South Bethany, Delaware facts for kids

Quick facts for kids South Bethany, Delaware
Town
Homes along the water in South Bethany
Location of South Bethany in Sussex County, Delaware.
South Bethany, Delaware Location in Delaware Show map of Delaware South Bethany, Delaware Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Delaware
County	Sussex
Government
• Type	Council-manager
Area
• Total	0.52 sq mi (1.36 km2)
• Land	0.50 sq mi (1.30 km2)
• Water	0.02 sq mi (0.05 km2)
Elevation	3 ft (0.9 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	451
• Density	896.62/sq mi (346.23/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP code	19930
Area code(s)	302
FIPS code	10-67700
GNIS feature ID	214675
Website	https://southbethany.delaware.gov

South Bethany is a small town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. In 2020, about 451 people lived there. It is part of the larger Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware area.

South Bethany is known as one of "The Quiet Resorts." This means it's a calm and peaceful place, unlike busier beach towns. Its neighbors, Bethany Beach to the north and Fenwick Island to the south, are also considered "quiet."

This town is mostly for homes and vacation houses. It calls itself "The Best Little Beach in Delaware." South Bethany is protected from noise by Delaware Seashore State Park to the north and Fenwick Island State Park to the south.

Geography of South Bethany

South Bethany is located at 38°30′59″N 75°03′11″W / 38.51639°N 75.05306°W / 38.51639; -75.05306.

The United States Census Bureau says the town covers about 0.5 square miles (1.3 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

People Living in South Bethany

In 2000, there were 492 people living in South Bethany. Most residents were White (99.19%). A small number were Asian or from two or more races.

There were 253 households. About 9.5% of these had children under 18. Many households (60.9%) were married couples. About 29.6% of households were single individuals.

The average age in town was 60 years old. About 8.7% of the population was under 18. Many residents (35.2%) were 65 or older. The average income for a household was $67,125.

Getting Around and Services

Transportation in South Bethany

DE 1 southbound entering South Bethany

Delaware Route 1 (also called Coastal Highway) is the main road through South Bethany. It runs north to Bethany Beach and Rehoboth Beach. It goes south to Fenwick Island and Ocean City, Maryland.

If you visit between May 15 and September 15, you might need a parking permit on some streets. During summer, DART First State offers bus service. Their Beach Bus Route 208 connects South Bethany to other beach towns and even to Ocean City, Maryland.

Utilities and Services

• Electricity: Provided by Delmarva Power.
• Natural Gas: Provided by Chesapeake Utilities.
• Water: Provided by Artesian Water Company.
• Sewer: Managed by Sussex County.
• Trash and Recycling: Collected by Republic Services.

History of South Bethany

Early Times

There are no records of Native Americans living exactly where South Bethany is now. However, they did visit the Delaware coast for fishing in the summer. So, they might have visited this area too.

For many years, there was a big argument called Penn vs. Baltimore. This fight was about whether the land belonged to Maryland or Pennsylvania. In 1759, it was finally decided that the area of South Bethany was part of Delaware.

In 1687, an Englishman named Matthew Scarborough surveyed the land. He took possession of two large areas, calling them "North Petherton" and "South Petherton." Farmers later settled parts of what is now South Bethany.

How South Bethany Started

In 1952, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge opened. This made it much easier to reach the Delaware coast. This led to a lot of growth in the Bethany Beach area.

That same year, Richard and Elizabeth "Iggie" Hall bought about 130 acres of land. They started the South Bethany Corporation. They sold small plots of land to people who wanted to build vacation homes. They named the new community "South Bethany" because Bethany Beach was already popular.

The Halls wanted South Bethany to be only for homes, with no businesses. They worked to drain marshland and dug five miles of canals. This way, people who bought land could either reach the beach or have boat access to the bays. By 1959, they had sold 500 lots.

At first, the main road, Delaware Route 14, was a small two-lane road. As more people came, it was made bigger into a four-lane highway. It was later renamed Delaware Route 1.

Becoming an Official Town

Iggie Hall tried to make South Bethany an official town early on. This would help get better services. But she didn't succeed at first.

In 1962, a huge storm called the Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962 hit the coast. It destroyed 37 oceanfront homes in South Bethany. Because South Bethany was not an official town, it couldn't get federal money to help rebuild.

This storm made people want to become an official town even more. After some tries, the governor signed a bill in 1965. In 1969, voters finally agreed, and on June 18, 1969, South Bethany officially became a town. James Cleveland was elected as the first mayor. At that time, only 15 families lived there all year.

Around 1969, plans began for a large resort called Sea Colony near South Bethany. It included tall buildings and many townhomes. Many South Bethany residents were against it because they wanted to keep the area quiet. But Sea Colony was built outside the town limits, so their efforts to stop it failed.

In 1971, South Bethany hired its first police officer and its first lifeguards for the beach.

Growth and Changes

In 1972, South Bethany grew by adding the York Beach and Paradise Shores communities. This brought the York Beach Mall into the town, giving South Bethany its first shopping area. The town also started building a central sewer system.

In 1977, the sewer system was finished. South Bethany also got its first traffic lights on Coastal Highway. A new town hall opened in 1978.

In 1983, the town added the Sand Piper Pines community. At this time, South Bethany had 1,282 properties and 748 houses. A project also took place to add sand back to the beach after storms. In 1987, the town expanded again by adding the Cat Hill community.

In 1998, South Bethany voted to build a water tower and a central water system. They also started installing propane lines for homes and businesses.

South Bethany Today

In 2000, South Bethany started a program called Adopt-A-Canal/Road-End. Volunteers help clean and care for the ends of canals and roads.

In 2007, the town built a new town hall and police building.

In 2008, the State of Delaware and the United States Army Corps of Engineers built tall sand dunes along the beach. These dunes help protect the town from big waves during storms like hurricanes. When Hurricane Sandy threatened in 2012, people living near the beach had to leave for safety.

In 2014, South Bethany started the Art Board initiative. Local artists can show their coastal-themed artwork on trash cans along Ocean Drive and Seaside Drive. By 2015, the town had about 1,387 properties.

Recent storms in 2015 and 2016 damaged the beach and dunes. Plans are in place to add more sand to the beach to protect it.

Education

Students in South Bethany attend schools in the Indian River School District.

See also

In Spanish: South Bethany para niños