Smyrna, Delaware

Main Street looking north, 1906

Smyrna was originally called Duck Creek Cross Roads and received its current name in 1806 after the Greek seaport of Smyrna in present-day Turkey. The town was located along the north–south King's Highway. Smyrna was originally a shipping center along the Duck Creek and was the most important port between Wilmington and Lewes, shipping grain, lumber, tanbark, and produce to points north. After the shipping industry collapsed in the 1850s, the town would continue to be an agricultural center.[4]

Another account of Smyrna's name goes back to the Second Great Awakening of 1806–1807 when Methodist preacher Frances Asbury preached a sermon on the Church at Smyrna from Revelation 2 to the local Methodist society. The sermon was so well received that the residents changed the name of the town to Smyrna in honor of the sermon.

The Bannister Hall and Baynard House, Belmont Hall, David J. Cummins House, Timothy Cummins House, Duck Creek Village, George Farmhouse, Ivy Dale Farm, Mount Pleasant, Moore House, Peterson and Mustard's Hermitage Farm, Savin-Wilson House, Short's Landing Hotel Complex, Smyrna Historic District, John M. Voshell House, and Woodlawn are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[5]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 3.8 square miles (9.8 km²), of which 3.7 square miles (9.6 km²) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km²) (2.13%) is water.

As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 5,679 people, 2,114 households, and 1,462 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,541.9 inhabitants per square mile (595.3/km²). There were 2,242 housing units at an average density of 608.7 per square mile (235.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 72.88% White, 22.42% African American, 0.51% Native American, 0.56% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 1.44% from other races, and 2.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.42% of the population.

There were 2,114 households, out of which 36.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.9% were married couples living together, 18.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.8% were non-families. 24.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.1% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 29.1% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $36,212, and the median income for a family was $42,355. Males had a median income of $32,500 versus $22,135 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,443. About 7.9% of families and 10.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.0% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.

Smyrna is governed by a mayor and a six-member council. As of 2019, the mayor of Smyrna is Robert Johnson. The Smyrna Town Council consists of:[9]

• Valerie Forbes (District 3/Vice Mayor)
• Corrine Upshur (District 2)
• William Pressley Sr. (At-large/Secretary)
• Michael Rasmussen (At-large)
• Tabitha Gott (District 1)
• Gerald Brown (At-large)

• Jacob M. Appel (born 1973), author, wrote The Topless Widow of Herkimer Street while living in Smyrna[19]
• Billy Bailey (1947–1996), convicted murderer, last person (as of April 2022) to be hanged in US (1996)
• Edward G. Budd, founder of Budd Company
• George D. Cummins, founder and first Bishop of the Reformed Episcopal Church[20]
• Carl E. Grammer (1858-1944), Evangelical Episcopal priest and author
• John Bassett Moore, international lawyer, 23rd Assistant United States Secretary of State[21]
• Robert J. Reynolds,[22] 47th Governor of Delaware
• Michael Scuse, acting United States Secretary of Agriculture
• Presley Spruance, United States Senator of Delaware 1847–1853[23]
• Chuck Wicks, country music singer and Dancing with the Stars contestant
• John B. Mayberry,[24][25] Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient for actions at the Battle Of Gettysburg
• John H. Hoffecker,[26] United States Congressman for Delaware
• Walter O. Hoffecker[26] United States Congressman for Delaware
• Levin I. Handy,[26] United States Congressman for Delaware
• John Cook, sixth President of Delaware (1782–1783) [Some Governors were referred to as "Presidents" of their state prior to the ratification of the Constitution which established the U.S. Presidency][27]
• Thomas Collins,[22] 8th President of Delaware (1786–1789) [Some Governors were referred to as "Presidents" of their state prior to the ratification of the Constitution which established the U.S. Presidency][27]
• John Clark,[22] 20th Governor of Delaware
• William Temple,[26] 35th Governor of Delaware (1846–1847) [Youngest Governor in Delaware's history at 32], United States Congressman for Delaware (1863–1863 died in office)
• James Williams,[26] United States Congressman for Delaware (1875–1879)
• Roosevelt Wardell, acclaimed jazz pianist who recorded with Sam Jones and Louis Hayes

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Smyrna, Delaware.

• Town of Smyrna