The municipal government of Henlopen Acres consists of seven elected officials who serve on the town's council, one of whom serves as mayor. The town employs eleven workers who manage the town office, operate the marina, maintain streets and easements, and provide security. Henlopen Acres has no police department, but town-owned private security began in 1996. Henlopen Acres shares the services and expense of this security service with the unincorporated neighborhood of North Shores to its north. The security service, which patrols all of Henlopen Acres and North Shores, operates two vehicles. The Rehoboth Beach Fire Department serves Henlopen Acres. Henlopen Acres' municipal government generally maintains amicable relations with the government of Rehoboth Beach, follows Sussex County's lead on how to react to emergencies such as major storms and whether or not to evacuate in the face of them. Within Henlopen Acres governmental affairs generally have run smoothly.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 139 people, 69 households, and 42 families residing in the town. The population density was 544.2 people per square mile. There were 198 housing units at an average density of 775.2 per square mile. The racial makeup of the town was 96.40% White, 2.88% African American, and 0.72% Pacific Islander. There were 69 households, out of which 11.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.0% were married couplesliving together, 1.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 36.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 26.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.01 and the average family size was 2.62. In the town, the population was spread out, with 11.5% under the age of 18, 2.2% from 18 to 24, 10.8% from 25 to 44, 32.4% from 45 to 64, and 43.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 62 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.6 males. The median income for a household in the town was $122,423, and the median income for a family was $162,681. Males had a median income of $0 versus $31,563 for females. The per capita income for the town was $82,091. 3.5% of the population is below the poverty line. Out of the total population, none of those under the age of 18 and 9.8% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. Henlopen Acres and Greenville are the two richest places in Delaware, all but tied for highest personal incomes, averaging over $80,000 per annum. Only about one-third of the homes in Henlopen Acres are lived in year-round; the rest are vacation homes or rental properties. In 2000, the least expensive home was valued at $325,000 for real estate tax purposes and the value of all the land in Henlopen Acres was estimated at over $100 million.
History
The name "Henlopen" probably is derived from that of Thijmen Jacobsz Hinlopen, a merchant in Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Evidence of Native American activity prior to the arrival of Europeans has been found in Henlopen Acres. After the arrival – organized by the Dutch merchant Samuel Blommaert – of the first European settlers, the area became farmland. In 1930, a parcel of this farmland was deeded to Colonel Wilbur S. Corkran for $100,000. Corkran developed the parcel during the 1930s as a "residential development where quiet-loving, cultured people may live in a country seaside community amid conditions which make for health, comfort and refined pleasure." Corkran's development was incorporated in 1970 as the town of Henlopen Acres.
