Grain Trading center

In the 19th Century, Smyrna (originally Duck Creek Crossroads) merchants shipped grain to mills on the Brandywine Creek in Wilmington, and from there, grain was shipped to ports on the east coast and Europe.  Smyrna's grid street plan was laid out in 1817 . In 1855, a rail line 2 miles west in Clayton provided more growth in town. This is when the most of the town historic district's vibrant Italianate and Victorian Gothic homes were built.