The personal injury attorneys in Slaughter Beach, DE, at My Delaware Lawyers hope you enjoy the following article about the community and its history.
Slaughter Beach
The town of Slaughter Beach is situated on the eastern edge of Sussex County in Delaware. It is considered to be a part of the Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area. The 921.6-acre community lies on the coast of Delaware Bay. Lewes is located to the south of the town while Bowers is to its north. Milford is only 9.2 miles away via Slaughter Beach Road and Coastal Highway. Bay Avenue is one of the main roadways and travels up and down the coast.
History
Even though the beach town was founded in 1681, it was not incorporated until 1931. The history of the town’s name has been under scrutiny for many years and can be any of the three options given by historians. The first option suggests that the name was in honor of William Slaughter, a postmaster that served in the mid-19th century. The second option alleges that it derived from the seasonal mass death of horseshoe crabs. The crabs are washed onshore, attempting to lay their eggs in the shallow water and getting stuck as the tide goes out. The final option claims that early settlers tricked the Native Indians into a mass slaughter in order to save themselves from being killed by the Natives.
Neighborhood
The area was the former home of the state’s last wooden lighthouse, the Milspillion Lighthouse. The historical landmark consisted of a 65-foot tower and was established in 1831. However, in 2002 the landmark was struck by lightning and damaged. It was soon after bought by a private citizen and moved to the town of Lewes by a barge down the bay.
The Slaughter Beach Community Park is located across Bay Avenue from the public beach. The park has a tennis court and a small playground area with ample parking.
Wildlife
The area is home to the Milford Neck Wildlife Area that attracts tourists from all over. The horseshoe crabs, the town’s symbol, provide various bird species with food as they lay their eggs. Common birds that can be found in the area include:
- pine warbler
- indigo bunting
- blue grosbeak
- common yellowthroat
- yellow-breasted chat
Demographics
As of the 2010 census, the area’s population was 207. This was an increase of 4.5% from 2000. However, from 1990 to 2000, the area saw a 73.7% increase in the population, growing from 114 to 198 residents in just ten years. The racial makeup of the community was the following:
- 99.49% white
- 0.51% two or more races
The primary language for 93.8% of the residents in English. The breakdown of the residents by ancestral roots in the following:
- 17.3% German
- 11.9% Irish
- 11.6% English
- 9.6% Italian
- 3.2% French
The yearly median income per household for 2000 was $41,250 and for a family was $50,625. Out of the population of 198 in 2000, 10.9% of the families were living below the poverty line. The breakdown of the residents by occupation was:
- 38.6% executive or management positions
- 24.8% service or sales jobs
- 18.3% manufacturing or labor occupations
- 15.5% clerical or assistant support roles
For more history on the neighboring communities: The History of the Coastal Neighborhood Dewey Beach, DE
Our Local Office
Let the experienced Slaughter Beach, DE personal injury attorneys at My Delaware Lawyers fight to get you the compensation you deserve for your personal injury. Call today to schedule your free no-obligation consultation.
Schuster Jachetti LLP
1308 Savannah Rd,
Lewes, DE 19958, USA
(302) 527-9513