Crisfield, Maryland
Crisfield (pronounced /ˈkrɪsfiːld/) is a city in Somerset County, Maryland, United States, located on the Tangier Sound, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. The population was 2,723 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Salisbury, Maryland Metropolitan Statistical Area. Crisfield has the distinction of being the southernmost incorporated city in Maryland.The city now known as Crisfield began as Annemessex Neck, a small fishing village. Its name was changed to Somers Cove, after Benjamin Summers, during European colonization. Only after the business potential for seafood was discovered did the quiet fishing town grow into a large city, due to the efforts of John W. Crisfield in bringing the Pennsylvania Railroad to the town. Crisfield briefly became the second most populous city in the entire state of Maryland, known as the 'Seafood Capital of the World'; indeed, its success was so great that the train soot and oyster shells prompted the extension of the city's land into the marshes, so that the downtown area is literally built atop oyster shells, a common claim by those from the city.Crisfield began to slip into decline as the declining health of the Chesapeake Bay began to reduce the watermen's catches. A 'strategic revitalization plan' is underway to address the city's future growing needs, however. Currently, Crisfield is largely a destination for tourism. It hosts many annual events and festivals, the most prominent of which is the National Hard Crab Derby.
History
The Annemessex, a branch of the local Pocomoke Indian tribe of the Algonquin Nation, were the first inhabitants of the area now known as Crisfield. At the time, it was a small village known as Annemessex Neck, which the Pocomoke used for fishing. The Annemessex River nearby is the namesake of this branch of the Pocomokes. On February 10, 1663, Benjamin Summers, a settler from Yorkshire or Hertfordshire, England, arrived from Northampton County, Virginia to claim his headright. He patented a 300-acre (1.21 km2) [though in actuality only 250 acres (1.01 km2)] parcel of land, which he named 'Emmessex'. He later patented another 200 acres (0.81 km2) of land on September 23, 1683, naming it 'Musketa Hummock'. Both of these plots of land are located in the present-day Crisfield Election District. Another plot of land, named 'Little Worth' and totalling 100 acres (0.40 km2), was also patented in Annemessex. These three plots of land would eventually come to be known collectively as Somers Cove.Somers Cove soon became a major distribution center for seafood along the East Coast. The town grew faster than many other settlements on the Delmarva Peninsula, with over 100 buildings in 1804 before Princess Anne and Salisbury, with 40 and 4 respectively.[citation needed] It was only later discovered how lucrative the area was as a survey of the Chesapeake Bay in 1854 showed how much the waters around Somers Cove were colonized by oysters.In 1866, John W. Crisfield, a Princess Anne attorney, was instrumental in bringing the Eastern Shore Railroad, a branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad system, to the Somers Cove seaport. The Crisfield Secondary Branch of the railroad opened on November 6 of that year. The town was later formally incorporated in 1872 as a city, which was renamed Crisfield in honor of the attorney's efforts. Due to the railroad, the economy of the new city was bolstered and Crisfield prospered greatly, as did other towns and settlements along its route, such as Marion Station to the north. Seafood was soon being shipped all over the United States, and Crisfield became known as the 'Seafood Capital of the World', a nickname still carried by the city. An industrial boom followed, and by 1904, the City of Crisfield was the second largest city in Maryland, after Baltimore, with the population topping off at about 25,000 at the time, the attractiveness of the city's seafood industry having drawn in residents from as far away as New England and the Midwestern United States. The city also had a baseball team before long: the Crisfield Crabbers, who were the city's entry for the defunct Eastern Shore Baseball League.The success of the city's seafood industry caused the city to end up with large amounts of train soot and oyster shells. Around the turn of the 20th century, businessmen would buy plots of land at the southwest edge of the city and discard the shells and soot into the salt marshes, creating a new, roughly half-mile long peninsula. Downtown Crisfield was built atop this new land, and this leads to the common statement that Crisfield was so prosperous that it is 'literally built on top of oyster shells'.The city experienced several fires, the most well-known of which is known as the Great Fire of 1928. It began on March 29 at the Crisfield Opera House and quickly spread to the downtown area, completely destroying it and causing over $1 million in damages.Crisfield's prosperity began to decline along with the health of the Chesapeake Bay. Oyster populations began to decline to the point where the watermen could no longer fully support themselves on their daily catches. Businesses began to move out of Crisfield, while others shut down. On April 1, 1976, the railroad that had brought prosperity to Crisfield was abandoned as Conrail was established; however, the railroad was succeeded by a new, straight vehicular highway built before its abandoning and alongside its right-of-way. As large businesses in the United States grew, it passed the shrinking Crisfield by until only the late 20th century. Fast-food restaurants began to slowly find business in the city, starting in the late 1990s, alongside the many seafood restaurants already in town, and a large supermarket has been in city plans for a decade, though it only opened in April 2010. Crisfield has also been a target for large waterfront properties, with several large condominiums being built in the mid-2000s in the downtown area, along with other places flanking Crisfield's harbors. A 'strategic revitalization plan' has been in the works since 2006, however, to address future growing needs and beautification of the city.Crisfield continues to be famous for its seafood throughout Maryland and the United States, particularly the Maryland Crab, and it abounds with restaurants, seafood packing houses, and seafood distribution companies. Several seafood restaurants across the country carry the city's name.
