After a border dispute was settled in 1760, Sussex County's southern border was finally defined by the surveying duo, Mason and Dixon. While coastal Lewes continued as the county seat, western Delaware residents petitioned for a more suitable location. Although the center of the county was swampy and uninhabited, the Georgetown area was selected for the new county seat. Georgetown was laid out in a one mile circle, centered on a spacious town square. Now placed on the National Register of Historic Places, this circular central location is still said to be sixteen miles from everywhere in Sussex County.
   Nicknamed The Circle, Georgetown's center of town is made up of two dozen historic landmarks. One of the oldest buildings from The Circle is the Old Sussex County Courthouse, moved from its original location to make way for the New Sussex County Courthouse. Built in 1791 to match the exact dimensions of the coastal courthouse in Lewis, the old wooden frame building is still used on occasion by the court system.
   Restoration was completed for Return Day in 1976, honoring the country's Bicentennial. Today, the old courthouse is open for tours once a month. The New Sussex County Courthouse, located prominently on The Circle, was designed by William Strickland. Built between 1837 and 1839, its distinctive portico and cupola were added 65 years later. Other historic structures included around The Circle range from governmental official's homes to public buildings, many designed in Greek revival, early Georgian and Victorian gothic architecture.

     Map of The Circle
     Area Map