▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁that ▁the ▁correct ▁population ▁for ▁La ure l ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 0 ▁was ▁ 2 , 5 4 2 . ▁ ▁West ▁La ure l ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁Del aware ’ s ▁oldest ▁free ▁black ▁communities . ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁Del aware ▁Historical ▁Society , ▁West ▁La ure l ▁dates ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 7 9 0 ’ s . ▁At ▁some ▁point ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 7 0 ’ s ▁Captain ▁The odore ▁Marsh ▁settled ▁in ▁West ▁La ure l , ▁brought ▁property , ▁broke ▁the ▁property ▁down ▁into ▁plots ▁and ▁sold ▁them ▁to ▁his ▁ship m ates . ▁The ▁gra vey ard ▁for ▁New ▁Z ion ▁United ▁Method ist ▁church ▁in ▁West ▁La ure l , ▁which ▁has ▁been ▁around ▁since ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 8 0 0 ’ s ▁is ▁the ▁rest ing ▁place ▁of ▁Marsh ▁and ▁his ▁ship m ates . ▁ ▁Geography ▁La ure l ▁is ▁located ▁on ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁Coast al ▁P lain ▁in ▁south western ▁Del aware ▁at ▁ ▁( 3 8 . 5 5 6 5 0 4 1 , ▁− 7 5 . 5 7 1 3 1 4 1 ). ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Census ▁Bureau , ▁the ▁town ▁has ▁a ▁total ▁area ▁of ▁, ▁of ▁which ▁ ▁is ▁land ▁and ▁ ▁( 4 . 0 7 %) ▁is ▁water . ▁ ▁Dem ograph ics ▁▁ 9 5 7 ▁families , ▁ 1 , 3 8 9 ▁households , ▁ 3 ,