Geography
Crisfield is a very compact city, utilizing almost all of its area for urban usage. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.0 square miles (7.8 km2), of which, 1.6 square miles (4.1 km2) of it is land and 1.4 square miles (3.6 km2) of it (46.36%) is water. The city of Crisfield is surrounded by salt marshes and was built on a floodplain. As such, the city is especially prone to flooding during large storms and hurricanes, especially the downtown area.Crisfield is the southern-most city in the state of Maryland; the point farthest south is geographically located at Ape Hole. Regardless of this, Southern Maryland is an official region of the state not associated with the Eastern Shore, and areas of Saint Mary's County are often claimed to be the southernmost point of the state.
Climate
Crisfield's location on the Atlantic Coastal Plain in Maryland gives it a humid subtropical climate, with hot, humid summers and cool to mild winters. Its proximity to water, as well as a common trend on the Delmarva Peninsula, means that the city does not see much snowfall in the winters.
Demographics
Crisfield is part of the Salisbury-Ocean Pines CSA, a combined statistical area (CSA) which includes the Salisbury metropolitan area (Somerset and Wicomico counties) and the Ocean Pines micropolitan area (Worcester County), which had a combined population of 155,934 at the 2000 census. Salisbury is the principal city of this CSA.As of the census of 2000, there were 2,723 people, 1,172 households, and 723 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,674.9 people per square mile (645.0/km²). There were 1,357 housing units at an average density of 834.7/sq mi (321.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 58.54% White, 37.46% African American, 0.40% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races, and 2.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.65% of the population.There were 1,172 households out of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.9% were married couples living together, 25.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.3% were non-families. 34.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.92.In the city the population was spread out with 27.8% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 75.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 71.3 males.The median income for a household in the city was $17,979, and the median income for a family was $23,929. Males had a median income of $30,078 versus $20,670 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,387. About 30.5% of families and 34.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 46.8% of those under age 18 and 30.2% of those age 65 or over.
Crime
Crisfield gained a new police chief in 2007—Major Michael L. Tabor, who retired from the Baltimore Police Department to head law enforcement in the city. Since then, crime rates have been on a steady decline, generally halving between 2006 and 2008. The most prevalent crime in the city is property crime, down from a high of 180 in 2006 to 92 in 2008. Theft is also very common. Violent crimes, such as murder and forcible rape, are rare, though the numbers for those are on the decline as well. In January 2010, it was reported that Crisfield experienced an 81% decrease in crime rates of all kinds since 2007.
Economy
Crisfield's economy is centered largely around retail, health care, and automotive. Seafood is also an important part of Crisfield's economy, just as it has been for most of its existence, with several packing plants existing within the city. The largest employer inside Crisfield's limits is the McCready Memorial Hospital. The second largest employer in the city is the Sherwin-Williams plant (formerly Rubberset company), which manufactures paintbrushes and roller covers.In the past, the economy was centered on the watermen and seafood, and about 150 seafood processing and packing plants were located within the city in its heyday. As the health of the Chesapeake Bay began decline, so did the numbers of catches for the blue crab (numbers have fallen by 70% since the 1990s) and regulations have been placed on catching female crabs in order to control overharvesting.Most of the labor force in Crisfield work outside of the city and elsewhere on the peninsula. The largest seafood employer in Somerset County is also located outside the city, but nearby in Hopewell. Additionally, a new industrial park is slated for construction as early as September 2010 just north of Crisfield, near Carvel Hall and along MD 413. This new park will expand Crisfield's corporate limits.
