LITTLE CREEK — Little Creek is now on the map, historically speaking.

A historical marker dedication ceremony was held on Friday at the site of the new placard, on the south side of town on Main Street.

Collaborating with the Public Archives and state Rep. William Carson, Mayor Glenn Gauvry said the town applied for the historical marker early last year.

It was approved and ready to be installed as of December 2018, but town officials decided to wait until ideal weather to hold the ceremony, he said.

The new marker states:
“The Town of Little Creek developed in the early 1800s as a wharf on the Little River between two neighboring plantations. Originally known as Little Landing, the community began as a trading and shipping hub for salt marsh hay, agricultural products from nearby farms, and seafood. Little Creek formally incorporated in 1899. As the community grew in size and prominence, it soon hosted a church, post office, general store, blacksmith, and shucking house. Little Creek’s proximity to the Delaware Bay made it the prosperous center of the successful Delaware Bay oyster industry from 1880-1930.”

The mayor’s only regret? Not enough pirates.

“Other than hoping to have something factually correct about pirates — which could not be found — we are very happy with the markers depiction of our town’s history,” he joked.

Speaking at the event Mayor Gauvry noted that the marker helps the town of only several hundred people celebrate its heritage.

“The significance of this historic marker to our town is that it anchors us in the history of Delaware as an important maritime community,” he said.

Although the days of being an important shipping hub and oystering town are behind us, we are hard at work reinventing ourselves as a destination along the road less traveled — which is now called the Delaware Bayshore Byway. Our thanks to Rep. Carson for his continued support and belief in the potential of our community and to Sarah Denison and Katie Hall of the Archives for making this project a reality.”