Little Hell, Delaware

Little Hell
Unincorporated community
Little Hell
Location within the state of Delaware
Little Hell
Little Hell (the US)
Coordinates: 39°02′30″N 75°27′24″W / 39.04167°N 75.45667°W / 39.04167; -75.45667Coordinates: 39°02′30″N 75°27′24″W / 39.04167°N 75.45667°W / 39.04167; -75.45667
Country United States
State Delaware
County Kent
Elevation 26 ft (8 m)
Time zone UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-4 (EDT)
Area code(s) 302

Little Hell is an unincorporated community in Kent County, Delaware. Its elevation is 26 ft (7.9 m) and its position 39°02′30″N 75°27′24″W / 39.04167°N 75.45667°W / 39.04167; -75.45667. It is west of Bowers Beach at the intersection of Delaware Route 1 and Bowers Beach Road, and borders the unincorporated community of Little Heaven.[1]

History

While Little Heaven was built for the Irish workers of Jehu Reed, Little Hell was built for the African-American workers at the fruit plantation of Jonathan Willis.[2] The two plantations shared the same meadow, separated by a brook, a branch of Murderkill Neck, that was nicknamed "The River Styx" in reference to Styx from Greek mythology.[3][4] Newspaper reports said the area got its name when a group of 19th Century excursionists were attacked while traveling along the road from Dover to Bowers Beach.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Kent, Sussex Study Reveals More Oddly Named Spots". The News Journal (Wilmington, Delaware). October 30, 1935.
  2. ↑ "Your Delaware and Mine". The News Journal (Wilmington, Delaware). November 14, 1942.
  3. ↑ "A story about people who live between Heaven and Hell". The Morning News (Wilmington, Delaware). June 17, 1982.
  4. ↑ "Little Heaven not in sticks; it's on Styx". The Morning News (Wilmington, Delaware). January 13, 1984.
  5. ↑ "Towns To Give Up Profane Titles". The Evening Journal (Wilmington, Delaware). July 13, 1914.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.