Culture
Due to Crisfield being the main access point to Smith Island, it is an area with many speakers of the unique Smith Island accent. It also serves the Smith Island cake, the Maryland state dessert, in many of its restaurants.
Annual events
Since 1986, Crisfield has hosted the Scorchy Tawes Pro-Am Fishing Tournament. The 3-day tournament gives cash prizes for different fishing categories. A block-party is held each night of the tournament at Side Street Restaurant.The annual J. Millard Tawes Crab and Clam Bake takes place on the third Wednesday of each July. It began in 1976 and attracts many politicians from across the state each year.Crisfield's largest event is the annual National Hard Crab Derby & Fair, which began in 1947 and occurs every Labor Day weekend. Major highlights of the Crab Derby include a parade through Main Street, the Little Miss, Little Mr. and Miss Crustacean Pageants, the Boat Docking Contest (which began in 1971), the Crab Picking contest, and the Crab Bowl. The Crab Bowl turns the Somers Cove Marina into fairgrounds with rides, concerts, vendor stands, and fireworks.
Museums
Crisfield has several museums: the J. Millard Tawes Historical Museum, the Ward Brothers Workshop, and the J. Millard Tawes Library.
Government
Crisfield is said to have a mayor–council–manager government. Administration is handled by the City Manager, who is appointed by the mayor and city council. The mayor is elected by the citizens of Crisfield, and the council members are as well. All serve four-year terms.
Sports and recreation
The city once had a minor league baseball team: the Crisfield Crabbers. They were the entry to the Eastern Shore Baseball League; however, that league has been dismantled, so there is no longer a team.Through Program Open Space, the city of Crisfield has recently received funding to build a new Crisfield Municipal Park, the first public park located in the city. The park will feature a gazebo, a picnic area, and a playground.Crisfield is also located near and has access to Janes Island State Park. Janes Island is a large marshy island made of almost completely undeveloped land, and is colonized by various birds and marine life. The park offers fishing, swimming, picnicking, camping, and has about thirty miles of water trails which can be accessed by canoe. The beaches allow swimming as well. There is also a playground near the entrance.
Public schools
Public schools in Crisfield are within the Somerset County Public Schools district, which is headquartered in Westover. There are only two public schools in Crisfield:Carter G. Woodson Elementary School – This school is located on South Somerset Avenue and currently serves grades K–5. This was changed from 2004, where it was the middle school, serving grades 6–8; school consolidation in the county changed the school and gave it a renovation. Much earlier than that, the school was the Crisfield Colored High School.
Crisfield Academy and High School– Originally known as just Crisfield High School, this building is located on North Somerset Avenue between the intersections of Potomac Street and Mercury Lane, and serves grades 8–12. Before consolidation, it handled grades 9–12. The school is the first educational facility built beyond the original Crisfield Academy, and has existed in four different buildings on three different sites, all located close to or on Somerset Avenue.
Private schools
Crisfield Christian Academy – The building, located onMaryland Avenuenorth of Maple Street, hosts the only private religious school in the city.
Other
Crisfield Head Start – Crisfield's branch of theHead Start programwas placed in the old Crisfield Elementary School #3 onJacksonville Roadfor over twenty years. In the mid-2000s the building was razed to make way for a Food Lion, and operations moved elsewhere. As of 2010, the facility occupies the H. Dewayne Whittington Primary School building on Asbury Avenue. Before school consolidation, this building was the public primary school, serving grades K–2.
