This Sunday here at The Pocomoke Public Eye:
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In the late 90s Jeff Trader, Jr. (son of Jeff Trader the firearms dealer and father of Jeff Trader the state trooper) lived in an isolated area of the Pocomoke Forest just off of Fleming Mill Road. He was not so sure what was going to happen with this "Y2K" event and he told me that on December 31, 1999 he went to bed with a .357 revolver in his right hand and a 10" Bowie knife in his left hand.
Pocomoke City had an earlier airport, located on Rt. 113 where the YMCA and Elks lodge are now located and was in use up until at least 1960.. The soil there was very light and sandy and not much good for field crops so an airstrip was considered the best use of the property. Preston Marshall and Luck Cowger kept aircraft there at one time. There was also a huge old farmhouse located on the hill in the rear of the property which seemed to be very mysterious with strange comings and goings.
In the spring of 1967 a large black Cadillac started making appearances around Pocomoke, especially at US 13 Restaurant. The car was always driven by a lady in her mid-40s or so, and there were always two younger blond girls in the back seat who appeared to be in their late teens or early 20s. When not out and about in town the Cadillac was always parked at the mysterious house at the "airport".
One evening in May of 1967 I was having dinner with my mother at US 13 Restaurant when the black Cadillac pulled in and I remarked to my mother about this strange vehicle. Mom's only comment was, "Just stay away from those people if you know what's good for you."
Five years later I was having a conversation with Don Malloy regarding locating a new Elks lodge on the old airport property and the subject of the old farmhouse came up.
"My God," exclaimed Don, "I thought everybody knew what that place was. That was Pocomoke's house of ill repute. The older lady was the madam and the two young blonds were her "working girls". The county sheriff was on the take so they never had to worry about being raided or having any kind of trouble."