New Castle Hundred

New Castle Hundredis an unincorporated subdivision ofNew Castle County, Delaware,United States.Hundredswere once used as a basis for representation in theDelaware General Assembly,and while their names still appear on all real estate transactions, they presently have no meaningful use or purpose except as a geographical point of reference.

Boundaries and Formation

New Castle Hundred is that portion ofNew Castle Countythat lies south of theChristiana River,north of Red Lion Creek, and generally east of Salem Church Road, excepting that portion in the north included inWilmington Hundred.It was one of the original hundreds inDelawarecreated in 1682 and was named for the town ofNew Castlethen the only town of consequence anywhere on theDelaware River.When created it included some of the area now inPencader HundredandWhite Clay Hundred,both of which were split off in 1710, and some of the area inWilmington Hundred,which was split off 1833. The city ofNew Castle,theBearandWilmington ManorCensus Designated Places (CDP) and the community of Red Lion are in New Castle Hundred.

Development

New Castle Hundred is a highly developed suburban and commercial area with considerable industrial development along theDelaware Riverand nearWilmington.

Geography

Important geographical features, in addition to theChristiana Riverand Red Lion Creek, include theDelaware River,which forms its eastern boundary. It is in the coastal plain region with a low ridge separating theDelawareandChristiana Rivers.

Transportation

Important roads include portions ofInterstate 95,Interstate 295,Interstate 495,the Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway (Delaware Route 1), the DuPont Highway (U.S. Route 13), the Pulaski Highway (U.S. Route 40), Basin Road (Delaware Route 141), New Castle Avenue and River Road (Delaware Route 9), Christiana Road (Delaware Route 273). A portion of theNew Castle and Frenchtown Railroad,ran westward from New Castle through the center of the hundred, and the old New Castle Railroad connected New Castle with the mainline of the Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore Railroad, which became thePennsylvania Railroad;this line is nowNorfolk Southern's New Castle Secondary.