Sunday, August 9, 2015

TIME MACHINE ... 1917,1925, 2003, 1904,1959.

"Friendliest Town On The Eastern Shore."  Our tradition runs deep.  Excerpt from a letter to the editor from a visitor to Newtown, (former name of Pocomoke City) published in the Baltimore Sun, April 28,1847.

This place (Newtown) is a pretty snug little village, containing about 500 clever and hospitable inhabitants; it has good wide streets, quite clear of that "eye sore," known mostly over the Peninsula by the name of "deep sand"; the houses, though built of frame, are generally built substantially and with some discretion and taste; there are two neat, new, and quite handsome frame churches in it; as for the merchants of the place, suffice it to state that they are very clever and hospitable.  F. Mezick, Esq., the landlord with whom I stopped, and his very obliging and jolly assistant, are richly deserving of a passing notice, for the good treatment and the extension of the many civilities to "the stranger."


(Reader-friendly viewing of news archives/historical archives material)


September, 1917..



                                                                           The New York Age (New York)


December, 1925 (Time Machine archive)

The assistance by firemen from Pocomoke City and five other towns was credited with preventing a major fire in Ocean City from completely leveling the seaside resort.  The fire started in The Eastern Shore Electric Light Plant and spread to the Atlantic and Seaside Hotels, the Ocean City pier, and several concessions.  Ocean City firemen made an urgent call for help.  A published report stated firemen traveled icy roads at high rates of speed to reach the scene.  With no city water supply available, firemen chopped holes in the ice to draw water to fight the flames.  In addition to the Pocomoke City firemen, assistance was sent from Berlin, Snow Hill, Princess Anne, Salisbury, and Laurel, De.




          The charred remains of Dolle's Candyland after the fire of December 29, 1925.
          Collection of Frank Parsons

                                                              (Courtesy: Ocean City Life Saving Station Museum)



January, 2003
The Crisfield Times

(Excerpts)

Green elected
DPI president

Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc. the nonprofit trade association for the
Delmarva Peninsula's broiler chicken industry, has elected Douglas W. Green, Sandy Ridge Farm, Inc., Princess Anne, to lead the organization in 2003.

During his year as DPI president, Green will represent approximately 3,500
members including poultry growers, allied businesses, local businesses, poultry companies and employees of Delmarva's four poultry companies.

Joining Green in their capacities as volunteer DPI officers in the coming year are 1st Vice President Joseph E. Chisholm Sr., a Pocomoke City, Maryland-area poultry grower and banker; Ronald W. Darnell of Salisbury, a live-production manager with Perdue Farms Inc.; and Immediate Past President Dr. Henry M. Engster of Salisbury, vice president of technical services with Perdue Farms Inc.




July, 1904..




                                                                                         Peninsula Enterprise



August, 1959 (Time Machine archive)

Twin Towers on Route 13 south of Pocomoke announced the Grand Opening of its' new "Tower Room" cocktail lounge to complement its' restaurant.  King Sterling at the organ provided dinner music.  Dinner features at the popular Pocomoke gathering spot included Chinese Dishes, Broiled Steaks, and Live Maine Lobster from their lobster tank.









Do you have a local memory to share with PPE readers or something of interest your parents or grandparents told you about? Please send to tkforppe@yahoo.com .



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7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Up until the 1980s Twin Towers was the only place in Pocomoke to get Chinese food.

Your friend,
Slim

tk for PPE said...

Slim mentioned Chinese food at Twin Towers. Anyone remember the first place in the Pocomoke area that served pizza (or pizza pie as it was known in those days)?

Another popular eating place was The Route 13 Drive-In, not far from Twin Towers but on the other side (west side) of the highway.

Anonymous said...

Don't know about pizza but the Pony Ranch (owned by L J McGee) was the first place to have banana splits. It started out as a franchise of Dairy Queen but after a few years L J gave up the franchise because he wanted to expand to a larger menu. He became quite successful at it.

Your friend,
Slim

Anonymous said...

I also remember US 13 Drive-In. We could park and watch the movies at the drive-in theatre across the highway. No sound, but we could get the visuals for free. Maybe somebody braver than I could tell us about the time they screened a movie called "Carmen" and the story about the wine bottle!

Then there are all the stories about the actual drive-in theatre but will save that for another time. If you knew where to park you could always score some freebies at their half-time license plate giveaways.

Your friend,
Slim

Anonymous said...

Love the memories!

Anonymous said...

Who remembers a "Chocolate Zip?" It was served at most Pocomoke City soda fountains in the 1950's and probably earlier, and consisted of milk mixed with chocolate syrup over little shivers of ice.

Anonymous said...

I remember the Chocolate Zip. You cold get them at George Reid's, Clarke's Drug Store and Pocomoke Pharmacy. I hated them! Nothing could beat the fountain Coke made by Peanut (Mervin Merritt) at George Reid's place.

Your friend,
Slim