Founded in 1666 by Benjamin Summers, Crisfield was originally known as
Annemessex and the cove bordering Benjamin Summers' land was known as
Somers Cove.
Annemessex was a typical small Eastern Shore
village. Gradually the name of the village was changed to Somers
Cove.
This came about because boat captains and crews
consistently referred to the area by the small cove which afforded
them protection from the weather in the Chesapeake and was a fine
docking place.
In 1854, a Coast and Geodetic survey of the
Chesapeake Bay discovered a large number of oyster beds in Tangier
Sound adjacent to Somers Cove. John W. Crisfield recognized the
importance of this natural resource and pushed the Eastern Shore
Railroad from Salisbury to Crisfield.
With the advent of the railroad the products of the
Chesapeake Bay could move from the Eastern Shore to the lucrative
markets of the northeast. In recognition of his contributions to
the city, the town fathers changed the name of the city from Somers
Cove to Crisfield.
For many years, Crisfield was the leading oyster
producing city in the entire United States. The export of this
tasty Chesapeake bivalve produced an economic boom in the area and
Crisfield rose in prominence throughout the region.
The combination of the railroad and the oyster
helped fuel the development of secondary industries in the city.
Harvested seafood requires cool temperatures in order to keep it fresh
and edible. Consequently, a large ice house was built which
supplied ice to keep seafood refrigerated in transit.
A coal fired power plant generated the electricity
necessary to keep the city and its industries supplied with this
source of power. Agricultural packing houses were established
which canned vegetables and then took advantage of the railroad for
transport of this produce.
A sewing industry took advantage of the expert
seamstresses in the area. This industry produced fine finished
products for Wall Street clothiers. Many more small businesses
were started to serve the local people employed in the major
industries. The City of Crisfield was incorporated in 1872.
By 1904 the City of Crisfield was the second largest
city in the State of Maryland (first being Baltimore) and one of the
finest seaports in the country. It quickly became known as the
"Seafood Capital of the World.". The seafood industry, combined
with the ability to export seafood and agricultural produce via the
railroad drew residents from as far away as New England and the
Midwest.
Nationally Prominent Crisfielders
Harry Clifton (Curley) Byrd - President of
the University of Maryland, born in Crisfield - often referred to as
the "Father of the University of Maryland."
Lt. General Jefferson Fields - Commanding
General of Camp Pendleton (1960), Director of Personnel for the entire
United States Marine Corp (1962), Commander of the Marine Corps
Development Command at Quantico, VA (1968) - born in Crisfield.
John Wesley Nelson - Founder of Del Monte canned products, born
in Crisfield
Lt. General William W. Quinn - Graduate of West Point, Chief of
Information for the Army(1957), Deputy Director of the Defense
Intelligence Agency - born in Crisfield.
John Millard Tawes - Maryland State Comptroller, Governor of
the State of Maryland (1959-1967), Head of the Maryland Department of
Natural Resources, State Treasurer. Governor Tawes is believed
to have accomplished something that has never before been done in the
history of the State of Maryland - that of filling all three seats on
the State Board of Public Works: Governor, Comptroller, and Treasurer.
Lem and Steve Ward - woodcarvers famous for
carving wildfowl. Pioneers of the American art of woodcarving,
featured in National Geographic Magazine three times. In 1983
Lem Ward received the National Heritage award issued by President
Ronald Regan through the National Endowment for the Arts - recognizing
both brothers as the fathers of the modern movement in decorative
wildlife carving in America.
Sources: Excerpt from "Crisfield Heritage"
by Jack Paul, Somerset Guide 2003; History of Crisfield and the
Surrounding Areas by Woodrow T. Wilson; The Last Waterman by
Glenn Lawson; Maryland Historical Trust
Crisfield Heritage Foundation
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