Situated on the banks of the Nanticoke River, Blades was first known as Bladesville and named for the Blades family. James Blades, an early railroad pioneer, purchased a tract of land that extended to present-day High and Market Streets. A Methodist church and elementary school were established circa 1870 to serve the growing community of farmers and other laborers who worked in nearby Seaford. Bladesville was chartered as a Delaware community by the Delaware General Assembly in 1910, with Henry Riggin serving as the first mayor. On March 10, 1915, its formal incorporation as the Town of Blades was approved by the state legislature. The town's expansion positively affected business, with residents involved in grocery stores, factories, and the trucking industry. A post office operated at Market and Second Streets until 1929, when it was closed and joined with the Seaford Post Office. In 1934, the Blades Volunteer Fire Company was organized and first located on West High Street; a more modern station was constructed on East Fifth Street in 1974. One of the most noteworthy community organizations was the Blades Concert Band, which was organized, trained, and conducted by Mr. Charles Robinson. The town is believed to have been the first in Delaware to elect a woman, Mrs. Margaret Hastings, as mayor in 1947. Blades remains an active community committed to preserving a tranquil way of life in Sussex County.