Travel by water
As Crisfield's heritage is on the water, it has many points of access to the Tangier Sound and Chesapeake Bay. Crisfield has two public docks: the city dock, which is located at the end of Main Street (MD 413), which is where large commercial ships tend to dock. The city dock has a pavilion and is usually the site of many events that occur in Crisfield. The other is the county dock, located one block west at the end of Broad Street, which is largely a dock used for freight. This dock was recently rehabilitated in the mid-2000s. There is also the Little Boat Harbor, located on Brick Kiln Road, which is utilized mostly by smaller workboats.Crisfield also has a large marina, called Somers Cove Marina, built in the 1960s and is currently owned by the State of Maryland. The marina is where boats to Smith Island and Tangier Island, Virginia can be boarded. Currently, there is also service from Crisfield to Reedville, Virginia. The Somers Cove Marina is also notable as it is the main site of many of the large events in the city, such as the National Hard Crab Derby.Throughout Crisfield's history, there has been discussion of a high-speed ferry link between Crisfield and a point on the Western Shore, with large vessels that can accommodate large numbers of vehicles and tractor-trailers. The Western Shore connection point has ranged from Point Lookout State Park in Maryland to Reedville in Northumberland County, Virginia. Proponents of this high-speed ferry link cite that it will reduce travel times to adjacent points on the western shore by as much as two and a half hours as the Bay Bridges are far from one another, and that they will spur tourism and economic growth on both sides.
Major roads
The city of Crisfield is accessible by two main state highways: Maryland Route 413 (the main route through the city and is known colloquially as 'The Strip') and Maryland Route 667. Both routes connect directly to U.S. Route 13, the main north–south thoroughfare of the Delmarva Peninsula. Additionally, Maryland Route 358 (Jacksonville Road) leads to the nearby Janes Island State Park, and Maryland Route 460 (Hall Highway) is the main access point to the hospital. Maryland Route 380 (Byrdtown Road and Main Street Extension) lead to the Crisfield suburbs of Lawsonia and Byrdtown; this area is commonly referred to by the locals as 'Down Neck'.Major streets not maintained by the state are Somerset Avenue, which is located at the northern edge of town and travels south, paralleling the eastern city boundary and fronted mostly by homes; all of the public schools in the city are located down this corridor. There is also Main Street, which provides access to City Hall, the post office, police department, the library, and many of the businesses in the city, and also intersects Somerset Avenue at the only stoplight in the city. Main Street merges with Maryland Route 413 near the Crisfield Fire Department, becoming a four-lane boulevard. Broadway Avenue, running parallel to Main Street one block south, was once a major business center in the city as well, fronted by many businesses and churches and passed directly through the city's marina; however, it no longer reaches the marina, and a large amount of the stores and warehouses along it are now closed.
Public transportation
Crisfield is also served by the commuter bus service of the lower Eastern Shore, Shore Transit. Two routes serve the city of Crisfield: Route 1 (known locally simply as 'the Crisfield bus'), and Route 3, which operates on Sunday only. Both routes travel along Somerset Avenue and MD 413, getting between the two by way of Cove Street, and also provide access to McCready Memorial Hospital. All buses provide access to Princess Anne, where there is a transfer hub, and riders can get access to Salisbury and other points on the Eastern Shore.
Airports
Crisfield has a single airport, though its location is closer to Hopewell: the Crisfield Municipal Airport. The main access road to the airport is on Plantation Road in Hopewell, south of the MD 667 intersection there; from Crisfield it is accessible via Jacksonville Road. The airport has been a recent target for expansion.
Public utilities
Crisfield possesses three water towers and a public sewer system; both provide municipal services as far north as Plantation Road in Hopewell. The most recent water tower was installed in the early 2000s. It also possesses one single sewage water treatment plant, which is notably overburdened and obsolete.The main electrical provider in the city is Delmarva Power and Light, held by Pepco Holdings, and a large substation is located north of town. Choptank Electric Cooperative also serves the city's outskirts. In the past, Crisfield possessed a power plant, located downtown on Seventh Street. This was removed around the time of the decommissioning of the rail line, as the railroad once ended there; power is now tapped from a substation in Princess Anne via subtransmission line. The main telephone provider is Verizon Communications. In the mid-2000s, a fiber-optic cable was installed along the length of MD 413, improving internet service. A prominent cellphone tower was also installed in the center of Marion Station to the north in 2010.
Health care
Crisfield currently possesses the only hospital in Somerset County—McCready Memorial Hospital, which is accessible by Hall Highway and by Byrd Road from the north on Jacksonville Road. The nearest hospital outside of this one is in Salisbury or in Berlin. McCready Hospital is located on the Annemessex River, and is flanked by the Alice Byrd Tawes Nursing Home, which was built in 1968 and was replaced by a new four-story building in 2010.
Notable residents and natives
TheWard brothers
J. Millard Tawes
