served people traveling by car. In the 1950s and 1960s, two more gas stations opened. A house and restaurant at the northeast corner of Pearsons Corner were even turned into a store and gas station by 1959.
Important Families of Pearsons Corner
The Rash Family
The Rash family was a very important farming family in Delaware. They settled near Pearsons Corner in the early 1800s. John Rash came from Wales and settled near Camden, Delaware. His son, Joseph Rash Sr., later bought 300 acres of land near Pearsons Corner. He was the first Rash family member to live there. Joseph Rash Sr. cleared the land, built buildings, and became involved in the community's politics and religious life.
The Pearson Family
William Pearson is the person Pearsons Corner is named after! He was the first Pearson family member to settle near the area. In 1833, William Pearson bought a very large piece of land, over 437 acres. He built a farm on his property. Records from 1837 show that he had a brick house, a wooden house, and other buildings on his land. His son, Abraham Pearson, later took over much of this farm.
The Thomas Family
By 1850, Jonathan Thomas had opened a wheel repair shop at the northwest corner of Pearsons Corner. He also had a blacksmith shop there. He worked on the property until he passed away in 1864. After his death, his property, which included a two-story house, a blacksmith shop, a wheel repair shop, a stable, and a smokehouse, was passed down to his family. His son, Joseph H. Thomas, continued to run the wheel repair shop. Joseph H. Thomas also served as the postmaster for the village! The house at the northwest corner stayed in the Thomas family until 1925.
