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Delco is an unincorporated community in eastern Columbus County situated along an important route between Wilmington and inland southeastern North Carolina. The broader region was inhabited by Indigenous peoples for thousands of years before European settlement, with communities relying on rivers, wetlands, forests, and the rich natural resources of the Coastal Plain. European-American settlement expanded through the area during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, establishing farms, timber operations, churches, and small rural communities. Columbus County was formed in 1808, and Delco eventually developed within the county's eastern agricultural and forested landscape.

Forestry played an especially significant role in the economy of eastern Columbus County. Vast pine forests supported North Carolina's historic naval-stores industry, which supplied tar, pitch, rosin, and turpentine for maritime use. Lumber and timber production later became major industries as railroads and improved transportation made it practical to move large quantities of wood products to regional markets. Agriculture also remained important, with tobacco, corn, vegetables, livestock, and other crops contributing to family livelihoods and the county's economy.

Transportation is central to Delco's history and modern identity. U.S. Highway 74/76 runs through the area and provides a major connection between Wilmington and communities farther inland. Rail transportation also influenced development in eastern Columbus County by facilitating the movement of forest products, agricultural goods, and industrial materials. These transportation corridors positioned Delco as a crossroads between the Wilmington metropolitan area, Columbus County's rural communities, and the industrial activity around nearby Riegelwood.

The community's proximity to the Cape Fear region created economic relationships with Wilmington and Brunswick County. Residents could access employment associated with forestry, manufacturing, transportation, agriculture, and the port economy while continuing to live in a comparatively rural environment. Over time, improved highways shortened travel times and made Delco increasingly practical for residents who worked or conducted business in the Wilmington area. This accessibility has become more significant as growth has spread outward from Wilmington and Leland.

Delco retains many of the characteristics associated with southeastern North Carolina's rural Coastal Plain. Forests, wetlands, farmland, churches, local businesses, and widely spaced residences define much of the surrounding landscape. Nearby natural areas, including Lake Waccamaw and portions of the Green Swamp region, add ecological importance to this part of the state. The combination of waterways and low-lying terrain has also influenced local land use and development throughout the community's history.

Today, Delco offers homeowners a rural setting with unusually convenient access to the Wilmington area. U.S. Highway 74/76 provides direct regional connectivity, while nearby communities such as Riegelwood, Leland, Bolton, and Lake Waccamaw offer additional services and amenities. Residential properties include older homes, rural acreage, and newer construction scattered throughout the surrounding countryside. As southeastern North Carolina continues to grow, Delco's location between Wilmington and inland Columbus County gives it increasing importance while its forests and open land preserve much of its traditional rural character.