Crisfield, Maryland
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Crisfield is a city located in Somerset County, Maryland. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 2,723.
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History
The Pocomoke and Annemessex Indian tribes of the Algonquin Nation were the first inhabitants of the area we now know as Crisfield. In 1666 a 300 acre (1.2 km²) parcel of land was granted to English settler, Benjamin Summers. Soon after Mr. Summers settled there, a fishing village grew up around him, and eventually the town was named, "Somers Cove" in his honor. Crisfield, located at the mouth of the Annemessex River and flanked by the Tangier Sound, soon became a major distribution center for seafood along the East Coast.
In 1866 a Princess Anne Attorney, John W. Crisfield was instrumental in bringing the railroad all the way down to the Crisfield seaport. The town was then renamed "Crisfield" honoring the attorney's efforts which proved to bolster the economy of the town. Once the railroad came to Crisfield, seafood was soon being shipped all over the United States and Crisfield became known as the "seafood capital of the world." By 1904, the City of Crisfield was the largest city in Maryland, second only to Baltimore. It continues to be famous for its seafood - particularly the Maryland Crab - and it abounds with restaurants, seafood packing houses and seafood distribution companies.
Geography
Crisfield is located at 37°59'3" North, 75°51'8" West (37.984037, -75.852106)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.8 km² (3.0 mi²). 4.2 km² (1.6 mi²) of it is land and 3.6 km² (1.4 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 46.36% water.
Crisfield is the southern-most city in Maryland. Though spots on the Western Shore in St. Mary's County are notoriously referred to as southern Maryland, geographically Apes Hole, a section of the Crisfield area, is the southern most point of the State.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 2,723 people, 1,172 households, and 723 families residing in the city. The population density is 645.0/km² (1,674.9/mi²). There are 1,357 housing units at an average density of 321.4/km² (834.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 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. 1.65% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 1,172 households out of which 30.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.9% are married couples living together, 25.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 38.3% are non-families. 34.3% of all households are made up of individuals and 18.9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.30 and the average family size is 2.92.
In the city the population is 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 are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 37 years. For every 100 females there are 75.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 71.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $17,979, and the median income for a family is $23,929. Males have a median income of $30,078 versus $20,670 for females. The per capita income for the city is $12,387. 34.2% of the population and 30.5% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 46.8% of those under the age of 18 and 30.2% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
External links
- Crisfield Area Chamber of Commerce website (http://www.crisfieldchamber.com/)