Christiana is located approximately twenty miles south-southeast of Lancaster near the Lancaster-Chester County border. Christiana was first settled in 1775 and was originally known as McClarronville, the name was changed in honor of Christianna Noble daughter of one of the early settlers. An early Quaker settlement (Sadsbury) was established in the area near Christiana in the early 1700's. In addition Christiana achieved notoriety prior to the Civil War as the site of a rebellion against a Maryland slaverholder's attempting to reclaim slaves reputedly hiding at a farmhouse just southwest of the borough.
Christiana is located in the Octoraro Area School District which lies in both Lancaster and Chester Counties.
